My top 10 (+1) favorite garden plants 2024
It's that time again, the third edition of my top 10 (+1) favorite garden plants. They are incredibly well read, which is really nice to see! Thank you for your enthusiasm.
This year I have chosen a selection of plants that make my green heart beat faster and which I have of course planted in my new garden. When I pick up Hans Kramer's manual, it turns out that I have rather old-fashioned taste... Campanula, Coreopsis, Achillea. Fortunately, I haven't been in the gardening world for very long, so I don't care about that. Furthermore, there are many yellow plants in the top 10 (+1). Maybe a little bit on purpose... To show that beautiful yellow is not ugly and it is actually an indispensable color in the garden. You just need to know which yellow-colored plants to choose and how to combine them. Leaf structure and leaf discoloration in autumn among perennials also play a role in this top 10, which, like the color of the flower, is a very important topic in putting together your plant choices. This time the +1 plant is not a 'real' plant, but a flower bulb. For those who have a smaller garden and little space for plants, a summer flowering bulb is a solution for more color in the garden. Who wouldn't be happy about that? Hopefully this year's top 10 (+1) can inspire you again! Enjoy reading.
NUMBER 1 | OENOTHERA 'SULPHUREA' | EVENING PRIMROSE
Right at number 1. Oenothera 'Sulphurea'. Anyone who follows me on Instagram has probably seen it before. I'm honestly a little obsessed with this plant. And that's maybe because it is constantly changing and does not look the same day in and day out. When I step out the door in the morning, the flowers are already in the process of closing up (see right photo below). As the morning passes, the flowers will slowly die and turn into apricot-like clumps. Which, even though they are dying, have a very beautiful color. As the day progresses you will see new, small yellow stripes appear on some buds. Time for the next round. Around 9 o'clock in the evening the new flowers unfold (left photo) and then bloom all night. This means that most of the time we do not see the beautiful flower at all. But perhaps this mysterious behavior is what makes it so much fun. And the moths are certainly very happy with it. I read everywhere that they smell wonderful, but I must honestly say that I have not experienced that yet. So mysterious again! The plant can also sow. Which can sometimes be a nice feature. I have combined them here at home with other sowing plants such as Stipa tenuissima, Potentilla 'Miss Willmott' and Cenolophium denudatum. In addition, the light blue Salvia 'Crystal Blue' is also included (it does not sow). With all that sowing, these borders around the shed will look different every year, which I am really looking forward to. It also means that I have to keep a close eye on the planting beds and stay in control to prevent things from becoming a mess. Change in flowering, color and location. The evening primrose is anything but boring, and also has a beautiful color. An absolute must have!
Height: 75 cm Flowering period: July - October Location: sunny
NUMBER 2 | CAMPANULA 'LODDON ANNA' | BELL FLOWER
The species Campanula comes in many forms, both in ground covers and perennials. It has been in circulation for a very long time (read old-fashioned) and in my opinion - at a distance - it resembles the Phlox. Since I am not a big fan of the Phlox, but I am a fan of the effect of the Phlox in a border, this is a nice replacement. The lactiflora species among the Campanulas particularly appeal to me. Lactiflora is composed of the Latin words lactis (milk) and flora (goddess of flowers). Campanula 'Loddon Anna' (the right photo below) has beautiful, sweet pink/lilac flowers that easily combine with more spicy colors, but you can also easily combine them with the same species, but in a different color. Campanula 'Prichard Variety' is the lilac/blue version and Campanula 'Borders Blue' and a slightly bluer version (see left photo). The only disadvantage of this Campanula is that the leaves can burn very quickly, so do not plant them in full sun, but in partial shade. They don't like too much drought either. They make quite a few demands on their location, but as soon as they bloom they are a pleasure to enjoy. The buzzers among us are also very fond of these plants.
Height: 120 cm Flowering period: June - August Location: partial shade
NUMBER 3 | COREOPSIS 'MOONBEAM' | TICKSEED
In the same color category as the Oenothera: the Coreopsis. I didn't know this plant until I planted it in a design for a roof garden by Piet Oudolf (right photo). Here you see a beautiful summer image where the soft yellow is beautifully combined with the Sedums (in pink/red), Stachys (silver-leaved plants) and Festuca (larger ornamental grass). I had to and would plant this plant in my own garden. With its fine leaves and soft yellow flowers, this plant looks very delicate, but it holds its own in a group of plants. In the third photo you can see it at the front and I will honestly tell you that the border would look a lot less interesting without this plant. She makes other plants look more beautiful and vice versa. Small and yellow, but super valuable. A top garden plant that blooms month after month and, as you can see, can be combined with any type of color and leaf texture.
Height: 30 cm Flowering period: June - September Location: Sunny
NUMBER 4 | GERANIUM WLASSOVIANUM
Planting beds are not just about the flowers. Sometimes it is also nice that the leafs plays the leading role. This is the case half the time with Geranium wlass0vianum. In summer this Geranium blooms profusely with purple flowers. It forms a beautiful and healthy bunch, but does not require too much attention from our eyes during this period. The other half of the time, during autumn, it is a different story and she is very noticeable because of her bright red leaf discolouration (this photo will follow when the time comes). Just like the autumn color of the Amsonia, this is an interesting feature that you can play with. A combination of Amsonia, ornamental grasses and this Geranium creates a spectacular autumn piece. This shows that autumn is at least as interesting as spring and summer.
Height: 40 cm Flowering period: June - September Position: sunny, partial shade
NUMBER 5 | SERRATULA BULGARICA | SAW-WORT
Serratula is the perfect plant to give body and structure to your border. There are few plants that have such a striking image of leaves, especially from a distance, as this plant. Just like the Geranium, that is the reason I use this plant. In my border this is a big clump with its dark green, shiny leaves among the more delicate plants. And with these properties it nicely strengthens the character of the other plants. Because the plant grows very large, I would never plant them in a larger group than 3 and keep the small groups at a greater distance from each other. The flowers are an extra gift. They float high above the coarse leaves and actually remind you of the flowers of the Cirsium, but the white version. Insects love it. Another advantage of this tall plant is that it can withstand wind well. Wind force 7 is no problem (and since here in Zeeland your wig flies off your head 90% of the time, it is nice to have plants that can withstand the wind well). She bows happily and as soon as the wind dies down she stands straight up again.
Height: 160 cm Flowering period: June - August Position: sunny, partial shade
NUMBER 6 | TELLIMA GRANDIFLORA 'FOREST FROST' | FRINGECUPS
Selecting beautiful shade plants is often difficult, but this spring flowering plant can now be added to your list. Tellima 'Forest Frost' is a beautiful shade plant that also tolerates some sun. The flowers are not very noticeable, but when you look closely, you will be very happy with what you see; a beautiful progression from white to bright pink flowers. The plant can become a bit messy after some time (often offered as a ground cover), so not letting the plant do its thing too much is appropriate in a border... And you won't believe it, this plant also has a beautiful reddish autumn coloring in the leaves. It can't be beat!
Height: 60 cm Flowering period: May - June Position: sunny, partial shade, shade
NUMBER 7 | PYCNANTHEMUM VIRGINIANUM | MOUNTAIN MINT
I had been familiar with Pycnanthemum muticum for some time, which is very reminiscent of a Monarda, until I ordered this species from the nursery Plantwerk. It is a plant that you cannot see from miles away, but with its subdued appearance it makes other plants stand out more beautifully, as can be clearly seen in the image below, right. There it stands between a Monarda and a Helenium, which look even more beautiful because of the fresh leaves and small white flowers (resembling those of the Calamintha) of the mountain mint. A garden with only striking plants creates a fair, so plants like these are indispensable.
In addition to its calm and pleasant appearance, it smells wonderful and the plant is said to be edible. I haven't used them in the pasta sauce yet, but... it seems to be very tasty.
Height: 80 cm Flowering period: June - September Location: sunny
NUMBER 8 | LIMONIUM LATIFOLIUM | SEA LAVENDER
A fairly well-known plant among many garden designers (I think), but one that I rarely see. I have chosen this plant in the top 10 so that I can show as many interesting plant species and atmospheres as possible in a planting. The Limonium has the wonderful ability to create a more dreamy atmosphere in the border because its flowers, which form a purple cloud, blend so well with the rest of the planting. In the test garden I had combined larger groups of Deschampsia 'Palava' with smaller groups of Limonium. These two together created a hazy beige and lilac-like atmosphere. In between are plants with a stronger silhouette, such as Silphium, Cephalaria and the spent Allium. I think that the combination of plants that have 'no structure', combined with plants that have a very clear structure, is a strong basis for many planting plans. You can combine endlessly with this principle.
Height: 50 cm Flowering period: July - August Location: sunny
NUMBER 9 | ACHILLEA 'MOONSHINE' | YARROW
The penultimate yellow plant of the top 10: Achillea 'Moonshine'. It has been involved in the gardening world since 1958 (I have already done the calculations for you, so 66 years ago). How many of them must have been planted! I didn't leave them behind when I moved from the test garden and now they are in my new garden in Veere, because I simply couldn't have a garden without them. The move came just in time, because you have to tear the plants every few years, otherwise you lose them. Although I don't necessarily like this type of yellow color (I prefer the soft yellow), you can still combine them very nicely with other plants such as the lilac of the Nepeta or the dark leaves of the Sedum. The most beautiful thing about this plant is the black, dead winter silhouette of the umbellifer flowers. These umbellifer flowers stay upright all winter long and when the magical winter does its work and the flowers freeze, you have a beautiful border in the months that we once thought were not interesting.
Height: 50 cm Flowering period: May - September Location: sunny
NUMBER 10 | ERODIUM CHRYSANTHUM | COMON STORK'S BILL
The last and perhaps the most beautiful yellow flowering plant there is. This plant makes me super excited: beautiful, interesting gray leaves with fine, Geranium-like, yellow flowers. This plant is so unique in its appearance and that is why it can be combined so well with other plants. It fits perfectly in the increasingly popular gravel gardens, just like in this garden that I recently put online. This is not a standard gravel garden with Lavender, Euphorbia and Nepeta. But a gravel garden where green leaf structures and green shades were the starting point, such as Phlomis, Geum, Sporobolus and yes... Erodium. I have also used it in my own garden, but very differently. Here she stands next to Stachys 'Big Ears', Coreopsis 'Moonbeam', Amsonia 'Blue Ice', a dark-leaved Polemonium and Sporobolus heterolepis. The options are endless. I would say give the plant a try (L).
Height: 25 cm Flowering period: May - August Location: sunny
NUMBER 11 | ALLIUM 'RED MOHICAN'
The very last one, number 11. Flower bulbs are indispensable in the garden for several reasons: they ensure that the flowering season is extended (which starts in February by using flower bulbs), they provide extra structure (in flower or when they have finished flowering), they provide more dynamics in the garden and more color. They were very welcome in my small city garden in Rotterdam, especially this burgundy red Allium that is slightly different from the other Alliums. To make the Allium look its best, I planted one per square meter, evenly throughout the garden. This way you will occasionally see her peeking out among the different plants in your garden, creating the most beautiful combinations. When it has finished blooming, I leave it there too.
Height: 100 cm
Flowering period: July - August
Position: sunny, partial shade
Well, that was it! The top 10 (+1) favorite garden plants of 2024. The purpose of this blog was to show that when you know the character of a plant well, whether it is the flowering, the leaf texture, the leaf coloration, the space it takes in, the atmosphere it creates, the sowing properties or the winter silhouette, you can play endlessly with combining plants. And when you do this well, you not only get a piece of valuable, natural garden, but a living work of art in itself. Thanks for reading and see you next time! Love,
Linda
The last books of the power of plants are still available, after this it is time for a new book :)
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