Do you have a large garden with too much open space? Tired of mowing all that lawn? Perhaps you want to add some personality to your garden? If so, a garden island might be just the solution your garden needs.
Designed and planted correctly, garden islands (whether mounded or not) can add a focal point that can be seen from all parts of the yard. The key is to use plants that will be in correct proportion to the overall size of the island. The other design aspect to keep in mind is that the entire island needs to flow away from the center (high to low) in all directions.
To mound or not to mound? Creating a mound will add contour and visual dimension to your garden but it also can create potential watering challenges to your garden. Plants on the top of the mound tend to dry out faster while plants along the bottom can become over-saturated from water draining off the top. If you go the mound route, a drip irrigation system is recommended.
Start by selecting a centerpiece that will be the focal point of your garden island. If you are working with a large area in a large garden this should be a small tree that is either contorted branching, multi-stemmed or fountainous branching in nature. A good choice for contortion would be a copper or tri-colored beech tree. For multi-stemmed consider a crape myrtle, a flowering magnolia or an upright Japanese maple. If a fountainous centerpiece appeals to you, consider a weeping cherry, crabapple, beech, or a wisteria tree.
If you have a smaller mound or island area consider a smaller focal centerpiece such as a butterfly bush or a tall grass such as feather grass, fountain grass or maiden grass. On a larger island these same (second tier) plants will add structure and definition, flowing away from the centerpiece.
Now you need to add low-growing mounding “filler” plants that will add not only more contour but also color to the island. The key is to select plants that stay below 2 feet in height so they allow the taller plants to stand out. Leave some space between plants so your island doesn’t become too crowded. Consider boronia, breath of heaven, dwarf cotoneaster, dwarf escallonia, dwarf heavenly bamboo, potentilla, rhaphiolepis, spirea, dwarf weigela or yaupon holly.
Finally, consider a few low perennials with spiking flowers for that extra splash of seasonal color. Good choices include agapanthus, daylily, heuchera, penstemon, salvia and veronica. Fill in any other open areas with tough ground cover perennials such as creeping phlox or thyme.
As you lay out your plants just keep in mind the need for balance on all sides of your island. We have a great selection of plants, shrubs and trees just perfect for your new garden island centerpiece, and our staff of nursery experts will be happy to help you make your selections.