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Flower Power 101

By Emell Derra Adolphus

If a rose is a rose is a rose, why aren't any of yours growing?
Each year gardening enthusiasts spend hundreds of dollars on plants and flowers only to have them die and never return. The sad truth is, some people just are not born with the right shade of a "green thumb." But luckily for you, there are some flowers even a child could grow. Keep in mind, recommends Phillip Morici of Fleurdetroit in Bloomfield Hills, the more you plant and install, the greater the upkeep.
We asked Morici for a few fast and dirty gardening tips to give your property some floral punch.

Have a master plan

"We always tell people to make sure they have a master plan," says Morici. "Make sure there is a direction or a personality to the garden or property."

Shy away from foreigners

"My number one pet peeve is when people use a lot of foreign Orientals and their property looks like Disneyland," says Morici. "That's gross to me."
He explains, "That's there notion of how it is supposed to look. They are just not educated to design for their home. A lot of people are very content with buying a $50 Japanese Maple at Home Depot and they think they got something special."

Paint gardens with texture, not color

"Textured colors and greens," says Morici. "Then whatever annual pop you add really is showcased. We tend to go less in color and more in monochromatic plantings. It's a little calmer on the eyes than using your containers as your annual splash of color. Not putting a lot of color in the ground."

Build your garden to fit your home

"You have to take into account not only the architecture but also the personality of the owner and the legacy of the garden," Morici says, explaining one personal motto he follows: "Good design does not have to be costly."
When pairing classic garden structures with distinctly styled homes, contrast – when done right, says Morici – can be beautiful. "We've done contemporary homes with very wild gardens, very native. And the juxtaposition is fantastic. And we've also done contemporary homes with very rigid bones."

If you are failing at flowers, turn to hydrangeas

"Most people can do really well with hydrangeas," says Morici. "Mainly an Annabelle cultivar or a tardiva variety. They require a little more watering in the beginning but they are tried and true through the years. They really do well." And for architectural planting, "A lot of boxwoods are really great, building the bones or structure to the garden. And once you plant them they are low maintenance." He adds, "Every garden really needs a backbone. Otherwise, in the wintertime, it looks barren."

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