Color Garden for Florida

Plant List

A. Tonto crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica 'Tonto'), (1)
A*. Singapore shower/Scrambled egg tree (Senna surratensis) (1)
B. Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) (2), on arbor, attracts hummingbirds
C. Amethyst passion vine (Passiflora x 'Amethyst') (1), on tuteur, larval food for gulf fritillary butterflies, do not use pesticides
D. Annuals, selected by gardener, in 3 containers
E. Shining jasmine (Jasminum laurifolium formerly J. nitidum) (2), plant 4 feet apart
F. Golden thyrallis (Galphimia gracilis) (2) plant 3 feet apart
G. Rose Creek abelia (Abelia x 'Rose Creek') (2), plant 3 feet apart
G*. Petite Pink ixora (Ixora 'Petite Pink') (3), plant 2 feet apart
H. Asian jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum), plant 2 feet apart
I. Purple love grass (Eragrostis spectabilis), plant 2 feet apart
J. Dwarf tricolor oyster plant (Tradescantia spathacea 'Dwarf Tricolor'), plant 1 foot apart
J**. Japanese garden juniper (Juniperus procumbens), plant 2 feet apart
K. Muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris), plant 2-1/2 feet apart
L. Santa Barbara Mexican sage (Salvia leucantha 'Santa Barbara'), plant 2-1/2 feet apart
M. Sapphire Sage salvia (Salvia guaranitica 'Sapphire Sage'), plant 2-1/2 feet apart
N. White African iris (Dietes vegeta, formerly D. iridoides), plant 2 feet apart
O. Trailing lantana (Lantana montevidensis), plant 2-1/2 feet apart
P. Trailing lantana (Lantana montevidensis), plant 2-1/2 feet apart
Q. New Gold lantana (Lantana camara 'New Gold'), plant 2-1/2 feet apart
R. Ruby Red pentas (Pentas lanceolata 'Ruby Red'), plant 1-1/2 feet apart

* Use in South Florida
** Use in North Florida

Key

1. Arbor: 4' wide x 2' to 3' deep
2. Tuteur: 2' wide x 6 to 7' high
3. Container: 18 to 22" wide
4. Stepping stones with mulch paths
5. Bench: 4' wide

Immerse yourself in color! This landscape design plan creates an ever-changing collage of bold, vibrant hues in foliage and flowers throughout the seasons.

Enter this garden of hues through the vine-draped arbor or by way of two other stepping stone walkways that wind past pots of annual color. The bench with a commanding view of the numerous spreading, mounding and cascading blooms is sheltered by a flowering tree. While the overhead canopy provides summer shade, a cluster of shrubs behind the bench provides enclosure. A vine clambers over a tuteur to provide a vertical architectural focal point.

The undulating border and meandering pathways provide easy access to all of the plants and containers of color. Wait until spring to trim back any frosted plants and you will enjoy the wintry textures provided by the branches and remaining stems and seed heads. Allow some of the perennials to reseed to create a full and bountiful garden of color.

How to install your landscape plan

Landscape plan by Hortus Oasis
Illustrations by Simutis Illustrations

"It's not who you are that holds you back...it's who you think you're not." -- Anonymous Home Maintenance Tip - Cleaning Outdoor Furniture Keep your outdoor furniture sparkling and ready for barbecues, parties and leisurely weekends with these handy cleaning solutions: Conventional Plastic Web Lawn Chairs Clean plastic webbing with an all-purpose cleaner, using a scrub brush to remove stains. If the webbing is looking dingy, try mixing some detergent and a half-cup of bleach in one gallon of water to use as a cleaning solution. As a last resort, local hardware stores sell kits for re-webbing a chair when the original webbing resists your best cleaning efforts or has deteriorated beyond use. To keep the aluminum frames opening and closing easily, fill an eyedropper with vegetable oil and squirt into all the joints. If the aluminum has corroded, polish very lightly with a fine-grade steel wool. Stacking Resin Chairs White resin - Use a cleaning solution of three tablespoons of automatic dishwashing detergent dissolved in one gallon of warm water. The dishwashing detergent contains a bleaching agent that will whiten the plastic. Note: Do not use this cleaning solution on colored resin. Colored resin - Most commercial cleaners are too abrasive to be used on resin lawn furniture. To keep from scratching or dulling the surface, clean with a wet sponge dipped in baking soda, using circular motions, then rinse well. Soapy water will work well on lightly soiled chairs. To bring back color and shine to faded resin furniture, simply spray with WD-40 and wipe with a clean, dry cloth - you'll be surprised at the results! Rattan and Wicker First, dust the furniture or use a soft brush to remove debris from crevices. Clean with a mixture of one tablespoon of dishwashing soap to one gallon of water, and rinse well. Let them dry thoroughly before using again because the fibers can stretch while wet. If one of the stems on the back of the chair is broken, simply glue the pieces together and tape above and below the glued joint to stabilize while drying overnight. Teak Teak is one of the most durable and low maintenance woods used in outdoor furniture. If it is oiled, it will retain its warm, reddish-brown color. If left untreated, it will weather to a silver-gray patina. If your teak furniture requires cleaning, this can be done with a VERY soft brush or pad and some warm, soapy water. Wash down afterwards with clean water. Do not use high-pressure hoses, and steel wool or steel wire brushes should not be used at all, as any residue left in the grain will rust and discolor the wood. If the furniture has some stubborn and heavily ingrained stains, these can be removed by sanding with a fine grade of sandpaper, working only with the direction of the timber grain. After sanding the stains away, you may wish to re-oil the area, or if the furniture had previously been left natural, the fresh teak color exposed by sanding will soon mellow in with the existing patina.