In case you didn’t notice, gardening is my passion! Naturally, you can imagine I was thrilled to take part in planting the container gardens and landscapes at the Southern Living® Idea House.
Page Duke and Ed Tessier—nationally acclaimed landscape architects based in Nashville, Tenn.—designed and created the bones of the entire garden. Then, Southern Living Associate Garden Editor Rebecca Reed and I lent our green thumbs.
Here’s how it all came together…
We wanted to ensure all of our guests would be greeted with the quintessential smell of gardenias, and Jubilation™ Gardenia definitely fit the bill. Then we added layers of color to usher in guests with style. This burst of color really brings a garden to life! Finally, we used Little Bonnie™ Dwarf Spiraea, Amistad Salvia, and Dear Dolores™ Hydrangea to give our garden a much-needed touch of texture.
Ed Tessier and Page Duke created an incredible entryway, complete with four boxwoods at the approach and a faux fence line using crape myrtles. We started in the back of the garden and worked our way forward adding layers.
Little Bonnie™ Dwarf Spiraea filled the gaps perfectly and Baby Gem™ Boxwood created a nice and tidy frame.
To create height and texture we mixed Amistad Salvia with Tiger Eye Black-Eyed Susan and White Petunias. I absolutely love how these colors work together!
For added fragrance in your garden use Jubilation Gardenia. It stays nice and compact and will not overtake any area in your garden. Lastly we anchored this area with Baby Gem Boxwood. Like Jubilation, this crapemyrtle is compact.
Creating an entryway for your garden is a Southerners calling card. If you are like me, you will appreciate the subtle impact of a well put-together entryway.
The first glimpse of your garden should be just as lovely as the garden itself. It should be lush and inviting every step of the way. That’s why we encourage you to greet guests with bright colors, sweet fragrances and eye-catching textures that will captivate them from the start!
Download The Stylish Entry Garden Plan PDF
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