Oehme and van Sweeden Plant Palette - Perennials

Wolfgang Oehme and James van Sweeden are partners in the landscape architecture firm Oehme and van Sweeden.  They are know for their innovate public and private gardens that utilize minimal hardscape and exuberent planting with bold sweeps of perennials and ornamental grasses.  Below is a partial list of selected plants used in their gardens.

Perennials
Acanthus hungaricus - Bear's Breech
USDA Zone:  5-9
Height: 36"
Width: 24"
Sun:  Part-shade is best.  Will grow in full sun or full shade.

Achillea filipendulina - Fern-leaf Yarrow

USDA Zone:  4-9

Height: 36"

Width: 18"

Sun:  Full sun

Aralia racemosa - American Spikenard

USDA Zone:  4-9

Height: 48-60"

Width: 48"

Sun:  Sun to part-shade

Artemisia schmidtiana 'Silver Mound' - Silvermound Wormwood

USDA Zone:  4-8

Height: 12-18"

Width: 18"

Sun:  Full sun

Aster x frikartii - Michaelmas Daisy

USDA Zone:  5-8

Height: 30"

Width: 18"

Sun:  Full sun to partial shade

Astilbe taquetii - False Spiraea

USDA Zone:  4-9

Height: 36"

Width: 18-24"

Sun:  Full sun to part shade

Begonia grandis - Hardy Begonia

USDA Zone:  6-9

Height: 12-18"

Width: 18"

Sun:  Partial shade.  Needs moist soil.

Berginia cordifolia - Heartleaf Berginia

USDA Zone:  3-9

Height: 18"

Width: 18-24"

Sun:  Full sun to partial shade

Note:  Evergreen

Brunnera macrophylla - Perennial Forget-Me-Not

USDA Zone:  4-8

Height: 12-18"

Width: 18"

Sun:  Shade to partial shade

Caryopteris x clandonensis - Bluebeard

USDA Zone:  5-9

Height: 24-30"

Width: 30-36"

Sun:  Full sun to partial shade

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides - Blue Leadwort

USDA Zone:  5-8

Height: 12"

Width: 12-18"

Sun:  Full sun to partial shade

Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam' - Threadleaf Coreopsis

USDA Zone:  3-9

Height: 18-24"

Width: 18"

Sun:  Full sun to partial shade

Epimedium x versicolor 'Sulphureum' - Persian Epimedium

USDA Zone:  5-9

Height: 12"

Width: 18"

Sun:  Part shade.  Resents hot sun and needs more moisture with more sun exposure.

Eupatorium purpureum 'Gateway' - Joe-Pye Weed

USDA Zone:  5-9

Height: 60-72"

Width: 36-48"

Sun:  Full sun to partial shade

Note:  Also known as E. fistulosum.

Hemerocallis lilaceae 'Stella d'Oro' - Daylily

USDA Zone:  4-9

Height: 24-40"

Width: 18-24"

Sun:  Full sun

Hibiscus moscheutos - Rose Mallow

USDA Zone:  5-10

Height: 36-72"

Width: 24-30"

Sun:  Full sun

Hosta sieboldiana - Plantain Lily

USDA Zone:  4-9

Height: 30"

Width: 24"

Sun:  Shade to partial shade

Hypericum calycinum - St. John's-wort

USDA Zone:  4-9

Height: 12-18"

Width: 18-24"

Sun:  Full sun to partial shade

Note:  Evergreen

Liatris spicata - Gay-feather

USDA Zone:  5-9

Height: 24-30"

Width: 18"

Sun:  Full sun to partial shade

Ligularia dentata - Bigleaf Goldenray

USDA Zone:  4-9

Height: 36-42"

Width: 24"

Sun:  Partial shade

Liriope muscari 'Big Blue'

USDA Zone:  4-9

Height: 12"

Width: 12-18"

Sun:  Full sun

Note:  Evergreen

Lythrum salicaria 'Morden's Pink' - Pink Loosetrife

USDA Zone:  4-8

Height: 36-48"

Width: 18-24"

Sun:  Full sun

Macleaya cordata - Plume Poppy

USDA Zone:  4-9

Height: 6'-9'

Width: 36"

Sun:  Partial shade is best.  Will tolerate full sun in a cooler climate.

Perovskia atriplicifolia - Russian Sage

USDA Zone:  3-9

Height: 36-48"

Width: 24-30"

Sun:  Full sun

Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldstrum' - Black-Eyed Susan

USDA Zone:  4-9

Height: 24"

Width: 18-24"

Sun:  Full sun to partial shade

Salvia superba - Purple Sage

USDA Zone:  4-9

Height: 18-24"

Width: 18"

Sun:  Full sun to part shade

Sedum 'Ruby Glow' - Stonecrop

USDA Zone:  4-9

Height: 8-12"

Width: 12"

Sun:  Full sun

Sedum 'Autumn Joy' - Live-Forever

USDA Zone:  4-9

Height: 18-24"

Width: 18-24"

Sun:  Full sun (will grow acceptably in partial shade)

Yucca filamentosa - Adam's Needle

USDA Zone:  4-9

Height: 36-48"

Width: 24-30"

Sun:  Full sun

Note:  Evergreen

Pool Garden with Garden Furniture

This is a concept for a simple swimming pool and recreation terrace for a family.  The lap pool provides adequate space for exercise and family fun while the terrace creates the perfect environment for entertaining.  I used Google SketchUp to create 3D models and exported the images with different rendering styles.

SketchUp Samples

I've been experimenting with Google SketchUp recently.  These are some images of an imaginary formal Southern garden courtyard.

View from the terrace looking towards the formal lawn and water feature.

View from dining terrace.

A classic garden bench is surrounded by clipped boxwood hedges and flanked by tropical banana trees.   Vines trained on the wall add depth and texture to the vignette.

A wall mounted water feature adds white noise while creating an interesting textural focal point.

View from the lawn.

Real Estate Agents Recommend Landscape Enhancements

Improved landscaping can improve the sale price of your house.  A recent article on Yahoo suggests that $300-400 in landscaping can return up to $2000 on the sale price of a home.  Real estate agents recommend landscaping before listing the house on the market. 

Read the entire article.  Number 8 discusses landscaping.

Container Garden Plants for Tucson, Arizona

While on vacation in Tucson, Arizona I was asked to create a plant palette for a residential garden outside of town.  The location gets morning sun and parts of it get afternoon sun as well.  The pots serve as a foreground to an stunning view of Rincon Peak and Saguaro National Park.  The following plants were selected for their ability to adapt to local climate conditions, provide seasonal color with minimal maintenance, and attract wildlife:

Asclepias curassavica - Milkweed

Cuphea llavea - Bat-Faced Cuphea

Lavendula stoechas - Spanish Lavender

Hesperaloe parviflora - Red Yucca

Plumbago capensis - Cape Plumbago

Salvia greggii - Autumn Sage

Verbena bonariensis 

Further information about Tucson container gardens is available from the Pima County Master Gardeners program.

French Swimming Pool Design

This French swimming pool was inspired by an 18th century French stone water basin.  The classic limestone coping and decorative stone finials on the four corners add character to the pool.

Designed by Michel Biehn.
This pool was originally featured in an article in Architectural Digest.

Cool Swimming Pools From Around the World

Yahoo had an article featuring some of the best swimming pools (in their opinion) from around the world. 

Anantara Resort & Spa

 This resort is located in Thailand in the Golden Triangle.  Design by landscape architect Bill Bensley.

Stunning Italian-Inspired Backdrop for a Swimming Pool

 A Paladio-inspired garden wall serves as a dramatic backdrop for this residential swimming pool in East Hampton, New York.  The Paladian architecture of the house is echoed in the wall creating harmony between house and garden.  Desgin by architect Alexander Gorlin.

Mediterranean Inspiration

Developed by the Irvine Company, Pelican Hill resort is an artfully executed resort swimming pool along Orange County's Newport Coast.  Built by the Irvine Company.

A Tuscan Family Retreat

This rural farm house in Tuscany is a family retreat.  Views of the surrounding countryside were created by punching a window into an existing wall.  Designed by Boston architect Robert Brannen.

Morocco meets Key West

If it wasn't for the coconut palms, you would not believe that this delightful swimming pool was in south Florida.  The Morracan architecture and tile work look quite authentic.  Designed by architect Todd Black and landscape architect Craig Reynolds. 

Architecture and View United

This pool complements the contemporary architecture of the house and provides sublime views just a short distance away from Hong Kong's dense urban core.  Pool design by architect Jim Olson of Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen based in Seattle.

Cabo Style with a Swim Up Bar - Esperanza

This Baja California resort features great siteing and a relaxing swim-up bar.  Relaxing with views of the sea while enjoying a cool drink is one of the strongest features of this design.  Designed by architect Howard J. Backen and landscape architect George W. Girvin Associates.