Don't worry about flowers

Colorful plants are used to add great accent to a dull garden but here in the sub-tropics we're able to take that approach to a higher degree. A few years ago I was hired to create a pool, patio and landscape plan for a newly built home in a lovely area of Key West. The house was very well designed and beautifully built but had little punch. There was also a desire by the owner/builder to not have a front fence, as is so common in town. My solution was to create a color packed meandering hedge that separates the street from the home entry. The result is that of year round color, a visual barrier and a unique streetscape. Because of infrequent flower production and varying light throughout the year this effect couldn't happen as successfully if I had used flowering shrubs. Createing a bold scheme as this may not be the right strategy for every home, especially one of great historical merit, but here it's a winner.