Kerria and rediscovered plants - March article for yougardener
There are plants that I tend to associate with my grandmother's garden. Who among us does not remember those species that were almost obligatory in the small flower beds in the courtyard or in the large pots in front of our grandmothers' or aunts' houses? Even today, I often come across old concrete pots among the weeds in front of abandoned or disused houses, in which a yucca or a cascade of Sempervivum grow undisturbed.
Alongside them, how can we not mention Bergenias, Daylilies, Hydrangeas, Oleanders, Kerries, Euonymus, Aspidistras...
Beyond personal tastes and trends, these plants all have, to varying degrees, one notable characteristic: resilience (which is why we continue to see them spreading after years and in the absence of care, even in the most unexpected places).
A young couple needed to furnish a small terrace, facing southwest, on the first floor of this house, where they had recently moved. It was a family home, built in the early 1900s, of no particular value, which they wanted to renovate by bringing to light the underlying stone structure, onto which contemporary design elements and materials were then grafted in a precise and truly successful manner.
This fusion gave rise to my idea of continuing to alternate 'old' and 'new' in the green design as well. The blacksmith who was working on some external stairs was asked to make rectangular galvanized steel tubs to house the plants.
- It is important to remember that in these cases, the tanks must be properly insulated and lined to prevent the root system from overheating, as well as providing appropriate water drainage elements.
In my design, I wanted to represent one of these planters, in which plants have been placed not only because of their conceptual reference to the grandparents' old house, but also because of their resilience, which would (in part) relieve customers of constant and excessive attention.
The aim is to achieve a natural, unstructured, sometimes imperfect composition that contrasts with the linear, minimalist steel elements, in which blooms and colors follow one another.
Bergenia cordifolia: commonly known as 'St. Joseph's flower' because it blooms around St. Joseph's Day, March 19. It is an evergreen, rhizomatous perennial ground cover with large, glossy green, leathery, oval-shaped leaves, sometimes with wavy edges. In winter, it undergoes a color change, and the leaves take on a reddish-brown-coppery hue. The flowers are gathered in panicle-like clusters on branched stems. It is a very hardy plant, resistant to both drought and extreme temperatures. Suitable for any exposure, it will thrive in a forgotten pot in full sun or in shady undergrowth.
Hemerocallis hybrida 'Franz Hals': a perennial herbaceous plant that forms dense clumps of beautiful, bright green, ribbon-like, arched foliage. From summer to fall, it produces lily-like flowers on long stems. This hybrid has alternating yellow and orange petals. It grows well both in pots and in the ground, within mixed borders. Again, it does not need excessive care to thrive and give satisfaction.
Kerria japonica 'pleniflora': this deciduous shrub, central to our composition, is truly fantastic in my opinion. With its fountain-like shape, it creates an explosion of color when in bloom. It is covered with double, golden-yellow pompon flowers between April and June. The leaves are small, light green, narrow, and serrated. It is a hardy plant with very few requirements, needing only sunshine. Ideal for mixed hedges, it will also give great satisfaction in pots, even if sometimes neglected.
In the graphic representation, captured at the moment of maximum splendor of the composition, we hypothesize a brief period of overlapping blooms between the Kerria and the Hemerocallis. Summer is just around the corner, and the bright colors of the vegetation will frame life on the terrace.
https://it.yougardener.com/guide/la-kerria-e-le-piante-riscoperte-marta-prosello
