Though texture often refers to the physical feel of something, it can include the overall presence of a space as well. Adding plants of varying heights, colors, and characteristics to your landscaping can do wonders for creating an interesting and inviting area.
And you don’t have to be a landscape architect to make it happen!
When deciding what to include in your outdoor oasis, Turf Medic recommends first thinking about what you want out of your space. Do you want your landscaping to be a showstopper with lots of drama? Or are you going for a more casual, relaxing area? Once you know what you’re trying to accomplish, you can choose plants that will help encourage that feeling.
There are lots of opportunities to play around with the type of plants and accent features you incorporate in your landscape – the most important thing is to have fun! Looking for inspiration? Read on for some Turf Medic tips for bringing it all together with texture!
1. Hit New Heights
Part of creating a space with loads of texture is using plants, shrubs, and trees of different heights. This is a wonderful way to create a backdrop to showcase more delicate flowers and, overall, taking this approach makes your landscape more visually appealing.
Juniper, queen palm, and American holly are a few of Turf Medic’s favorite choices for adding height in an outdoor area. Here’s why:
Juniper
Depending on the species, this evergreen comes in everything from groundcover to tall columnar shrubs and full-sized trees. Its colors range as well, from dark green to shades of blue and yellow, providing plenty of interesting options for you to weave into your design.
Queen Palm
Palms are popular in coastal North Carolina landscapes as well, and the queen palm is no exception. It can grow quite tall – up to 50 or 60 feet – so you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of space for it to expand. This palm often blooms with white flowers and bright orange clusters of fruit as well, making it a colorful and interesting addition!
American Holly
This versatile option can be trimmed for use as a shrub or grown as a tree. It also produces a red, berry-like fruit that draws attention.
2. Feature Foliage
Your plants’ foliage is where you’ll develop most of the physical textures in your space. Plants typically have fine, medium, or bold characteristics.
Fine Textures
Fine textures include plants with wispy, delicate features. Incorporating these will add a casual feel to your outdoor area. For those living in coastal NC, both of the following are excellent options:
- Lavender: An evergreen shrub with linear leaves, lavender produces beautiful purple flowers and smells amazing!
- Queen Anne’s Lace: Reaching heights of up to 3 feet, this flower sprouts with lace-like, white blooms and offers a soft Southern charm.
Bold Textures
Vegetation with bold texture will have wide, strong leaves. Incorporating bold plants can help you achieve that more dramatic or formal look.
Hosta is an excellent example of a plant that makes a strong statement. With large, heart-shaped leaves that are often variegated (depending on the species), it draws attention while also adding depth and interest.
Medium Textures
Everything in between is considered to have medium texture. Choose a few of your favorite plants and flowers and add them anywhere you see fit!
3. Pick Colors That Pop
Of course, when creating interest with flowers and plants, brightly colored blooms are one of the biggest appeals! At Turf Medic, we love incorporating flowers that have interesting shapes and also come in beautiful shades for an even more textured look. Here are two of our top picks:
- Beautyberry: This shrub typically grows between 4 to 8 feet tall and stands out with long, arching branches and white or purple clusters of berries during the summer and fall seasons.
- Cannas: Add a tropical feel to your space with the canna’s large, banana-like leaves and colorful blooms in shades of red, orange, and yellow.
4. Savor The Season
Incorporating festive pieces is a great way to let your personality shine while also creating interest and adding yet another layer of depth and texture. Add bright pillows and planters to capture a summertime feel or include anchors and thick rope to create a nautical theme.
Fall is fast-approaching as well and now is the perfect time to gather supplies. Try incorporating pumpkins (real or fake), corn stalks, colorful gourds, burlap bag planters, and wooden lanterns to intertwine some autumnal ambiance.
5. Embrace Hardscaping
Finally, don’t forget the non-plant elements when designing your space. These components come in fine and bold textures as well. For example, small pebbles and gravel provide fine texture while large rocks, wooden signs, or benches make a bold statement. Try these Turf Medic recommendations for seamlessly interweaving these accent pieces into your space:
- Create a path from one focal point of your lawn to another with large, flat stones, bricks, or a wooden walkway.
- Build a water feature surrounded by vegetation to make it seem like part of the natural landscape.
- Use these elements to create borders around your flower beds, containing them with an interesting twist.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to your landscaping! Give yourself a chance to experiment and discover what speaks to you. Not sure where to begin? Give the Turf Medic team a call – we’d love to help you get the look and feel you crave in your backyard oasis!