Front Plant Bed at Its Best in 2018

I'd like to share the views of my Front Plant Bed that I think was in its best shape ever last gardening season. And, I know exactly what gave this plant bed its luscious, best ever look.
Of course, many plants reached substantial size and several new important plants have been added (among them, Japanese maple 'Autumn Moon' and Hydrangea 'Oregon Pride').
But, there were two more important elements which I added to this central bed in 2018.

First, one of my potted Red Banana plants (Abyssinian bananas, Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii') was placed here.
Starting from the spring when I got it out of the garage, tall Red Banana instantly added dramatic effect to the Plant Bed. In summer, when it unfurled its gorgeous dark leaves, it became a star of the Front Garden. What a gorgeous architectural plant it is!

Second, several containers with annuals were placed in the front of the Plant Bed. What's important, those were relatively tall containers, which allowed their flowers to 'float' and fill otherwise empty or dark spaces. For two of these tall pots, I bought hanging baskets and just plopped them into the pots (instant gratification!). From afar, the pots are almost invisible and the flowers look suspended in the air.

Only the central front bed is shown in this post, but the second Banana plant and several identical pots were located  further to the right, on the opposite side of the driveway. It provided a sense of unity and rhythm to the entire front garden.

Abyssinian Banana, big bush of Hydrangea macrophilla 'Oregon Pride', Phormium (New Zealand Flax) and Japanese Maple 'Autumn Moon' are striking plants defining the look of this Plant Bed

It's difficult to overestimate the impact of the Hydrangea macrophylla 'Oregon Pride' in this Plant Bed. 
It's not just the large bright flowerheads that can differ in color on the same bush, but its big leaves and striking burgundy stems that attract attention. 

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 Another important plant that added interest to this Plant Bed was Senecio candicans 'Angel Wings'.

 It was sitting in the same pot as the Abyssinian Banana.  July.

In this May picture, you can see two hanging baskets sitting on the top of tall containers with hooks still attached. Baskets' hooks could be taken off the baskets or hidden among the plants. 

Blooming annuals in containers provided color to this Plant Bed even when almost nothing was blooming here. May.

Rose floribunda 'Regensberg'

Poppies, Penstemon 'Red Rocks', Lilies, Roses 'Mr. Lincoln' and floribunda 'Regensberg', Liatris 'Kobold', Chives, Eremurus,  Rose campion, Fuchsia 'Dollar Princess',  Digitalis purpurea, are among perennials growing in the Front Plant Bed.

  I just recently introduced Rose campion (Lychnis coronaria) to the Front Garden. Its vividly colored flowers seemed to be too bright to me, but now I appreciate not only its flowers, but also its bushy, multi-stem structure. A single plant of Rose campion can perk up a dark spot in a bed.

 My Abyssinian Bananas have already been overwintered four times in the garage.

 Hydrangea 'Oregon Pride' looks good next to a purple-leaf Japanese maple.

 Bigger plants in this picture are from left to right:  Sungold Thread-branch Cypress, Japanese maple 'Autumn Moon', 'Canadale Gold', Privet (Ligustrum)

Several more pictures:

 Two turquoise pots frame the way toward the central entrance of the house.  April.

The same view. End of June

  Abyssinian Banana plant just got out of the garage with its only leaf. April.

Lilies. June

 End of July

August

Hopefully, I can repeat the look of the Front Plant Bed in 2019.

***Copyright 2019 TatyanaS