Woodland Landscape Theme
The woodland style is essentially a late 18th- and 19th-century creation; however, draws on earlier trends. Woodland themes are now found in most parts of the world but vary depending on the area and local conditions.
Installing woodland gardens may be the low-maintenance landscaping solution that you've been seeking if part of your yard is dominated by large trees. Have you ever wondered what planting options you have for adjacent areas, plagued as they probably are by shade, falling leaves, and drought? Or perhaps it's your neighbor who owns the trees, creating a challenge for planting near your property border? There are a couple of different looks you may have in mind when you hear, "woodland gardens." In either type of woodland garden, we're referring to areas in shade most of the day.
Think "diversification," so that you get something of interest in each of the four seasons of landscaping. Install flowering shrubs such as rhododendrons for spring blossoms, evergreens such as yews for winter color, and viburnum shrubs for fall color get ahead of the game by using a multi-season interest, such as oakleaf hydrangea. Spring bulb plants will naturalize, and they bloom early enough to take advantage of the sun the area will get before the trees leaf out. Hosta plants bloom in summer and can be used as a border.
