The 5 Best Plants for Beautiful Color All Season Long in the Midwest
Midwestern weather is not for the faint of heart. This week is a perfect example – it snowed over the weekend, we were up in the 70s with storms the early part of the week, then down to the 40s for midweek, only to end in the high 60s and sunny. While we don’t know exactly what spring and summer weather has in store for us here in Naperville, IL, we do know it will keep us guessing.
One of the most common questions we are asked as local landscape designers is how to choose plants, trees, and shrubs that are able to withstand the extreme weather we’re accustomed to in the Midwest. Here’s the inside scoop, directly from Carlos Montano, the second-generation owner of Montano’s Landscaping.
Related: Seasonal Color Strategies: Landscaping That Beautifies Wheaton, IL Backyards Year-Round
1. Veronica “Wizard of Ahhs”
There is a reason this breathtaking deep purple flowering perennial (pictured above) is called the “Wizard of Ahhs” – it is an upright perennial that flowers all summer giving your garden rich, lush greenery and color. Similar in look to salvia, a well-loved annual, you’ll enjoy that Veronica doesn’t flop over as salvia often does as it gets taller. Plus, being a hearty perennial, you won’t need to replant each year.
2. Paperbark Maple
If you are looking for unique landscaping to set apart your house from your neighbors, a Paperbark Maple is a must. This gorgeous tree is Carlos’s personal favorite, and in the handful of moves he has made with his family, this is a must-have in his new landscaping design. A Paperbark Maple has cinnamon colored bark and peels like a River Birch. It’s a slow grower, so it is a great addition to your forever home landscaping. Come fall, yours will be the prettiest leaves, as they range in color from red to orange. Against the snow of winter, your yard will have a beautiful pop of color from the brunette bark. Try it lit up with low-voltage landscape lighting!
3. Drift Rose
The name gives you a pretty good idea of why this is another of Carlos’s go-tos for landscape layering. Drift Rose looks fantastic in mass plantings as a border to your garden as it is low growing and fills in beautifully. It also comes in a wide range of flower colors, including red, pink, white, yellow, and coral. It’s also easy maintenance – a huge benefit for busy families!
4. Little Quick Fire Hydrangea
While you may not have heard of the Little Quick Fire Hydrangea, you have probably seen it. It has a lovely, long-blooming pink flower and is drought tolerant, and unlike many varieties of hydrangea, it doesn’t droop during our hot summers. The Little Quick Fire Hydrangea is different from the Quick Fire Hydrangea in size – the little version doesn’t grow as large, making it a great addition to gardens in both your front and back yards.
5. Hicks Yew
If you like the look of evergreens but want something different than your neighbors’ boxwoods, the Hicks Yew may just be the answer! It is a lush upright evergreen that looks beautiful as a backdrop to the flowering perennials already mentioned. We maintain them at a 3’ height, though they can get much taller without pruning.
Related: Using evergreen shrubs in your landscape design for privacy in Hinsdale, IL
Figuring out the best plants, trees, and shrubs for your space can be overwhelming and time consuming, but we’re here to help. Give us a call today to discuss your planting project. As the foremost landscaping construction company serving Naperville, Wheaton, Burr Ridge, and the surrounding areas, we will help you design the gardens of your dreams.