In and Around the Garden

Success in the garden depends on choosing plants that suit the location and how much care you can put into your choice. Do this correctly and you won’t have to do it over.

The small beds on either side of my perennial garden entrance have been empty for some time. This past weekend I put in Dwarf Heavenly Bamboo Nandina domestica ‘Nana Pygmaea’ on both sides of the flagstone. This is a good choice for several reasons. Heavenly Bamboo is drought tolerant. The beds at the garden entrance receive little water. As I mentioned in a earlier post, the mature Nandina domestica variety (non-dwarf) in my landscape do not get watered and they have thrived for years.

Please note even drought tolerate transplants need regular deep watering for the first year. And, although my mature Heavenly Bamboos do well without watering, the amount and frequency of water needed will depend upon your location, microclimate, and soil condition.

Other reasons this shrub is a good choice is low maintenance, cold hardiness is 0 to -10°F, and it is an evergreen. I want the entrance to look good year round with plants that perform well during the cold season as well as the rest of year. As you can see in the photo above, the leaves turn a beautiful reddish hue in winter.

The beds also have well-drained soil and receive full sun. Heavenly Bamboo grows best in these conditions. As soon as I come across two more Dwarf Heavenly Bamboos, I will plant one more in each bed. The shrubs won’t outgrow the space because I did my research. These plants will fill in 24×24 inches and cascade over the edge just enough to soften the walkway.

Here’s a guide on Dwarf Heavenly Bamboo Nandina domestica ‘Nana Pygmaea’.

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