November 27, 2010

GARDEN MVPs

This month's special double issue of Horticulture magazine  ( Dec./Jan.) featured me and 6 of my fellow Garden Designers Roundtable members in an article titled Garden MVPs.

They asked that each landscape designer describe their favorite plants and its companions .  Here are mine :

                              Acer shirasawanum ' Autumn Moon '




One look at "Autumn Moon ' ( Zones 5-8 ) and you'll know why it's my favorite - it is a showstopper.  Its beautiful chartreuse color is effective  all summer and in the Fall it turns a beautiful intense pink/red.

I've used periwinkle beneath this maple because its beautiful shiny evergreen leaves contrast so well with the tree's foliage.  My second favorite companion plant for 'Autumn Moon ' is the Azalea ' Karen ", a compact shrub with vivid May flowers.  A good third companion is Chameocyparis obtusa 'Nana' or dwarf Hinoki cypress.  It is a most unusual, artistic evergreen with an outstanding shape that goes well with both the Japanese maple and the azalea.

As if that weren't enough, another great feature is DIVAS IN GREEN in which  garden blogger Carol at May Dreams Gardens, Kylee Baumle of Our Little Acre and others write of the plants which " they'll jump through hoops for . "

12 comments:

  1. How cool to be featured in a magazine! I can see why you love that maple. The shape of the leaves, plus the colors, make it quite beautiful.

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  2. That maple looks beautiful. Your garden is smaller like mine, so I wonder if I could use this variety.

    I just put in two Karen azaleas this fall, glad to hear it is a favorite.

    Eileen

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  3. Wasn't that fun to see us in Horticulture? I just knew that had to be your Autumn Moon the minute I saw the photo. I'm so happy to say that I've seen it in person and it's absolutely gorgeous. It's sited perfectly and a real treasure in your beautiful gardens!
    Hugs to you, Carolyn Gail!

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  4. Hey Sue,

    I fell in love with it the moment I saw it at my garden center. It was just an itsy bitsy thing at the time but it has grown very well.

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  5. Too much fun, Kylee! Loved your article as well. I'm still appreciating that wonderful review you did of your visit here.

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  6. Hi Eileen,

    Its next to impossible to find the Autumn Moon at local nurseries. You can try ordering it online at Http://www.wildwoodmaples.com, a reliable source.

    Our buyer just purchased 2 or 3 the year I picked mine up and they were gone the first day. This is an ideal maple for the small garden as it is not only dwarf but slow growing as well.

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  7. Congratulations! That maple does look stunning, wish they wouldn't like water ;->

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  8. Lovely photo of the Japanese maple. It makes me want to add to my collection. Carolyn

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  9. I loved opening my Horticulture and finding your piece, as well as others by some of my favorite garden bloggers.

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  10. Count me among the smitten with Autumn Moon! L

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  11. Having seen your 'Autumn Moon' in person Carolyn, I can vouch for its extraordinary beauty, and how wonderful it looks with its companions.

    Congratulations on the Horticulture article!

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