Today's hours: 9:00am-7:00pm

Get Directions

Your Cart

0 items

August 20, 2012

The DIY Landscaper, Part V

Welcome back!

perennial beds tiered garden

Welcome back! By now you have a good sense as to what kind of plants to look for at your next visit to Sunnyside Gardens. Specimen plants add unique interest; companion plants provide season long color; and massing plants provide color, texture and bloom in numbers. There’s just one more group we’d like to tell you about this week: foliage.

One does not need to rely on flowers to add color to their garden. Shrubs come in a variety of textures, colors, shapes and sizes. Need an area brightened up? The Ivory Halo Dogwood has light green leaves with white edges. A Pygmy Barberry has bright crimson leaves and can make a statement or modestly had color to your landscape.  Boxwoods planted in a line grow into lush green hedges and require little pruning to keep them looking nice. Shrubs can also provide winter interest to an otherwise barren landscape. Some deciduous shrub’s (shrubs that loose their leaves) branches turn colors and contrast beautifully with the snowfall.

These plants are merely suggestions. Take time to visit our garden center to discover your options. A great resource to consider is the Perennial Plant Association’s website. These perennials are hardy and known to be excellent performers.

One last tid-bit: take care to look at the plant’s mature size listed on the tag. Plants grow. Properly spacing perennials and shrubs is key to having a happy and healthy garden in the future.

We’d like to share a simple drawing of a layout that you could implement into the corner of your own yard. The drawing features all of the groups of plants mentioned in the DIY Landscaper blog series, and how our landscape designers would recommend laying out perennials and shrubs.

Would you like someone to do the designing and heavy lifting for you? No problem! Give us a call to schedule a free estimate with one of our talented landscape designers! Our maintenance landscape crew specializes in fall cleanup. One call, and we can do it all!

Sun Power Hostas and it’s companion shrubs contrast nicely with the dark brown mulch in this shrub bed.
Tiger Eye Sumac and Switch Grass make an eye catching display on this retaining wall!

Other DIY Landscaping

shade perennial garden, garden inspiration

Designing a Dreamy Shade Perennial Garden

Shade gardens are not just beautiful—they’re often easier to maintain, gentler on the eyes, and full of surprises.

Learn More
SUNNYSIDE LANDSCAPE

Landscaping Trends to Watch in 2025

In 2025, landscaping is more than just planting—it’s about purposefully designing outdoor spaces that support your lifestyle, reflect your taste, and feel like a natural extension of your home.

Learn More
mulch and preen. diy landscaping

Mulch & Preen: The Weeding Dream Team

Together, they’re your best line of defense against weeds—and your secret to that polished, just-planted look (even weeks later).

Learn More