There are many factors to consider when landscaping the entrance way of a condo, plants specifically can offer year round structure and colour. However, most do not realize the harsh conditions these plants must endure. Often these gardens are close to roadways enduring cold winter winds, salt spray and receive minimal to no irrigation in the hot summer. Here is a list of some of the ‘toughest’, most tolerable plants (once established in the garden) while still offering ornamental value:
### Trees
***Amelanchier canadensis* – Serviceberry:**
This native tree is becoming more recognized for its tolerance to urban conditions. It can withstand full sun to part shade, moist soils and salt spray. It also offers year round interest with white spring flowers, berries in late spring (which are delicious and edible to birds and people) and bright yellow to orange fall colour.
***Ginkgo biloba*– Maidenhair Tree:**
The Ginkgo has been around for centuries and it is still at the top of the list as the survivor of the fittest! It is tolerant to full sun to part shade and adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions. It is salt tolerant and there are no major insects or diseases that affect this tree. Ginkgo have unique fan-shaped leaves that are found in no other plant and have bright yellow fall colour! There are also cultivars available such as ‘Magyar’ or ‘Princeton Sentry’ that mature to half the width of the straight species, an ideal choice for narrow spaces.
### Shrubs
***Spiraea sp.* – Spirea:**
Spirea are classic landscape plants that have been used for decades, especially at commercial sites. These densely branched shrubs offer long blooming periods, good cold hardiness and bright yellow to red fall colours. Cultivars such as ‘Flaming Mound’ and ‘GoldFlame’ offer bright coloured foliage in the spring. A recommended cultivar is ‘Anthony Waterer’ which is particular known for its ability to bloom twice in one season.
***Symphoricarpos albus*- Snowberry:**
The snowberry is a great low maintenance shrub for sites that have dry soils and full shade. This shrub has blue-green foliage with white blooms in early summer and white berries later in the season. This shrub looks great planted in mass along a border or individually.
### Evergreens
***Taxus sp.* – Yew:**
This is a great evergreen to grow in full sun to full shade. They are tolerant of heavy pruning because they can produce new growth off old wood making them suitable for hedging. Although this shrub is adaptable to adverse conditions, they are better suited planted away from roadways because they are not as salt spray tolerant as other selections.
***Juniperus sp*. – Juniper:**
This classic evergreen is known for being drought and heat tolerant. These shrubs come in varied shapes and sizes from groundcovers to larger, open spreading shrubs. These shrubs are beneficial from a design perspective because they come in varied shades of greens, blues, and yellows helping to break up the ‘green’ landscape. A very popular bright blue groundcover variety is ‘Blue Chip’.
### Perennials
***Hemerocallis sp.* – Daylily:**
Daylilies are an excellent choice for adding some colour to the landscape. These perennials are popular among breeders who debut new cultivars every year. For those who want to extend blooming periods as long as possible, choose repeat bloomers such as cultivars from the D’oro Series. Some examples include ‘Stella in Purple’, Stella in Red’ and of course the classic yellow ‘Stella D’oro’.
***Hosta sp.* – Plantain Lily:**
Hosta are renowned perennials grown for their diverse foliage colours and shade tolerance. They are low maintenance and there are varieties such as ‘Patriot’ or ‘Guacamole’ that have good sun tolerance. Other hardy shade cultivars that have good slug resistance are ‘Big Daddy’, ‘Sun Power’ and ‘Flavocircinalis’.
### Grasses
***Calamagrostis acutiflora* ‘Karl Foerster’ – Feather Reed Grass:**
This is one of the most popular grasses on the market because it is adaptable to most soil conditions including good salt and drought tolerance. This grass has a majestic upright form and offers ornamental interest in the winter.
***Miscanthus sinensis* ‘Morning Light’ – Maiden Grass:**
This grass is tolerant of moist to dry soil conditions and will grow in full sun to part shade. It has a vase shaped form with a soft texture and winter interest.
These plants are just samples of each category. There are even broader ranges of plants available that could be used depending on the specific site conditions. If you have any further questions or comments or if you’re interested in having recommendations for your condo site please feel free to contact us.
Until next time,
Andrea
*Post contributed by Andrea Weddum, Landscape Designer*
