A couple of years ago my husband built a front porch on the north side of our house. Finally, we had a place for a small table and chairs, loveseat, bench and containers full of annuals. Next year we will replace our driveway and sidewalk to the front door. I can't wait for that to happen so I can take the landscape beyond the basics. However, there is a basic perennial that will be staying put.
Frosty Morn Sedum, a variegated Autumn Joy, has earned its place in the garden. The showy green and white foliage pops with the background of Nordic Inkberry and an iron fence. In front of the sedum is a large container that changes out with the seasons. Close by is a red flowering peony. Around the corner is a Sweetbay Magnolia. The large fleshy leaves of the sedum contrast nicely with the smaller foliage of inkberry and annuals. I had tried several plants in this location, including variegated hostas, and found that there was too much sun even though it is on the north side. Frosty Morn Sedum is one of the few perennials with variegated foliage that can handle partial to full sun.
There is very little maintenance required by Frost Morn Sedum. Sedum is drought tolerant; the fleshy leaves hold water. It is also free of pests and diseases. The only problem I have had is that the stems can get so heavy that they fall over by mid-summer. My plan this year is to pinch back the foliage (just like I pinch back the foliage of hardy mums) to create shorter, bushier plants. The Plants Delight catalog describes the flower color as light pink in cooler climates and white in warmer climates. In my zone 5 garden in Kansas City, the flowers are light pink. It is hardy from zone 3-9.
© Susan Mertz, May 2006. All rights reserved.
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