Bianca's ideas
Create a dark backdrop to highlight perennial flowers. Planting dark foliage and bright or pastel blooms in close proximity can have a dramatic effect in containers or in planting beds. Here, the petals of ‘Mardi Gras’ sneezeweed (Helenium ‘Mardi Gras’, zones 3 to 9) glow like embers against a dark backdrop of purple-leaved Diabolo ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Monlo’, zones 2 to 7).
2. Showcase dark foliage as living art. Many dark-leaved plants have an unusual beauty. Examples include the nearly translucent burgundy leaves of ‘Royal Purple’ smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’, zones 4 to 8) and the delicate plum foliage of Japanese maple (Acer palmatum cvs., zones 5 to 8), like the one shown here. Display their rich colors and interesting leaf forms against the backdrop of rusted metal walls, pale fences or spilling over large boulders.
7. Golden Jackpot Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii ‘SMBTJ’) This Japanese barberry, or barberry, stands out for its vivid gold foliage and compact, garden-friendly size and habit. It stays 2 feet tall and wide in a neat, rounded shape without pruning. It’s deciduous in most areas but will remain evergreen in warm-winter climates. Plants are resistant to rust and deciduous in most climates. Plant in a row as a low, golden border, mix with deep green boxwoods or plant with flowering perennials in blues and purples to provide a bright contrast.
Plant for all seasons — or at least three of them. There are very few plants that bloom prolifically from spring to fall. As you’re choosing plants, especially perennials, look for those with different flowering times and spread them throughout the garden. Bulbs might provide early spring color, then can be protected and hidden while their foliage fades by the taller, summer-blooming perennials they’re planted under. Don’t forget late-summer and fall color as well. It will keep your garden from looking faded as summer ends. If you’re not sure what will bloom when, or you do end up with a bare spot, remember that annuals can always fill in. See what’s in bloom at a local nursery, though check before purchasing to be sure they, too, aren’t at the end of their bloom season
For more drama try a two-color combination. A complementary color scheme, meaning the primary shades are opposite or almost opposite each other on the color wheel (such as the purples and oranges seen here), create a sense of vibrancy. An analogous combination of colors that sit next to each other will give your bed a gradation of shades. Think of it as the ombré look for the garden.
Think about a color scheme. A flower bed filled with every color of the rainbow and then some will look messy unless you have an exceptionally good eye for color. So before you buy plants and seeds, decide on a color scheme. A good rule of thumb is to stick to no more than three main colors and add variety by varying the shades within each color. Not only will your flower bed look more cohesive, but you’ll also be able to narrow down good choices at the garden center that much more quickly.
Angelita Daisy Because yellow-flowering plants help the other colors in your landscape pop, angelita daisy looks great paired with succulents such as agave and purple prickly pear (Opuntia violaceae var santa-rita, zones 8 to 11). Other options include planting it with firecracker penstemon (Penstemon eatoni, zones 5 to 9) or in front of Baja fairy duster (Calliandra californica, zones 9 to 11).
Red Yucca native to Texas and Northern Mexico Drought tolerant Red yucca looks great planted in groups of three or five. Plant it near boulders, where its spiky texture will contrast with their rounded shapes. Red yucca is also great to add alongside pools, due to its low litter. It also makes a good container plant and is the perfect solution for a hot corner that receives reflected heat. Show off the coral flowers by pairing red yucca with yellow-flowering plants, such as angelita daisy, desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata), damianita and feathery cassia (Senna artemisioides).
Prairie sunflower
Asclepias incarnata for a butterfly garden
Good meadow filler called Blue grama
Botanical name: Liatris aspera
cinnamon fern
Botanical name: Penstemon grandiflorus Native from Texas
Gaura is a very versatile addition to the landscape. It looks best planted in groups of three or five
Shown: White gaura planted with purple-flowering Rozanne cranesbill (Geranium x ‘Rozanne’)
Botanical name: Gaura lindheimeri (syn. Oenothera lindheimeri) Common names: Gaura, whirling butterflies, Lindheimer’s beeblossom, Indian feather, Lindheimer’s clockweed
Botanical name: Dalea frutescens Common names: Black dalea, black prairie clover Origin: Native to New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas and into northern Mexico
Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) The saguaro is perhaps the most iconic cactus of all
Graham’s Nipple Cactus (Mammillaria grahamii syn. Mammillaria microcarpa)
Echinopsis (Echinopsis spp.) These unassuming cactuses produce flowers that resemble Easter lilies in spring and often again in summer. Truly stunning flowers range in size from 1 inch up to 8 inches across, in shades of pink, orange, yellow and white, depending on the species or hybrid.
Kingcup Cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus) Native to desert regions of Texas, etc Requires full sun
Botanical name: Acer grandidentatum Common names: Bigtooth maple, canyon maple, western sugar maple Origin: Native to canyons in mountains and plateaus from northwestern Montana to northern Mexico, including southeastern Idaho, southwestern Wyoming, western Utah, southern Colorado, western Texas, and the desert ranges of southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 34.4 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 4 to 9; find your zone) Water requirement: Needs supplemental water, especially in hot-summer climates Light requirement: Full sun to medium shade, but not dry shade Mature size: Up to 50 feet tall and 25 feet wide; smaller varieties, which can be multistemmed, to 25 feet tall
Valentine Bush
This succulent ground cover adds color and texture to the drought-tolerant garden. Pointed blue-gray leaves are arranged along the fleshy stems of upright myrtle spurge, adding spiky texture to the garden. Milky sap is toxic Upright Myrtle (euphorbia rigida)
Golden Barrel Cactus (Echinocactus grusonii)
Santa Rita Prickly Pear (Opuntia violacea santa-rita) Native to Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and south through Chihuahua, Mexico
Texas mountain laurel is a great pick for a patio or small space due to its human scale and upright form. If you prefer to leave it untrained, Texas mountain laurel will spread nicely to form a landscape screen year-round.
those plants
A white shade sail can provide just as much shade as a dark-colored one — it’s really just a case of making sure that the material is dense instead of transparent. If you’d like your sail to keep a seating area dry, ensure that the fabric is waterproof and that the sail is taut and slightly angled. Otherwise, pockets of water will collect and then spill on you when the breeze picks up.
Add an outdoor fountain. The sound of running water can help transform any outdoor space — no matter how big or small — into a relaxing retreat. In urban and suburban environments, it can also help mask traffic noise and the hum of A/C units. If noise abatement is a priority, choose a fountain that has a fall or splash as part of its design, rather than a quieter pour-over style.
Add some stones and creeping thyme under the hammock area, maybe add a fairy house on one of the trees
Beach club vibe with these chairs
Reminds me of sunken dining table at Rabbit Tree hostel in Gili Meno, and the Artist's house in Marfa
Q