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Black Leaves

Plants with leaves a color other than green-exotic. I have never counted the numbers of plant species in my yard, but every one of them has green leaves. In my green world, a red/black or purple/black leaved plant would most surely be exotic. That exotic quality attracts attention. The numbers of urban properties featuring a Bloodgood Japanese maple somewhere in the landscape is an indication of the attraction of black. Central to the color composition of these four containers of mine several years ago pivoted around purple oxalis triangularis and purple threadleaf alternanthera. The purple black oxalis in the center pair of rectangular planters has the best black color of any black leaved plant I know. It is not muddy. The black/red alternanthera is not bad either. But critical to the appearance of that black has to do with the choice of company. Gartenmeister fuchsia has black/green leaves. Variegated licorice provides startling contrast. These plantings are all about good company.

Black calocasia has plenty going for it. The very large wavy leaves are a standout. Its willingness to grow is only limited by the size of the container in which it is grown. For me, the difficulty is finding suitable companion plants. As a general rule, once I start a container planting with other than green leaves, I need the companionship of some other than green-leaved cast members to make the entire picture work. Inky fingers coleus is a favorite. The black leaves are outlined in the most outrageously electric kelly green. In this container, the color black is the dominant element. The contrast of leaf size is swell. A small dash of lime licorice, which in this instance reads as green tinged yellow, is just enough to keep all that big black from looking gloomy.

Black sweet potato vine is a beautiful color and texture, provided you plan for the cascade. This is a good ratio of plant to pot. Pots completely smothered in black sweet potato vine have that Cousin It look. In this planting, I knew the green leaves of the white petunias would never be a part of the big picture. Petunias bloom so heavily one can ignore the size, shape and color of the foliage. The double, or hose in hose datura has green foliage, but it is very dark green. Moody, this planting. Moving off moody, it has balance. Black can be dominant, or fade away. Container plantings are all about partnerships, relationships. Like any other partnership or relationship, things can be difficult. Most of what I do as a gardener is weed, and mediate.

The leaves of Persian Shield are a color complex of purple, green and black. A dark foliaged dahlia harmonizes. The lavender flowers contrast in such a way to assign depth to this discussion of black.

The canna Australia is a better black than Calocasia black. I attribute this to the substance of the leaf. Calocasia leaves are very thin; they transmit light. That transmitted light dirties the color. Canna leaves are very thick; these leaves are emphatically black. Opaque-not transluscent. The representation of color is strong and dramatic. The edges of the leaves of the coleus Arizona Sunset repeat that wine red black in a different texture and dimension. The Misty Lilac wave petunia skirt lights up the night life going on above.

This planting of Persian Shield, pink New Guineas, peach petunias, and variegated licorice is from my yard a few years ago. The variegated licorice picks up the cool green of the Persian shield. A little intermediary peach petunia action and some hot pink New Guinea flowers feature the iridescent quality of those featured black leaves.

Moses in the Cradle is a common name for a black variegated Wandering Jew-I think. I have always known this plant to be a tradescantia, but some literature indicates otherwise. That said, this black foliaged trailing tropical is amazingly tolerant of cold, sun, shade,-whatever weather comes its way. Planted in early spring with Italian cypress, yellow dahlias, annual phlox, this planter still looks good in August. Imagine this planter without that frothy skirt of Moses-boring at best. On the outs, at worst.

Hibiscus Red Shield is a red/black foliaged plant that will grow to astonshing proportions over the course of one season. Not surprisingly, the flowers are insignificant. Note that I underplanted it with a red coleus with lime edges, and lime licorice. Green leaves underneath would have put out the fire. Mix the variegated plants with more variegated plants. Should you decide to go for black, chose your chorus accordingly.

Posted on: September 19, 2011 2 Comments

Filed Under: Garden Design, Good Design Tagged With: red thread leaved alternanthera, Moses in the cradle, inky fingers coleus, hibiscus red shield, black leaves, black calocasia, purple oxalis

The Holiday Landscape: Design Details

Any design – whether it be landscape, garden or holiday design – pertinent to the front door involves much more than the door. A front door comes with a house, that has a certain shape and size. That door comes with a stoop or porch. There is a walkway that gets you to that door. There is a landscape that accompanies that walk to the door. Some doors have a portico, or a roof, or no shelter from the sky whatsoever. Some front doors are on the side of the house. Consideration of all these factors plays a big part in successful holiday design. This is a house of considerable stature. The drive court, walkway, and portico are all of a massive scale. The house is a long way from the street. Big and bright helps to make a holiday statement in proportion to all of the other existing elements.

The portico is massive, and supported by massive columns. The door is somewhat dwarfed by the structure over head. A garland, and integral wreath over the door visually lowers the ceiling. The is a friendly gesture aimed at creating a more human scale.

The rectangular pots are large, and were designed to fit in between those columns. A thicket of Cardinal red twig dogwood and berried Michigan holly stems makes a holiday statement that is visible from a long way away. There are but a four elements in these boxes, but there is a generous amount of each. These boxes also make that porch a more private space.

This pair of front doors are painted a very dark grey. The porch is wide, and very simple, as is the brick walk. A pair of Belgian oak boxes are kept company by a pair of antique English chimney pots, and a single concrete French poodle. The double ball moss topiaries with their twig top knots and vine swirls are 7 years old-they look great with that poodle. This fall I added a new layer of moss to the old. As the boxes are so large, I had no worry that the moss balls would be too big, given a new moss layer. We stuffed mixed greens into the big boxes, and borth green and variegated English boxwood into the chimney pots. A smaller scale green is a good choice for a smaller container.

The dark doors asked for a detail that was light, or sparkly, or both. I glued a pair of vintage gilded angel wings together via a wood plant label. Short screws through both layers insured the wings would stay together. A square of foam core board glued to the back was a base for a few layers of magnolia leaves. A gold metallic bow in the middle speaks to the season. This detail can be changed after New Years, as the pots will look welcoming all winter long. This detail endows the front door with the greetings of the season.

An asymmetrical placement of a front door asks for an asymmetrical treatment. A low concrete planter with magnolia and red twig dogwood provides a compact landscape for a trio of nutcrackers. The magnolia wreath on the front door-a third element providing holiday interest.

These clients requested a winter theme for their containers. The pussy willow centerpieces repeat the dark chocolate stain color of the concrete pots. The curly willow provides a little loosely described volume without interfering to the access to the door. The decor is very simple and understated, just like the door.

This front door is part of a large porch which extends across the full width of the house. The pots on either side of the door are always in shadow, given the roof of the porch. A pair of pots integrated into the landscape provides an opportunity for winter interest at the half-way point from the sidewalk to the door. These pots also provide a frame for a stately antique English sundial. This front yard brick terrace is a room of its own. The stairs are a transition from that public space, to the more private porch space. The central design issue here was all about making a drastic change of grade from the front yard to the front door seem graceful.

These containers are generously sized, and for good reason.

The house is tall, and a considerable distance from the street. The walkway to the front door originates at the driveway, and is laid parallel and close to the front of the house. There is a vast amount of lawn between the street, and the front door. These large pots with large winter arrangements provide a winter outfit for the entire house.

This front door has a small and intimate portico; the holiday garland makes much of this. A holiday wreath on the glass storm door completes the look.

From the street, an entirely different feeling is at work. A massive portico covers the front door, and its personal portico. A pair of Christmas trees set in black ceramic pots make that door seem more important. The firewood stacked outside and to the left of the front door adds visual interest, and balance, to the treatment of the doorway. It is important to make much of the front door. It is the friendliest gesture you might make to your guests.

This recessed front porch features a pair of wreaths hung from the iron fretwork of the pair of front doors. The white glass ornaments in the wreaths echoes the white light covers on the tuteurs in the boxes. A trio of coach lights makes this front door, and all that goes with it, seem all of a piece.

This big and rangy contemporary house features a very geometric and formally clipped landscape. A pair of galvanized pots stuffed with Rob’s signature branches and weeds is a surprising effective foil for all this architecture. The big idea here? Study what you have. Make no plans to cope. Plan to shine.

Posted on: December 17, 2011 2 Comments

Filed Under: Holiday, Landscape Design Tagged With: holiday decor, landscaping the front door, winter gardening

A Christmas Eve Celebration

You may recall a post I wrote just before Christmas entitled “Gifts That Gardeners Give”. I pictured a wreath I had made as a gift for two very good friends. They live on and love a big wild piece of property in what I call “the country”. They were very enthusiastic about the gift-enough so to suggest they would make it an integral part of their traditional Christmas Eve dinner celebration. Of course I asked for pictures. I got more than that. I got the story of the evening in pictures.

The mercury glass candlesticks I had seen before. Their 19th century stone house features generously deep window sills that are perfect for collections. The simple wood bird sculptures I had not seen. How elegant they are, each holding a sprig of holiday greens in their beaks.

The candlesticks and birds dressed for the occasion ran the length of the holiday table. I like that height that captures one’s attention and sets the mood upon entering the room.

They would do little to obstruct the seated views across the table. I was delighted to see that the wreath was most definitely part of their holiday celebration.

The table setting was exquisite. The silver and linens, quite formal. The arrangement of all of the elements, rhythmic in a purely personal way.

Arranged around the bases of the birds and candlesticks, an assortment of fruits, ornaments, and bits from the garden. The nest in the wreath was handmade by some unknown bird with various grasses, twigs, and other natural detritus. I added a lining of milkweed seeds still attached to their fluff. The surface of the table was similarly decorated with an assortment of like-spirited objects of their own choosing.

I think their table was breathtaking. The rickrack over the mercury glass calls to mind the string that could easily be part of a bird’s nest. Fruits, nuts, and ornaments in various colors and shapes are the unexpected underplanting to the silver, white and glass dinner service.