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About Marc Chapelle, ASLA
Expertise
As a licensed Landscape Architect, I am available to answer general questions about style and design, ideas and suggestions for site amenities, larger site-planning issues, or recreational and park design. I prefer you ask somebody else why your petunias are not as perky as they should be...I'd LOVE to tell you how can use those petunias to increase your home's value!
Experience
Member, American Society of Landscape Architects(ALSA); My clients are mostly contractors, developers and local civil engineering/architecture firms, plus the occasional homeowner. I am currently located in the dry Great Basin area (Reno/Sparks), so use of landscape materials OTHER than plants is emphasized. As a licensed Landscape Architect on the East and West Coasts, I have been in practice over 18 years. My website: DesertLA.com
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You are here: Experts > Home/Garden > Exterior Decorating > Landscaping & Design > Foundation Plantings
Expert: Marc Chapelle, ASLA - 8/5/2008
Question
QUESTION: I'm hoping you can help. I live in Connecticut, Zone 6. Our house is a shade of taupe with white trim. We have no plants around our house right now. I am looking for plant suggestions that offer a variety of heights, have a limited spread of 2-3 feet and are evergreens or semi-evergreens so the beds maintain their personality during the winter months. I love reds, blues and greens and prefer clean manicured beds, nothing too bushy. I need to stay away from poisonous plants or plants with berries (we have young kids). Some plants I have in mind are:
- Skyrocket Juniper
- Crimson Pygmy Barberry
- Boxwood (of some sort)
- Emerald Gaiety Euonymus
I also need one tree that won't grow too large too fast and I'm thinking about a Japanese Maple or a Purple Leaf Plum.
I know I asked a lot of questions, but please give me your thoughts. Thanks so much.
ANSWER: Plant selections sound fine. The Skyrocket Juniper can get quite large, and possibly over-power your space: (https://www.securemgr.com/sites/folder12665/site_images_system/user/skyrocket.jpg)
The tree selections sound great – I would include the Crabapples, as they give you a nice spring bloom, and fall color…and the berries are not toxic (they are related to the apple tree)
For other plant ideas, go to University of Connecticut’s website:
http://www.hort.uconn.edu/fmi/xsl/search.xsl
~M
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Marc,
Will Euonymus Scale be a problem here is Connecticut for the Emerald Gaiety? If so, can you recommend a different plant that will have similar variegated leaf coloring and a strong winter presence.
Answer
Euonymus Scale information:
http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef428.asp
I don’t know if your area is prone to it –
If so, I’d try variegated holly (Ilex aquifolium ‘Gold Coast’, I. a. ‘Argento-marginata’, ‘Silvery’, Silver Queen’, ‘Silver king’, ‘Silver Star’, etc.)
Also for winter interest, Buxus sempervirens ‘variagata’ or ‘Aura pendula’
For their pictures go to: http://www.camberlygardens.com/index.html?body=/shrubs.html
I have suggested "variagated" plants to match the style of Euonymus most heavily planted here - the E. japonica 'Aureo-variegata'. But the lush & COMPLETELY GREEN parent plants (Ilex & Buxus species) are no less attractive in the winter time.
Hope it helps. ~M
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