Olympic Spirit Has Hit Us Hard!

Introduce Gold Medal Plants Into Your Garden

In the spirit of the Olympics, it is time to go for the gold! We understand that not everyone can be a world class athlete and win a gold medal, but everyone can add a little gold to their landscape.

Good landscape design balances having plants that flower with plants that offer color in their foliage. While it is nice to get a “pop” from flowers, they do only last for a short period of time. Foliage color can last all season long. Golden color plants stand out in any garden and can really help add some “pop”.

Here are 8 plants that will add gold to your gardens.

Gold Thread Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Filifera Aurea’)

This plant has a mounding growth habit which can be kept lower by pruning. It must be planted in full sun to maintain its exceptionally rich gold color, otherwise the result is more of a lime green color if planted in too much shade. It’s a very popular accent plant due to its stunning year around yellow gold color and soft threadlike foliage.

Gold Dust Plant (Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’)

Striking gold variegated shrub for shade gardens. Beautiful bright green foliage is so heavily speckled with gold it projects an overall yellow-green appearance. Plants may be male or female; females may produces berries if a male pollenizer is planted nearby. Excellent background for contrasting foliage plants. Evergreen shrub.

‘All Gold’ Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’)

A graceful, colorful groundcover for shady areas. Slender stems hold bright golden-yellow foliage having the effect of a tiny bamboo. Great in containers or color accent in borders. Deciduous.

Golden Barberry (Berberis thunbergii ‘Aurea’)

A definite knockout in just about any landscape. Super bright solid yellow foliage which retains its color well, except for in areas with lots of shade, where the leaves will then turn more of a lime green color. A very dense form of Barberry, and is relatively slow-growing when compared to other varieties of this species.

Kabitan Hosta (Hosta sieboldii ‘Kabitan’)

This Hosta forms a 15″ wide clump of long, narrow, yellow foliage with a clear green edge and lots of ruffles along the margin. The clumps are topped with masses of medium-lavender flowers on 15″ tall stalks in the summer…great for making a border!

Magarita Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea batatas)

Bright chartreuse foliage provides a light color for this trailing vine. An excellent foliage contrast in containers, baskets, window boxes or garden beds. Produces small white flowers in warm tropical conditions, but is mainly sold as a foliage plant for accent.

Sunrise Falls Heuchera (Heuchera ‘Sunrise Falls’)

A vigorous, trailing Heucherella with large, yellow, maple-shaped leaves and red veins. Fall leaves have dramatic red tints. The stems will trail 2 feet in a container making a wonderful hanging basket or a super groundcover.

Golden Euonymus (Euonymus japonicus ‘Ovatus Aureus’)

Evergreen shrub with large, glossy, oval shaped leaves that are dark forest green and broadly edged in bright golden yellow. Fast grower – good for use as a colorful hedge, or as a brilliant accent plant. Can handle a wide variety of conditions. Will even do well in coastal areas, but prefers full sun with average moisture.

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Remember, Allentuck Landscaping Co. is always here to help you design, install, construct and maintain you lawn and landscape.  Give us a call!