I wanted to show you a few photos taken within the past year that are good examples of how combining plants with home architecture can reap lovely rewards.
Sometimes, and in a small front garden, the dominant focal point may be simply a flowering tree as you’ll see below. I think that seasonality plays a huge role here, especially if you are looking for that flowering magnolia or flowering cherry.
But the blossoms will only last so long, so of course you always want to choose a tree that is wonderful out of bloom also; with the right airiness or denseness and size/form.
Flowering Trees for Home Architecture
White flowering Magnolia with shingle style home, Mill Valley CA.
Purple flowering Magnolia with yellow Victorian home, San Francisco.
Palm trees and home.
Palm Trees for Year Round Home Shining…
Palm trees with this architecture – Here we have two strong architectural elements that will hold court year round because fleeting flowers have nothing to do with this example. The regal and tropical effects of these palm trees are powerful and feel to me very California, and at home in California as with other mild Mediterranean climate locations.
Color Matching with Architecture and Plants
Another idea which you’ll also see played out and playfully so is color matching with architecture and plants. Are you doing this at your house? It can feel kind of bold to do this, but boy can it create curb appeal. In the photo below, you’ll see the subtle and striking effects that a simple ground cover, Lithodora, has in the matchy-matchy of its cobalt blue flowers with the color of the cobalt blue house.
Lithodora USDA zones 6 to 8. Bright blue flowers with green hairy leaves, San Francisco.
What happens when the Lithodora is no longer in bloom? It’s blooming now in early spring and is at its prime. Once the flowers stop, this house has many mounding and low growing perennials, shrubs and blue fescue grasses to contain interest throughout the calendar year.
Lithodora, Armeria, Lavander.
Happy Gardening!
