Colorful Shrubs
Five 'Nikko Blue' French hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nikko Blue') create a loose hedge, which is covered in big, blue mophead blooms in late spring and early summer. A flowering quince (Chaenomeles sp.) also graces the courtyard. Its scarlet blooms in late winter and early spring bring the bare wall to life.
In a narrow space between two windows, four 'Plum Passion' nandinas (Nandina domestica 'Monum') were planted. They have purplish red foliage in spring, fall, and winter; summer heat brings deep green leaves. Nandinas have an upright growth habit that works well in tight spaces.
Trees for Shade
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A 'Forest Pansy' Eastern redbud with scarlet-purple, heart-shaped foliage is already beginning to shade the brick terrace.
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The courtyard lacked shade, so a 'Forest Pansy' Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy') and a Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) were added. They will grow tall enough (about 20 feet) to help screen sunlight but won't get too big and consume the garden. The redbud has pinkish purple flowers that appear in early spring. The Kousa dogwood has creamy white, pointed blooms in late spring, a few weeks after the native dogwoods flower.
Pots for Impact
The Peays set out three containers in the garden to add height and color and help elevate the plants to eye level. They brought a large pot filled with black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) from their old house and set it out in the courtyard. The 10-foot-tall black shoots, tipped with green leaves, create nice vertical lines and soften the wall.
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left: This tree-form lantana's golden flowers attract butterflies.; above: A metal hook hangs over the gate and secures a planter filled with chartreuse coleus, trailing lantana, and 'Blackie' sweet potato vine.
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They set a pot containing a topiary lantana next to the brick steps. The yellow blooms add lots of color and signal a grade change. A planter basket filled with colorful foliage and flowers hangs on the khaki-colored gate.
Though the outdoor room is still fairly new, the plants are beginning to mesh together for an established look. This small courtyard proves that gardens certainly don't have to be big to be grand.
