Northeast Gardening: Summer Blooms 2014, 1 by RosemaryK

RosemaryK wrote:
I think the question about red pertains to mine? I'm still planting and planning so all are not in yet. The main reference point is supposed to be the acer 'Gingerbread' which has a rather reddish trunk and is supposed to have orange or red fall folliage. I planned a twelve foot radius for anything of size, then added the spread of each shrub or mini tree. Cotinus is going to be pollarded (is that a word?) so it added another five feet for its radius on the theory that I can keep it small (why use diameter if you always have to divide by half?). Corylus Red Dragon isn't right yet so it moves closer to the bottom of the hill with plans for it to spread quite a bit but it may have to tolerate a few hours of shade. I thought I'd try ninebark 'Summer wine' in a pot for a few years, but the burgundy pot looks rather somber. since our house is sided with California redwood the red is clearly desirable. I got it balanced in the front yard having the JM as a red focal point, but this is a bit trickier. I'm trying to keep all the red so it looks like it's in the same outdoor room with the reddish prunus trees drifting off a bit. There is a hot colored garden on the hill to the right and to the left a cooler set of colors with yellow and gold contrasts. and a fair amount of tall white perennials. Clearly the main color to center everything there is actually green as ilex opaca and spreading piceas also anchor the shasta viburnum. Here's earlier this summer. The preexisting hydrangea on top has been reduced is quite a bit.