(part 1)
Planning Your Garden
Carol Ullerich, Master Gardener
Planning Your Garden
Carol Ullerich, Master Gardener
Do you dream of coming home to an impressive swath of
color like this?
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| (Photo provided by National Garden Bureau) |
Perhaps you’d like to flank the entrance to your home
with matching urns of these neon beauties?
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| (Photo provided by National Garden Bureau) |
If I've struck a chord with you—or perhaps given you a
theme for plantings along your driveway or sidewalk, you are in luck! The National Garden Bureau has declared 2015 the Year of the Coleus! While blossoms certainly catch the eye in
any landscape, it’s foliage that creates the backdrop and allows those showy
blooms to shine. This year, make coleus
your “go to” annual for colorful foliage, durability and a wide variety of leaf
textures and plant shapes.
Thought to have originated in Southeast Asia, Dutch
botanist, Karl Ludwig Blume, is credited with naming and introducing coleus to
England in the mid-19th century.
Its square stems and opposite leaves confirm its place in the mint
family and explain why this herbaceous perennial grows so consistently and
reliably.
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| (Photo provided by National Garden Bureau) |
Also known as flame nettle or painted nettle, over time
coleus has fallen in and out of favor with gardeners. Its heyday may have come during the Victorian
era when coleus was used to create vivid, intricate bedding designs known as
“carpet gardening” and even launched a frenzy among gardeners known as “coleus
fever.”
Since the 1980s, new coleus varieties have been
introduced annually. Hybridizers
continue bringing new leaf shapes and color combos to market, but they are
keenly aware of our desire for more sun tolerant varieties. No longer reserved for shade-only gardens, in
sunny areas, plant any of these coleus series:
Stained Glassworks; Wizard; Versa and Marquee; or any variety with the
word “sun” in its name. Coleus planted
in direct sun will probably require more water, so be prepared to supplement with
moisture. As a rule, darker cultivars are
more sun tolerant, while lighter-colored varieties appreciate morning sun and
dappled afternoon shade. Too much sun
can result in leaf scorching; too little light results in weak stems, reduced
vigor and less than desirable color.
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| (Photo provided by National Garden Bureau) |
Most gardeners consider the dainty flowers produced by
coleus to be insignificant and routinely pinch them out to promote bushier
plants. The most common colors found in
coleus are green, pink, yellow, orange, red, dark maroon (almost black), brown,
cream and white—with many shades of each.
Color patterns feature splashes, blotches, streaks, flecks, margins and
veins.
There are three basic forms of coleus—upright, rounded
or trailing. Snip, pinch or trim plants every
few weeks to prevent flower formation and promote bushier plants. Pinch just above a set of leaves or branching
junction for the best appearance (avoid leaving a stub). Consider planting a trailing form as a
groundcover or “living mulch” to add interest to beds, shade soil to retain
moisture and suppress weeds.
Part 2 next week.
