Georgia Magazine - August 2021 - 29

Fatsia japonica 'Camouflage' and 'Annabelle'
hydrangeas add splashes of yellow and lime
green to the shady garden.
Tips for maximizing small spaces
The tips below will help you make the most of
your garden, no matter its size.
* Contain yourself. Containers provide a simple
solution for limited in-ground growing space. Give
consideration to their shape. Round containers
take up more room than rectangular shapes. Avoid
creating clutter with multiple small pots. Large containers
have more impact and require less watering.
* Think outside the box. Utilize the horizontal and
vertical surfaces in your garden. This includes the
walls of your house, the front door and steps. If you
have fencing, consider using railing planters.
* Foliage is your friend. Even the shadiest small
garden can benefit from using variegated foliage
to provide light and color in the landscape. Don't
limit your selections to green-and-white variegated
plants. Colorful options like coleus and caladiums
are also good choices.
* " Borrow " views. Use plants or structures like arbors
to frame views so that there are surprises in the
garden and not everything is revealed at one time.
You also can use this technique to frame views
beyond your garden, thus taking advantage of the
borrowed landscape.
emerge golden yellow in spring and eventually fade to chartreuse, will keep
its best color if it is located in a spot that receives sun until about 1 p.m.
but no later. It also does not want to be planted in a location that is in deep
shade or the leaves will not retain their golden color and quickly fade to
green. "
'Little Honey' is a dwarf cultivar, which makes it ideal for small
gardens. Like other selections of oakleaf hydrangea, its flowers, which
appear in summer, are white, cone-shaped clusters of florets about 5 inches
long. The cinnamon-colored exfoliating bark provides color and texture in
the winter landscape.
A garden for all seasons
Another feature that makes Ellis' garden stand out is the absence of
turf. Stone pavers are used amid the beds on all sides instead of grass.
In the center of the garden is a bed of sculpted and sheared evergreen
boxwoods that contrast with the more informal plantings of annuals and
perennials.
Ellis prunes and shapes mature shrubs and trees to let in light, and the
plantings are layered: the canopy; the middle layer, which includes shrubs
and vines; and the ground with groundcovers, annuals, perennials and
bulbs.
" If you want to have a garden that offers four seasons of interest, you
need more than evergreens, " he says. " As with any natural landscape,
including deciduous plants and strategically placing them will make for a
more interesting and dynamic garden throughout the year. "
Erica Glasener is a horticulturist living and gardening in Atlanta.
* Make every inch count. Select shrubs and
perennials that offer multiple seasons of interest
with attractive foliage, seasonal blooms, colorful
bark or great fall color. Plant small bulbs and
groundcovers together. Plant shade-tolerant varieties
under shrubs for more bloom opportunities.
* Look for compact plants. Choose varieties that
don't spread out to cover a lot of ground, but don't
be afraid to include larger specimens with a more
vertical habit of growth.
* Plan your color palette. Yellow and golden tones
make spaces feel lighter and brighter, while cooler
colors like purples and blues make a small space
feel larger. Use containers to change your color
palette with the season.
* Add a water feature. A small water fountain or
birdbath can be a focal point that also will attract
pollinators to your garden.
* Select outdoor furniture carefully. Keep furniture
small-scale and unobtrusive, such as backless
benches and slim-profile metal chairs that can easily
blend into the landscape when not in use.
* Expand your horizons. If local ordinances allow,
treat the strip between the sidewalk and the street
as an extension of your garden. If you plant it with
shrubs, choose varieties that are already growing in
your landscape.
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Georgia Magazine - August 2021

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