Category: Dogwoods

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Creating a Meditation Garden – Part III – Adding Color

MeditationGardensPond by Complete Wermos Guide
MeditationGardensPond by Complete Wermo's Guide

This is the third post in a three part series on creating a meditation garden.  You can see the first post about creating a meditation garden here, where I discussed some questions you need to answer first before you start building a meditation garden.  In the second post on meditation gardens, I talked about creating a green meditation garden by using hosta lily plants.   In this post, I will discuss some other meditation garden ideas.

To add to the green meditation garden, consider interspersing the garden with ferns. There are numerous ferns for sites like you describe. Fern leaves flow so nicely in the breeze and some stay green in the winter when the hostas die back. Taller varieties would look lovely. A fern and hosta website is here.

If a monochromatic garden with just green does not appeal, consider planting a Japanese maple. But be sure to get the ones that do not grow too tall. Japanese maples give 3 seasons of color. Some turn a different shade in the fall.   See here.

Another tree that would look lovely if you have the space is the dogwood. But I would not consider the native dogwood, as much as TheGardenLady loves it, because it might not be hardy enough. I suggest the Korean dogwood, Cornus kousa.  See here.  I have only seen a white flower on it. But it has one of the most interesting fruits which makes it of interest for two seasons.

Continue reading “Creating a Meditation Garden – Part III – Adding Color”

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Variegated Hostas under Dogwoods

My Garden in Springtime by zenamoonbeam (on flickr)
My Garden in Springtime by zenamoonbeam (on flickr)

TheGardenLady received this question.

I’d like to plant variegated hostas beneath a pink dogwood this spring. Is it a good idea?

TheGardenLady thinks that planting variegated hostas under a pink dogwood sounds gorgeous. But because dogwoods are being stressed these days, plant the hostas with caution (see here).

Be careful not to plant the hostas too close to the dogwood trunk. Notice that dogwoods in nature don’t like plants close to the trunk. Plant the hostas just outside the tree’s drip line (see here).  Dogwoods have shallow, far-reaching root systems, so when planting the hostas be careful that you don’t damage big roots which are fairly shallow.  Those are roots that are 1″ in diameter and larger.  You don’t want to hurt the tree by damaging the roots (see here).  The younger the tree, the closer you can plant the hostas because the roots will find the ideal places to grow their roots. Don’t pile lots of soil over the dogwood roots when planting anything near the tree.

Remember that dogwood trees like a lot of water. Dogwood roots don’t like to compete for water. Keep your dogwood well watered – Water weekly in the morning during dry periods. Caution: Do not wet foliage. If you are having a drought in your area, as many areas are having, be sure that the dogwood and the hostas get well watered. Since they are shallow-rooted trees, dogwoods are among the first plants to show drought stress. They need supplemental water in the absence of regular rainfall, especially during the summer and fall. Water in the morning, preferably with a soaker hose, to a depth of 6″. Use of a sprinkler is not recommended because it wets the foliage, setting up ideal conditions for certain diseases. But dogwoods don’t like to be overwatered. They don’t want the soil saturated. Dogwoods are feeling lots of stress these days; so you don’t want to add any more stress to the tree you have (see here).