The Right Plant In The Right Place

~ By Betty G. ~

As a gardener for the past 15 or so years, I have come to realize that although some plants adjust to any spot in the yard, many of our favorite garden plants do best under specific exposures.

So, with that in mind, I have attempted to give you an idea as to where to place your plants or seedlings in areas where they will do their best and thrive.

NORTH

North-facing exposures usually have lots of shade
and cooler conditions. Plants that thrive here also
prefer soil with dependable moisture.

Campanula (Bellflower) - This shade-loving ground cover is evergreen and provides cheerful sprays of blue-star flowers in spring. It will also tolerate filtered sunlight.

Camellias are a staple shrub in shady areas around the home. Glossy evergreen foliage is studded with impressive blooms in winter. Water regularly and feed as flowers fall.

Fuchias provide lots of unusual, ballerina-shaped blooms. Refresh shrubby fuchsias by cutting them back in late winter.

Hydrangeas cover themselves with lots of extraordinarily huge one-stem bouquets of pink or blue in spring and summer. This impressive shrub also has large leaves that disappear in winter.

Japanese Aucuba better known as the gold dust plant is so named because of the gold flecks on its rich green leaves. It is an evergreen shrub that requires shade and moisture to look its best.

Impatients is one of my all-time favourite plants because it is covered with sprightly flowers from spring through fall and brings a wonderful array of colors and brightness to even the darkest parts of the garden.

Ferns grow low and add a cozy dimension to shady garden spots.

Clivias are also low-growing evergreen perennials that produce springtime clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers in orange and yellow.

Nandina or (heavenly bamboo) is not a bamboo at all but an evergreen shrub that provides lacy horizontal leaf patterns on upright stems in hues of bronze and red.

EAST

The east side of the house receives full morning sun
but is shaded during the hottest parts of the day.

Roses bloom practically year-round and hold their color best when shaded from hot afternoon sun. They need periodic feeding, regular watering and heavy winter pruning.

Birds of Paradise have that steady tropical look yet provide unusual orange and blue blossoms in both spring and fall. Full or half-day sun suits them fine.

Alstroemeria (Peruvian lily) is a perennial that flowers in a variety of colors from spring through summer in terminal clusters on bouquet-length stems.

Geraniums are shrubby perennials that bloom in spectacular colors from spring through fall, come in several types, including ivy geraniums that can twine through other plants.

Iris are low perennials that come in many colors and bloom mainly in spring. Some especially beautiful selections repeat their floral displays off and on through summer and fall.

Canna Lilies bloom spring through fall in yellows, oranges, red and mixed colors. Some are dwarf perennials and some grow up to 6 feet tall.

SOUTH

South-facing plants receive full exposure to heat
and sunlight all day long. Regular summer irrigation
is a must for these plants. All vegetables do best
with full exposure to sunlight.

Citrus Trees are evergreen and have two bonuses: powerfully fragrant blooms in spring and delicious fruit. A variety of choices permits harvesting practically year-round from only a few trees. Regular watering and feeding provide optimal crops.

Agapanthus (lily-of-the-Nile) makes low clumps of evergreen leaves and produces radiant balls of blue trumpet-shaped flowers on tall spikes in midspring or early summer. Tolerates a wide array of cultural conditions.

Tomatoes are America's favorite homegrown vegetable. Plant in March for harvesting from June through December. Feed lightly, water sparingly but regularly and pick when ready.

Gazanias sport loads of colorful ground cover daisies wherever the sun is shining from spring through fall. Wonderful in areas by itself, or under other shrubbery or tall, airy trees.

Crape Myrtles come in both dwarf and tall bush sizes or tree shapes and bloom elegantly throughout summer and fall in a wide choice of colors.

Lilac (Lavender Lady) - is a spring-flowering shrub that gives those heavy clusters of fabulously scented lavender blooms. Prune as flowers fade so new growth produces a strong foundation for next season's blooms.

Hibiscus makes a large evergreen plant that fits well near the house and blooms profusely from spring through fall. Protect from winter frosts however, and trim heaviest in late winter, then lightly as needed throughout the growing season.

WEST

West-facing garden spots are shaded in the morning and get the full
effect of afternoon warmth and brightness, especially in the heat of
summer. These plants generally require conscious attention to
watering during warm weather

Shade your house with a wonderful Pecan Tree and harvest these delicious nuts every autumn.

Western Schley are the most dependable selections for Southern California.

Plant Day Lilies for colorful displays of large trumpet-shaped blooms from spring through summer in sunny locations. Easy to grow. Divide clumps every four or five years.

Violet Trumpet Vines provide glossy evergreen foliage to cover a fence or porch with the added bonus of flared lavender blooms in spring. Adapts to most garden situations easily and likes full or filtered sun.

Gardenias are temperamental shrubs unless they have just the right conditions of soil acidity and moisture, but the unrivaled robust fragrance of their creamy spring and summer blooms is worth some extra effort.

Evergreen Mandevilla vines grow easily on trellises or other protected supports and yield an unsurpassed display of vivid pink trumpet-shaped blooms from spring through fall.

Star Jasmine is an evergreen shrub or vine that makes a great ground cover or effective cascade over terraced walls. And the main benefit is those wonderfully fragrant star-shaped blooms in spring and summer.

Wisteria is nostalgia incorporated. A rampant deciduous vine that boasts pendulous clusters of intensely fragrant sweet-pea like blooms every spring in traditional lavender, of course, as well as white, purple or pink.

Periwinkles are attractive low perennials that now come in several colors for spring, summer and fall.

Plumbago is one of the few baby-blue flowering shrubs around. Actually it is a shrubby vine that blooms from spring through fall and it adapts well to pruning.

Bougainvilla is a favorite shrubby vine that produces great colorful bracts much of the year. Dryness of soil in late spring promotes flowering.

All areas of the garden need extra water during warm or windy weather and much less water during winter, and almost all plants do better with at least one annual feeding of plant food.

         

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