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Garden Bench Island
Shalina Japanese Maple
White Lily of the Nile
Red-Leaf Japanese Barberry
Southern Magnolia, Bull Bay
Tuscarora  Deep Pink Crape Myrtle
Shalina Japanese Maple

Common name:Shalina Japanese Maple
Botanical name:Acer palmatum 'Shaina'

This magnificient plant can used as a small tree or shrub. It is deciduous with graceful leaves that have a scarlet color in spring as it leafs out. Later, they turn orange or yellow in fall. It is slow growing to 20' and requires shelter from hot winds.

White Lily of the Nile

Common name:White Lily of the Nile
Botanical name:Agapanthus 'White'

This cultivar of Agapanthus africanus is the same as the Lily of the Nile except it blooms white flowers, not blue. It will grow in all soils but prefers loam soil.

Red-Leaf Japanese Barberry

Common name:Red-Leaf Japanese Barberry
Botanical name:Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea'

A thorny, deciduous shrub growing 4-6' high and as wide, Red Japanese Barberry can be contained with some light pruning in winter. Its purplish-red leaves contrast beautifully against a dark green background. It prefers full sun and regular watering, more in hot summer months. This is a great barrier plant.

Southern Magnolia, Bull Bay

Common name:Southern Magnolia, Bull Bay
Botanical name:Magnolia grandiflora

Its large, simple leathery appearance makes the pyramidal Magnolia grandiflora perfect for either a street or lawn tree, reaching 25'-60' tall. Its glossy leaves are 4"-8" long. Powerfully fragrant blooms are evident through summer and fall. If these trees are grafted, they are more predictable (may take 15 years to bloom). Ungrafted trees will take only 2-3 years. Restricted root areas or heavy soils will slow the growth process.

Tuscarora  Deep Pink Crape Myrtle

Common name:Tuscarora Deep Pink Crape Myrtle
Botanical name:Lagerstroemia 'Tuscarora'

This tree will grow 25'-30' tall and 15'-18' wide. It has deciduous green leaves that turn to orange, red, and yellow in the fall. It produces showy red flowers and has brown-green, droopy branches.

Designer:

Garden Bench Island

Photographer: Amy Palmer

Soils and Compost:

Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.

Water Saving Tip:

Fix leaking sprinklers, valves, and pipes.

One broken spray sprinkler can waste 10 gallons per minute - or 100 gallons in a typical 10 minute watering cycle.

Integrated Pest Management:

Attract, or buy beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings to control pest outbreaks in your garden.