Dan's Papers - May 9, 2008 - Botanical Beauties: Focal Points for East Enders

In a community where most of us rely on our landscapers to maintain and upkeep our gardens, it's important to recognize some of the gorgeous plants that can bring personal joy as well as elegance and beauty to the home landscape. Whether in a backyard or a front yard, having plants that showcase the beauty of the property and enhance the overall appeal of the home can bring a greater sense of pride to you as a homeowner, and make your garden more enticing and enjoyable for you and your family.

One of the most colorful and vibrant, not to mention unique plants that the gardener can bring into their landscape is the Butterfly Bush. Botanically named Buddleia, the Butterfly Bush lives up to its name, providing fragrant and colorful blooms that entice both butterflies and hummingbirds to feed. The bush requires full sun, and will bloom from early to late summer providing continuous blooms the entire season, and with colors ranging from white to pink to lavender to blue, there is definitely a choice to suit any gardener's palette. The Butterfly Bush is very easy to maintain, generally consisting of a springtime trim to help manage the overall shape of the bush. Planted in an area with a birdbath and a hummingbird feeder, it can create a stunning oasis for wildlife and an enjoyable scene for the gardeners and their guests.

A more versatile, but equally colorful bush would be the Crape Myrtle, botanical name Lagerstroemia. With a very unique bloom from late summer to early-mid fall, the Crape Myrtle requires full sun to truly shine to its full potential. The many different varieties offer colors including white, lavender, pink, orange and maroon, which is only the beginning of the color spectrum of this gorgeous bush. The beauty of the Crape Myrtle lies in its transformation as its season progresses, causing the color to morph and change as the season becomes cooler. And while the bush can be used as a hedge or for privacy, it really shines as a focal point in a bed or alone in the yard to help break up the monotonous green of the lawn.

Moving away from bushes, a truly stunning focal point for any East Ender's garden is the Rose of Sharon. More commonly known by its botanical name of Hibiscus, the Rose of Sharon presents dual color blooms that typically grow to about 2 inches in diameter. Providing tropical looking blooms from mid-late summer, the plant needs full sun to bloom, and needs to be labeled "hardy" in order to survive the bitter winter months outdoors. Gardeners can use Rose of Sharons in pots to bring color to an otherwise dreary deck or cement porch; they can also be planted in groups in a bed to provide a truly stunning display of flowers. Providing large, gorgeous flowers in such intense colors as blue, burgundy, fuchsia and bright white, the Rose of Sharon is stunning enough to brighten even the most dreary garden.

One of the most amazing trees to grow on the East End, the Japanese Maple is truly a chameleon in the botanical world. Botanically named Acer palmatum, this unique and colorful tree has foliage throughout the entire spring, summer and fall and transitions in color and appearance throughout the changing seasons. With foliage colors that change from deep green to bright yellow or from burgundy to orange, the real beauty exists for the gardener as they are able to watch the garden evolve while still leaving the beauty intact.

Whether a tree, bush or flowering plant, there are endless possibilities for the East End gardener to bring a new spice to their landscapes.