Are the winter blues making you dream of a colorful landscape projects filled with cheerful flowers? If you’re starting to plan for the installation of flowers this spring, we’ll help you out with this guide to adding color to Bergen County, NJ, landscapes with flowering plants from our plant nursery.
Related: ACHIEVE YEAR-ROUND COLOR IN BERGEN COUNTY, NJ, WITH PLANTS FROM OUR WHOLESALE NURSERY
Planning Out the Planting Strategy
Great landscapes begin with a plan. While a client may love the look of what seems like a randomly arranged design, there’s a strategy to doing it well. You could start by identifying the distinct environmental zones within the landscape. Most landscapes have a mix of sun and shade, as well as areas that tend to retain water and areas that become parched quickly. It’s typically ideal to choose plants that will thrive in the existing conditions to simplify landscape care.
In other words, categorize and group flowering plants by sun and water needs first, and then focus on colors, textures, and shapes. Once you’ve identified the planting zones (i.e. shady and moist, or sunny and dry) you could start a long list of plants that will thrive in those sites.
Imagining the Landscape’s Future
The next step often entails visualizing the future and using the plants’ mature sizes, shapes, and colors to create a layered flower bed. Start with the first layer: a backdrop of taller and darker flowering or evergreen shrubs in the back of the flower bed.
Then, choose plants for the middle layer (the largest, deepest layer). This layer could consist of a staggered formation of midsize plants and ornamental grasses in varying colors, shapes, textures, and density.
The front layer can be made up of short plants and ground covers. A nicely layered flower bed provides the most visual appeal—but keep in mind, its beauty will be apparent once all the plants mature.
Deciding on Colors
A color wheel can aid the decision over whether to have the flower bed feature complementary colors (opposites on the color wheel, such as yellows and violets, or reds and greens); harmonious colors (colors next to each other on the color wheel, such as reds and pinks); or a monochromatic scheme where all flowers feature subtle variations of the same color (such as white). Perhaps the only exception to designing a flower bed according to a color scheme is if the goal involves a beautifully wild and slightly disheveled look of an English cottage garden.
If you’re unfamiliar with the color wheel, it is divided based on three primary colors: blue, yellow, and red. Secondary colors—the combination of the primary colors—include green, orange, and purple. Tertiary colors are blends of primary and secondary colors. Neutrals are not part of the color wheel, but include white, gray, and silver (gray and silver will be primarily found in foliage).
One common way of categorizing colors is by dividing them into warm colors and cool colors. Blues, purples, and greens are considered more soothing while reds, oranges and yellows are more vibrant. Warm colors are more attention-grabbing, and landscapers often stay within the color temperatures in order to create unity, but contrast can also also create a wonderful effect.
When thinking about color, consider the foliage as well as the blooms. Choosing plants with different colors or shades of foliage will keep the flower bed beautiful even when the plants aren’t blooming.
The Final Step
Another consideration at this point could be incorporating a focal point amid all the carefully chosen perennials and annuals. A water fountain, bird bath, or a brightly painted ceramic planter with a cascading plant could add dimension and interest to the flower bed.
Related: FIND NATIVE PLANTS AT OUR PLANT NURSERY IN ULSTER COUNTY, NY
