I’m an amateur gardener. Many of you know more about gardening than I do.
But I’ve learned a few things over the years and I shared some in my previous post on affordable gardening.
This post is about creating impact.
The first thing I’ve learned is that you can create impactful garden scenes with a fairly small range of plants – if that’s your preference. At the farmhouse, we had many kinds of plants. At this new garden, we have far fewer. So we use a lot of hosta, hydrangea, ferns, and boxwood throughout our garden.
I’ve learned that structure matters. Plants of the same variety massed together in a circle or semi-circle make a strong structural statement.
When we lived at the farmhouse, a neighbour was throwing out clumps of green-and-white hosta. We gladly took some. We divided and planted them around this tree, below. They formed a lush circle in just two gardening seasons.
My husband created two circles, above – one with hosta and one with boxwood. Look closely and you’ll see a taller boxwood semi-circle too.
Boxwood is perfect for creating structure. We buy them small (aka inexpensive) and let them grow. These ones, curving along our present garden path, are now two years old and will be trimmed and shaped soon.
Contrast is another way of creating impact. The hosta and Japanese forest grasses, below — planted along another curve in the path — make a nice contrast.
Meanwhile, ligularia’s dark leaves, below, contrast well with almost anything.
It’s a backdrop for the light-green hosta. But notice the green-and-white grass, below left. Alone, the shape and colour of its blades would contrast nicely with the leaves of that hosta too.
Contrast can also be created using varieties of the same genus of plants. Note the different kinds of hosta used below.
While contrasts are striking, we also like the harmony that comes from repeating a single colour throughout the garden at certain times of the year.
The red blooms of bee balm, below, echo the red of the chairs.
And the white blooms of bridal wreath spirea reinforce the white-stained arbour, below.
Sticking with colour, let’s talk about single-colour gardens and borders.
The white hollyhocks and daisies (above) and Annabelle hydrangea, below, are striking when grown en masse.
Fast-growing and easy to divide, they are popular in all-white gardens. (Vita Sackville-West’s white garden at Sissinghurst in the UK is most famous, but many gardens, both private and public, have these plants in their white borders.)
Of course, we’ve also learned that a single plant can make a magnificent statement, as does this giant Sum and Substance hosta.
And this equally striking goatsbeard.
Size, form, texture, contrast and colour: all can make a strong impact in your garden.
Cynthia Reyes 
As we would say in Maine, you have some garden. Wowsah! Very good points to keep in mind.
Thank you, young lady! If I start saying “wowsah”, will that mean I’m from Maine?
People will start wondering. 😉
Haha.
Fantastic advice! Thanks, Cynthia.
Thank you Francs. Hope you’re enjoying the hot weather.
You really have an eye for design.
What’s interesting is that I have absolutely NO EYE for interior design. None. I just can’t get it together.
Thanks for sharing these observations and wonderful pictures, Cynthia. Absolutely beautiful!
Thank you!
You and Hamlin have created a lovely garden! Thanks for sharing your wisdom and beauty Cynthia. ❤
Thank you, Brad. Hope the weekend goes well. I was quite taken with that story about the harmonizing of some Buddhist and Judeo- Christian beliefs in practice.
You’re most welcome Cynthia. Her story really touched me too, especially how the poetry became a touchstone for her life.
Your garden is beautiful, Cynthia. So lush, thriving and inviting. Xx
Thank you, Jane!
Lovely gardens! I’m wondering if you have deer in your area. In the past, that was an issue in my yard with hostas, since they LOVE to eat them. The bee balm makes a great addition of color, and the spirea reminds me of my childhood home.
We most likely have deer, Becky, but because of the pool, we have a sturdy fence!
Oh – so stunning! Well done.
Thank you.
Looks beautiful, Cynthia!
Thank you, Jill.
Looking beautiful to me, Cynthia. Gardening with love.
I like the sound of that. Today I weeded while lying flat on my front. A neighbour called that devotion to my garden, while my poor husband called it utmost stupidity and I called it a very sore back and leg!
It looks like you got this! I am a horticulture major and your plants look better than mine!
What a kind compliment, Leona. Thank you.
gardening is a beautiful passion….congratulations!
I like the way you word that! Thank you.
All very true, and the gardens are beautiful. I like hostas too.
They are such lovely plants.
You may say you are an ‘amateur’ gardener, but your gardens say different. Beautiful and very good tips for all of us who like to work outside. 🙂
Glad you think so, Judy! Thank you.
Very, very pretty, Cynthia! It’s gorgeous–
Thank you!
Beautiful gardens you have! Enjoyed the tour and the suggestions. 🙂
Your lovely garden is making an impact on my day. So beautiful to see. It also makes me feel nostalgic about my long lost hostas, all gobbled by greedy slugs and snails. 😦
Impact and peace together. Very nicely done
Wonderful to see your gardens again Cynthia – your advice is great for novice gardners like myself. Love the designs of the variety of plantings and impact they make on your landscape overall. Just beautiful! We are having a tough time growing things this year because of the lack of rain and high temperatures. Happy gardening to you and your husband.
Beautiful. I love all the textures, shapes and shades of green.
No, you are a Master Gardener! Harmony, beauty and form! I am very impressed with your work, Cynthia.
A very good look and tutorial on the impact of planting your garden in different ways.
You have a beautiful garden. 🙂
All very nicely thought out, Cynthia.
Beautiful! I love the spirea. my problem has always been lack of gardening discipline. I buy stuff because it’s on sale but doesn’t fit my garden “plan.” My goal this fall is to dig most of it up and organize. This post inspires me to do it!
I hear you. That was me exactly, in years past. The shiny new stuff is so tempting, isn’t it? (Big smile) I’m glad the post inspired you. It will be fun to reorganize.
You are so right about contrast. I am so non creative I have a very hard time designing things especially gardens and plants. Your yard is so welcoming and relaxing.
I love all those cool greens from your hostas and boxwood, grasses and other perennials. Any flowers you have really stand out, like the bee balm and all the white flowers of hydrangea and daisy. A lovely informative post, Cynthia and well illustrated too.
I love the hosta circle around the tree – and the goatsbeard is a beautiful plant – it grows beside the burn in the dene nearby and I love it when it flowers.
I remember goatsbeard from back east. It grew wild ion many places. Here I have had to keep the annual summer drought in mid when selecting plants. They must also be able to cope with the winter rains, and heavy, continually wet clay soil.
Hey Cynthia .. your garden looks so beautiful! Well done to you both..
I love all of your plants! I have thought about planting goatsbeard. Yours is beautiful. 🙂
Thank you for the tour of your creativity in the garden. Here, I am limited to potted things on my porches, so I especially am enjoying the luxurious beauty of your arrangement. Beautiful work, Cynthia!
Still catching up here. How many ways are there to say your garden is stunning. I have trouble with slugs eating my Hosta’s and am unwilling to use any chemical to kill the slugs. I have to find something to surround them that slugs won’t go near. Your’s are just so healthy and beautiful.
Methinks our slugs are having way too much fun eating the leaves of our vegetables! But the rabbit gave developed a taste for hosta stems and leaves. Can you believe it?
Oh dear, rabbits take bigger bites. 😉
They do. And when you catch them red whispered, they turn those fake innocent eyes on you.
🙂 Big grin. I know those innocent eyes.
Awesome green design gardening…
Thank you for these great tips! I’m currently working on my family’s garden and will be keeping your tips in mind! https://moushmoush.wordpress.com
Perfectly crafted about gardening. By reading it we are getting the new information.
I love this article and waiting for another one so I can gather more information.
Thank You
Someone rightly said, “Great things are not done by impulse, but a series of small things brought together.” and here you have done some great design by adjusting small things into your garden. Thank you for sharing your beautiful design ideas.
your garden is very beautiful…