Unexpected Color Echoes
Karen Chapman | Uncategorized | art, bark, berries, combinations, deciduous trees, design, edible, fall, Focal points, foliage, grasses, patios, Rhododendron, shrubs, trees | 1 Comment
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A serendipitous weaving of a stonecrop bloom and early fall foliage of R. nudipes made me look twice!
Using Bark

With the richly colored peeling bark of Acer griseum taking center stage, the eye eye is drawn in a diagonal line from the felted Rhododendron bureavii 'Lem' in the foreground to the fall color of a deciduous Rhododendron farther back.
Using Faded Stamens & Petals

By limbing up this weeping Japanese maple, an understory of dwarf shrubs and grasses can be added to extend the interest.
Using Buds & Branches

Look for color suggestions in buds and stems of Rhododendron 'June Bee' to inspire colorful combinations
Using Berries

Designing with blueberries: here the berries echo the distant deciduous Rhododendron but soon the fiery fall foliage of the blueberry shrub will join in.
Using Hardscape & Structures
Hardscape refers to the non-plant elements in a garden such as pavers and patios. It's not often that I get excited about gravel paths – but I did here! The grey/brown blend of gravel edged with brown pavers was the perfect foil to this larger form of R. pseudochrysanthum. The silver indumentum on the leaf surface together with the brown detail on the buds offered a color echo that stopped me in my tracks.
A custom gate designed by D'Arcy Ghoston encourages further exploration – but not before appreciating the plantings on either side
Using Art
Sadly, I only have a cell phone snap of this combination so the focus is not as tight as I would have liked. Regardless, it showcases not just a soft-green color echo between the mossy shield fern foliage (Polystichum setiferum 'Plumosum densum')and ceramic art but also repetition of shape since the circular, orangey-brown spores on the undersides of each frond echo the circle motif on the sculptural forms too. Perfect placement! One would have imagined that the garden of a Rhododendron collector would look stunning in May, but rather pedestrian for the remaining season when little is in bloom. This garden is a fabulous example of how to design with a collection for year-round interest that still keeps the spotlight on the specimens. Color echoes are just one part of that process. I'll be discussing more in my presentation to the American Rhododendron Society next year.
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Welcome to My Garden Adventures

I'm a serious plant-aholic. In other words I'm usually covered in a layer or two of soil, I drive everywhere with a large tarp for impromptu plant purchases and I'm truly passionate about sharing the joys of gardening.