Need help with new landscape plants/shrubs

[lesa]

You have a great full sun location... the possibilities are endless. A lot of people have decided to plant edibles in their front yards. I would certainly have something climbing up that "trellis". Not sure if it a windmill, or what? I personally would plant the biggest clematis I could find on there. The skies the limit, for climbing plants. You could skip the shrubs and just go for colorful perennials. That would look pretty and change with the seasons. A blank slate- have fun!!!

 

[curly_kate]

I agree on the clematis. You could probably plant one on each side, and they would go crazy! I have a narrow bed like that, and I had a lot of trouble figuring out what works best. I started with lots of perennials, but it just looked disorganized (but not in a good way at all). I think that you might want to do more plants of the same type. Maybe choose 3 different varieties, and plant enough of each type to fill in the bed. Boxwood are lovely, and are a nice evergreen. I also like euonymous - I have one that has green and yellow leaves, so it's very pretty. Be sure to look at the tags on the plants to see how wide they get. When we moved in, there were yews planted in the beds at my house, and the variety was wayyyy too large for that narrow space.

Another thing I found helpful was to go to a local garden store (not a Lowe's, but a place where they know what they're talking about) and ask their advice. OTOH, I do buy a lot of my shrubs from Lowe's because they sell quart size pots for about $7. If you don't mind being patient, those are a good option, too!

Just my 2 cents. Well, maybe that was a whole dime's worth of advice! Have fun!

 

[vfem]

I agree on the clematis. You could probably plant one on each side, and they would go crazy! I have a narrow bed like that, and I had a lot of trouble figuring out what works best. I started with lots of perennials, but it just looked disorganized (but not in a good way at all). I think that you might want to do more plants of the same type. Maybe choose 3 different varieties, and plant enough of each type to fill in the bed. Boxwood are lovely, and are a nice evergreen. I also like euonymous - I have one that has green and yellow leaves, so it's very pretty. Be sure to look at the tags on the plants to see how wide they get. When we moved in, there were yews planted in the beds at my house, and the variety was wayyyy too large for that narrow space.

Another thing I found helpful was to go to a local garden store (not a Lowe's, but a place where they know what they're talking about) and ask their advice. OTOH, I do buy a lot of my shrubs from Lowe's because they sell quart size pots for about $7. If you don't mind being patient, those are a good option, too!

Just my 2 cents. Well, maybe that was a whole dime's worth of advice! Have fun!

Very good advice about a good nursery to help. They will be the best and most valuable people to talk to about your area. They specialize in what will work where you are.

Chances are they will carry a lot of native plants so if you chose low maintance that is the way to go!

Perennials are the best bet... you won't have to plant again next year.

This is what I did... total blank slate here with no beds and no plants so I added a ton of perennials last year and this year... because they wouldn't bloom the first year, or they are only 1/3rd as big as they would get, I filled in the gaps with annuals that would die and let the perennial fill in the next year. I also chose perennials based on 3 kinds... spring blooms, summer blooms and winter color! (like things with lovely berries in the winter, and a japanese coral bark tree for interest when there is little to no blooming)

I think the most important thing to consider is your seasons and what look you will have in each season.

 

[digitS']

Back: Daylilies have a wide range of colors these days and and a longer bloom season than the older types.

Mid: Coneflower - - Hey with a name like "PowWow Wild Berry," how could the 2010 All-America Selections Winner be a wrong way to go??!

Front: A perennial geranium, some are variegated, but you might also consider annuals if you still want more color on an, uh, annual basis.

Steve

 

[lesa]

I like Steve's idea...the nice thing about it is you can do it a little at a time. Put the daylilies in for a quick splash of color and fill in when you can. Wait for stuff to go on sale- or see if anyone you know has some plants to trade. I dug up my coneflower from a dump...hey, what can I say???

 

[jorswift]

Thanks guys/gals, I like your ideas. I thought about the clematis, but I wasnt sure about it or not. I never used or planted a vine and wasnt sure if it would go crazy on my tower. It is an old antena tower, but now is my outside lamp. Can you control the clematis to a certain growth so it wont go out of control up it? Also, I need to climb the tower for easy roof access or to change bulb for lamp and didnt want to wreck the plant or flowers.

 

[digitS']

Clematis have this wonderful quality of being able to grow and bloom in the shade. I have taken advantage of that by planting them on the northside of my house and garage. On the northside of the house was a rose bush when I moved here. It hadn't bloomed that season and I had a photo of the house from an earlier year, and that bush wasn't blooming then. It was huge but out it went!

I was happy to just have the old-fashioned Jackmanii clematis on a trellis beside my old-fashioned house. It has thrived in that location . . . or, at least, done well enuf to be a real asset.

I can't be sure how clematis would do in a more sunny location. I've certainly seen them in sunny spots. Perhaps they would climb to the sky but I don't think so.

I've been advised to prune mine severely when there was good reason. And, I've done that, at times -- the house has been painted and sided during the 15 years we've lived here. The vines don't seem to be able to make a whole lot of vertical growth, anyway, in my part of the world.

About shade: Clematis need to have their roots shaded it says everywhere, so I guess that must be true. But, I've read that even a stone mulch can provide the necessary shade.

Steve

 

[Lavender2]

That's the first thing I thought of too... a vine to grow on the tower. But, I think that seems to draw attention to the structure instead of the plantings on the ground. The height of the tower may dwarf most vines.
I like the grass you mentioned ... it makes a nice display in Fall with some sedums.
I also LOVE that weigela!!

A few problems with clematis in full sun... blooms bleach out on certain types... keeping the roots cool and moist is sometimes difficult.
I do grow some in full sun.
Nelly Moser flowers fade to white quickly (nothing wrong with white I guess )
Jackmanii does good, but I keep it mulched well and it's in good soil in a low area that stays pretty moist. He holds good color.
They are very specific about pruning correctly for each type in order to perform well. I'm not sure I would try to grow clematis on a structure I would have to have access to, where it may get damaged or disturbed.

Were you leaning toward shrubs for low maintenance and a more formal grouping ... or do you think you would like a mixed border, less formal style?

Here's a fun Garden Style Quiz ...

 

[jorswift]

I plan to mulch the area so I feel I can keep the soul some what moist and roots shaded. Yeah I am not a vine fan!

 

[jorswift]

What do you all think of this combo...?