Lockatell Wins VA State Fair Design Contest

Mike Lockatell, owner of Roots & Blooms, LLC was judged the winner of the Richmond Times Dispatch sponsored Newspaper Box Garden Design Contest held on Thursday, September 23^rd at the State Fair of Virginia in Caroline County. Mike’s winning design and planting stressed low maintenance, deer resistance and drought tolerance. Perennial plants featured in the 5’x5’ display were reblooming iris, herbaceous peony and various euphorbia, sedum and ornamental grass varieties. Reblooming Irises, Lunar Whitewash and Rosalie Figge were in bloom during the judging. Lockatell’s winning entry can be seen at the State Fair daily thru October 3^rd at the Meadow Event Park. Visit www.statefair.com for more information.

Newspaper box sites are usually hot spots in the home landscape. Close proximity to the street absorbs radiated heat. Soils are usually baked and compacted. Any planting list for such spots should focus on drought tolerance. Perennials are an excellent choice to create a lasting impression for these difficult areas.

Heucheras (Coral Bells) display a dazzling array of foliage colors. Heuchera “Plum Pudding” contributed a red accent to neighboring plant selections. Ornamental grass offer color, texture and interesting fall seedheads. Pennisetum “Hamelin Dwarf” and “Little Bunny,” Fescue “Elijah Blue” and Carex testacea “Praire Fire” provided a nice balance to my design.

The planting also highlighted my work with herbaceous peonies and reblooming irises. Both heirloom perennials are drought tolerant and deer resistant.Reblooming irises initiate two distinct bloom sequences in the same growing season. Lunar Whitewash (ruffled white) and Rosalie Figge (purple with black satin finish on falls) were in flower at judging time. Despite a short flowering period each spring, Peonies offer a great foliage backdrop for any mixed planting border during the growing season.

   

Sedum, Santolina, Euphorbia, Coreopsis and Clematis are the remaining plant elements to mention. Sedum spectabile “Autumn Joy” and “Neon” are valued for their drought tolerance and timely September bloom. Santolina “Virens Green” is a superb perennial herb with fragrance, foliage and flower. It has shown exceptional resilience dealing with recent extreme weather. Euphorbia “Red Martin, Tasmanian Tiger and Ascot Rainbow” added further foliage color, texture and height to the design. Clematis “Blue Ravine” is the top choice in vines to cover mailboxes. It can be easily trained to adorn any structure. Ornate seedheads and fall foliage color are further benefits to using this popular perennial.

   

Newspaper box sites are a fantastic excuse to establish an eye catching perennial display for either sun or shade in the home landscape. My winning entry for the VA State Fair dealt with a sunny exposure. There are dynamite perennials for shade too!! Make a plant list, and create your own awarding winning mailbox design.