I’ve started working on planting plans for next year, and I realized I hadn’t worked on an entrance garden in a while. This particular recipe can work as a planting in front of a wood or stone entrance wall, or it could stand on its own without a wall behind it. The drawing will only show one side of the hypothetical driveway, but you can mirror the drawing if you are interested in adapting the recipe to your space.

Once again, grasses play a vital part in setting the stage in this recipe. All the other perennials used have strong structure, and most are on the large side to make more of a visual impact from the adjoining road. Most of the flowering occurs through the summer and fall months, but I have incorporated a few different bulb species to balance out the recipe and complement the perennials that do flower in spring.

Ingredients:

Seasons:

Overview

Spring

This recipe has a lot more energy in spring than some of my previous recipes. Molinia caerulea ‘Moorflamme’ is a cool season grass, which means it will be doing its growing in spring and fall. The main structure at this time will come from Amsonia tabernaemontana and Baptisia x ‘Pink Lemonade’. Both will flower towards the end of spring and will carry into the early months of summer. The visual impact, however, will come from the bulbs: Allium sp., Camassia sp., and Narcissus sp. I haven’t identified specific cultivars to use in this recipe — see what you can source / which ones grab your attention. The key for the bulbs is to have something from each of the three groups.

Summer

Summer has a wave of colour and impact that carries the garden through to fall. It starts with Amsonia tabernaemontana and Baptisia x ‘Pink Lemonade’ (as a carry over from late spring) before moving into Monarda didyma ‘Jacob Cline’, Phlox paniculata ‘Blue Paradise’, and Sanguisorba menziesii. The Sanguisorba in particular will look stunning, as it will be contrasted with Calamagrostis brachytricha (a warm season grass). Finally, Echinacea purpurea and Sedum spectabile ‘Autumn Fire’ will close out summer and lead us into fall.

Fall

Fall is focused around enjoying the fruits of spring & summer's growth. Echinacea purpurea and Sedum spectabile ‘Autumn Fire’ will still be in flower going into September, while the rest of the perennials will begin to go to sleep for winter. The grasses will look stunning in the softer fall light, and Molinia and Amsonia will also bring some striking fall colour. Lots of brown and yellow tones, but with a splash of orange/red with various black seed heads scattered about.