You have seen them, and if you are anything like me, you LOVE the look of those beautiful, lush, landscapes with layers of plant material everywhere you look. Layered landscapes contain plant material in all stages of growth, different shades of green, a diverse group of textures with gorgeous pop of color placed throughout. You might not believe me when I tell you this, but you too can have this type of layered landscape on your property. Creating a magazine-worthy landscape can be achieved by stacking plant material in three layers.
So where do you start? Creating a layered landscape begins with designing what I call the “bones” of the landscape, also known as layer number one. The first layer, or bones, of a layered landscape act as a framework for the entire project. This foundation layer consists of tall plant material which will be used as a guide for planting the additional two layers. Tall plant material such as a tree form Ligustrum with its rich green leaves, a Bismark palm with steel-blue fan shaped fronds, the majestic oak tree, or the rapid growing sky pencil holly can be placed anywhere in a planting bed. The plant material in layer number one can be placed in the middle, side, or back of a bed. You can opt for one large tree, such as a Magnolia or you can line up a hedge of Viburnum against a fence that is located at the edge of the bed. You might choose several different types of tall plant material such as a few Japanese Maple trees, one Elm tree, and one Eastern Redbud tree. The plant choices are many and planning is a must. The more you plan the bones, or the first layer, of the planting bed, the better the outcome—a layered landscape cannot sustain when built on a weak foundation!
Once you have the first layer planned, you will want to start choosing plant material for the second layer. The purpose of this layer is to fill in the areas around and up against the first layer. When considering plant material for the second layer, a good rule of thumb is to choose plants that will grow out more than up. Layer number one consists of tall plant material, so medium-height shrubs and/or perennials are a nice choice for the second layer of plant material. For example, your foundation layer consists of a line of Podocarpus against an established fence. In layer number 2, you can choose to fill the area around and in front of the Podocarpus with a few Hydrangeas, Japanese Hollies, a few Ligustrum shrubs, Azaleas, Pittosporum, Distylium or Camellias. You can choose to plant one type of plant in this layer or mix it up. If you choose to mix it up, remember to combine plant materials that are compatible with each other and to the area you are planting. Ornamental grasses, like Miscanthus, Pink Muhly, or Purple Fountain grass are great choices for a second layer of plant material and the textures these grasses bring to the total look are amazing.
Now that you have your first and second layers planned, it is time to plan the final third layer of your plant bed. In the first layer, or the foundation layer, you are using tall plants or plant material that grows vertically. In the second layer, you are using medium-height – or horizontal growing – plant material. The final layer in this planting bed will be more of a low growing plant material or a ground cover. This layer of plants will creep along the ground, filling in spaces under the first and second layers of the planting bed. Picture what happens when you spill a glass of water on your countertop: the water runs out and around objects in its way. Ground cover grows in much the same fashion. For this third and final layer, you have a wide variety of ground covers from which to choose. Some popular choice in the Golden Isles include Asiatic Jasmine, Creeping Jenny, Mondo Grass, Interrupted fern, Liriope, Carex, and Hosta.
Continuing with our earlier example of a layered plant bed design consisting of a line of Podocarpus planted against a fence as the foundation of the bed, layer number one. In layer number 2, you add a mixture of Hydrangeas, Muhly grass and Ligustrum shrubs around and in front of the Podocarpus hedges. For the final third layer, you could add several Creeping Jenny in front of the second layer of plant material. Creeping Jenny is a great choice for ground cover, especially in our area because it creeps along damp, wet ground. This plant material has yellow-green heart-shaped leaves, and creates an attractive, dense mat of plant material. Ground cover serves many purposes in a landscape. It can be used to control erosion, as a substitute for sod in areas where turf is difficult to grow, and as a border for planting beds. Denser ground covers also aid in controlling weeds.
The main principle in creating a layered landscape is to layer (or stack) plants using the plant height to create a lush, full, exciting landscape. Use other characteristics of your plants, such as texture, leaf color, flowering, nonflowering, blooming times, sun, and water needs, etc. when choosing which to grow together in a single layer. When selecting plant material keep in mind how well those plants will blendf to create a sensational landscape with non-stop color from one season to the next. Using a plant characteristic in repetition throughout all three layers is great way to pull your landscape together.
Throughout the year, you can replace plant material that has reached its limits and/or change out plant material that isn’t working well without losing the overall beauty of the landscape. Loosen up on the idea that you must have everything symmetrical in your planting beds. One of the best features of this type of landscape is most of the time, you will never know if there is a mistake within your design. These landscapes are not meant to be perfect and the more imperfect they are the more beautiful they become!
Coastal Greenery, Inc. has been providing professional landscape maintenance and management services for commercial, industrial, county and city, historic, and residential properties in the Golden Isles since 1994. Every landscape program they provide is customized for each client’s specific property and budget requirements. To schedule a consultation, call 912.261.8171 or visit coastalgreenery.com.
