Plants We Love: Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Plum Crazy’ (Swamp Mallow)

Hibiscus moscheutos 'Plum Crazy'

Native Range: Eastern North America

USDA Hardiness: 4-9

Height: 48″

Growing Conditions: Full sun; moist soils

This showy cultivar of one of our regionally native perennials has found its way into several of OvS’ recent gardens.  Its large, vivid, plum-colored flowers steal the show when in bloom (July through frost).  We were surprised however by its bold-textured purple foliage that is a striking complement to tall ornamental grasses.

We planted it recently on a waterfront estate on the northern neck of Virginia, where it contrasts nicely with Panicum virgatum and Eupatorium ‘Bartered Bride’.  Swamp mallow is native to the edges of salt marshes and freshwater wet meadows throughout the east coast, but has also found a happy home in the moist, rich garden soil of several of our townhouse gardens.

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Honest Point

With osprey circling overhead, a redwing blackbird’s bright foliage punctuating the tidal grasses beyond, and the summer sun sweltering down, OvS enjoyed a plant installation last week at a residential estate on the Northern Neck of Virginia.  Over the last three years, OvSg has been involved with this 12-acre peninsular property at the point of the Potomac River’s confluence with the Chesapeake Bay.  Newly installed beds of salt and wind tolerant plantings frame the modern house and garages (by Dale Overmeyer Architects), and spill into long, loose sweeps of native meadows and a restored loblolly pine forest beyond.  Several native meadows were designed in conjunction with meadow designer Larry Weaner Landscape Associates.

Planting last fall 2010

The same field this spring, featuring Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Rehbrahn’), White Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum ‘Bartered Bride’), and Plum Swamp Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Plum Crazy’)

The first phase seeded meadow with Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) blooming prolifically (photo by Larry Weaner Landscape Associates)

Sweetbay Magnolias (Magnolia virginiana) frame views to the restored barn beyond

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Eric Groft at Kendale Farm

Detail of Honeysuckle blooming on the vegetable garden fence

On Friday May 4th Eric Groft visited Harrison and Sue Wellford at Kendale Farm on the Rappahannock River in Virginia. It had been several years since Eric had a chance to review the garden and in general the garden and grounds look amazing. Kendale Farm is featured in our new book THE ARTFUL GARDEN: CREATIVE INSPIRATION FOR LANDSCAPE DESIGN. You’ll find a panoramic spread of the farm in Chapter 4: Rhythm & Movement.

Lady Banksia Roses just finish blooming in the cut flower garden

 

Iris Ceasars Brother blooming in front of summer kitchenCut Garden detail

 

Sue Wellford standing in front of a glorius stand of PeaoniesCut flower garden framed by old summer kitchen now used as a potting shedFront of Kendale FarmThe fields of barley were simply mesmerizingDetail of Barley

The Creation of a Native Meadow on Virginia’s Northern Neck

At one of Oehme, van Sweden’s current residential projects on the Northern Neck of Virginia, a meadow of native Bluestem grasses, goldenrod and other wildflowers dressed in rich autumnal golds, oranges, and browns meets an existing cordgrass marsh. The 12-acre peninsular estate juts into the Potomac River near its confluence with the Chesapeake Bay. Dale Overmyer Architects’ contemporary “Oyster House” residence is accessed by a long boardwalk that stretches above a natural tidal pool. Few trees remain on this former agricultural land, and OvS is overseeing an extensive native meadow and forest restoration.

Photograph by Larry Weaner Landscape Associates

Earlier this week, OvS Principal Sheila Brady and Associate Marisa Scalera enjoyed a beautiful fall day laying out willow trees, rugosa roses, wax myrtle, and live plants in a seeded, designed meadow with crews from Walnut Hill Landscape Company (landscape contractors) and Larry Weaner Landscape Associates (meadow consultants and contractors). Next week, they return to layout an additional 18,000 native grasses and perennials.

Laying out meadow plants with Larry Weaner’s crew

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