Horticulture Forum: Jan. 1998, Landscape Beds Are Color Statement

For many landscape contractors, the landscape bed isn’t merely a collection of flowers and plants but the punctuation mark on an outstanding project. At the entrance of an office park, mall or housing complex, beds command the attention of passing motorists, quizzical pedestrians or possible customers.

“You want to create something that captures the eye, creates excitement and isn’t too busy,” suggests Bill Killmer, chief executive officer of Atlanta-based Lifescapes. A good rule of thumb is to arrange plants in groups, yet don’t dilute their colors or make the arrangement too distracting, he added.

The specifics are difficult because it depends mainly on the design, but when working with larger flowers with multiple or showy blooms, such as black-eyed susans, try to arrange them into smaller groups of three, five, nine or 15 plants, Killmer recommended. But, of course, if the design entails large sweeps of color, as many as 25 plants can be installed in a group, he said.

When using smaller flowering and less showy blooms such as Achillea, Killmer suggested arranging the plants in larger groups in order to accomplish the same bold statement. A completed bed should make an impact by offering movement, flow and color, he explained.

Using annuals for their bold masses of color could be the difference between a ho-hum landscape and one that is outstanding. A mix of annuals and perennials can be used if the plants are located in strategic areas, such as around signs or near entranceways. Annuals should be in groups and located near focal points such as a front door, according to Killmer.

Perennials can then be utilized in the bed as an interesting contrast of color or border to the annuals. Perennials can also be mixed in the bed to add dynamic elements as they change throughout the year, accenting the bed, he said.

Some people believe that planting a bed of perennials requires less maintenance and is less expensive, but that is a “tale that isn’t totally true,” said Rick Doesburg, vice president of Thornton Gardens, Cincinnati, Ohio.

People to tend to think planting perennials is cheaper than annuals because perennials do not have to be replaced each year. But Doesburg reminded contractors not to forget the labor involved in weeding the bed in order to keep it looking well maintained.

Perennials also have a short enjoyable blooming period and a limited palette of colors in comparison to annuals, he said. They get too tall after flowering and must be routinely cut. Perennial beds can become labor intensive and must be maintained with regular pulling and spraying of weeds.

Doesburg said he favors using annuals, which offer a bold splash of color, but also including color and a contrast of green grass and dark mulch from a well-defined beddage. “Flowers become the wrapping paper on the package,” he said.

LOCATION COUNTS. Heather Mann, vice president of Color Burst, Birmingham, Ala., said she takes the location of the bed into consideration when designing it. If the bed is going to be near a roadway, she recommended the bed comprise about 100 to 150 square feet and be installed with plants of solid color. The plants should also be placed in groups or a patchwork form, she said, using the same colors throughout the bed and developing a repetitious pattern through the entire bed.

“That helps create a nice effect on a bed where people are driving as fast as they are,” Mann said.

For a bed located near a walkway, the size is dependent on where the bed is located and the customer’s preference. These beds are generally smaller, and Mann said they can be made more interesting by adding unique plants that may pique the curiosity of passers-by.

“When you aren’t trying to catch people going 60 to 70 miles per hour, you can throw in a more unique plant that complements the colors that you used,” Mann said.

Her landscape beds are installed only for their seasonal color. She mixes perennials and annuals, but changes the entire bed twice a year, explaining that she treats every plant as if it were an annual, pulling it out after its flowering is through.

“It’s difficult to get a low maintenance bed if you want to keep it looking good,” Mann said.