I would suggest that you consider ignoring your current bed and arange the plants (in their pots) in the bed and out on the lawn to put together a nice composition with good spacing. Then think about making the bed fit the planting. You can use a garden house to similate the edge of the bed until you are comfortable with cutting it in.

There does not appear to be a compelling reason to keep the bed that size and shape. You may as well use the plants to enhance your space rather than to infill a bed whose form is not already working to help in any meaningful way. The plants that you have laid out are already too big for that bed.

Does that make sense at all?

Unless you want this planting bed to appear as just a row of assorted plants, you need to increase the depth of your bed. I'd start at around 4' at a minimum and go deeper as possible. Then you might have sufficient space to develop groupings rather just a line-up.

Aesthetically, evenly spaced plants of similar (or identical) appearance - unless being grown for a hedge - tend to not carry much impact and produce a jumpy, stuttered effect. Clustering tends to create more visual weight and impact, as well as being a more naturalistic approach. You may want to reconsider placement of the nandina and keep this thought in mind with the placement of the other plants.

Otherwise, select for a pleasing combination of forms, textures and colors. And be sure to make proper allowances for the growing conditions preferred by each plant and group those with similar preferences together. I'd also have to assume some of those plants are going to be annuals or not winter hardy for you, as they are not here in my zone 8 - the impatiens, lemon verbena, gerberas, etc. Placement of these is not so critical, as they are only present for a season.

I know it's a difficult practice to follow religiously - nurseries and garden centers are overly tempting at this time of year - but you will get far better results if you develop a plan before acquiring all the plants :-) If you design for specific plants and not just a collection you need to find homes for, you can be certain the all plants will have similar growing requirements and select for specific size and shape, texture or color and that you have enough, but not too many, to finish the design. Tweaking will always be necessary if you like to putter and you can always allow room for seasonal color.

I have considered enlarging the bed, but I need to do this strategically so that my DH will still be able to mow with his riding mower.

I will definitely play around with the hose idea, that will help a lot...

as far as "planning" and then buying plants...well I fear that in my lifetime, that will never happen, I'm much too impulsive...sigh....I"m actually much more likely to find a plant I love and then find a home for it....oh well...old habits die hard.

I guess with a larger and more shapely bed, my options will be much greater.

thanks for the suggestions...I guess I've still got a lot of work to do....

as far as "planning" and then buying plants...well I fear that in my lifetime, that will never happen, I'm much too impulsive...sigh....I"m actually much more likely to find a plant I love and then find a home for it....oh well...old habits die hard.

You are in good company. There are more than a few of us who do the same...and I am one of the worst offenders. Of course, I justify my MY plant hoarding by claiming that I'm "testing it" for the garden center where I work. My husband claims my "Native American" name should be "Works-For-Plants" because that's what much of my paycheck goes for. My latest addition is a new lantana that is (theoretically) winter hardy here. It's named "Chapel Hill Yellow" and is a cross between New Gold and Miss Huff. In theory, it has the hardiness of Miss Huff and the low, spreading habit of New Gold. I remain skeptical...although Michael Dirr is one of the developers. He's usually pretty reliable...

As long as you make the curves of the beds gentle enough, and the bed LARGE enough, I don't see why you husband couldn't continue to mow with a riding mower. My neighbor does his entire lawn with one, and he has several beds.

Have fun "plantwalking!"

melanie

and if ya have a weed eater!! WOA baby!! those things are fun!! you can fill in with the rest of it@! that he can't get with it. it "might" be only a few spots, tabor (my son) is supposed to be doing the weed eating but, ya know, i just love to weed eat! LOL it takes a few minutes to do, and ours is not that heavy either. and its one of those one's that's not electric but not battery but not gas either, LOL but ya do plug it in and it charges. we got it at lowes its 7 lbs.

Those nandinas don't look like Firepower to me.

Thanks frankie for comfirming my belief those were not Firepower nandinas :-) I am a big fan of nandinas in general but not that one - I don't care for the heavier texture (typically not nearly as lacey or as upright as those in the photo) and its tendency to PM and fungal leaf spot. I was pretty sure they were not Firepowers but didn't care to bet the bank on just a somewhat distant photo image.

Thanks frankie for comfirming my belief those were not Firepower nandinas :-) I am a big fan of nandinas in general but not that one - I don't care for the heavier texture (typically not nearly as lacey or as upright as those in the photo) and its tendency to PM and fungal leaf spot. I was pretty sure they were not Firepowers but didn't care to bet the bank on just a somewhat distant photo image.

The link below is a recent thread in which someone has a nice bed shape outside a patio (though I think the plants are less than imaginative). You've done a nice job of arranging pots and plants ON your patio; I suspect you have what it takes to do so in the ground outside of it. You are indeed restricted by the shape of bed that you've chosen, and I agree that bigger and rounder should not impede mowing substantially at all, given the right kind of edging.

One thing that might help is to establish the purpose of the plantings. If it is decorative, something you want to enjoy from inside the yard or from the patio, I would turf those Nandinas. They are strictly a landscaping shrub - background, screening, filler. No close-up interest or structural enjoyment at all.

Reshape the bed, and give yourself permission NOT to use those (or at least not all those) Nandinas, and you may find that things fall into place for you.

KarinL

Here is a link that might be useful: An example

I'd resituate the tree/shrub that's already in ground where the deck railing meets the lattice. It seems to be planted flush against the under-decking lattice and will be a problem down the line.

If you are worried about DH and the mower why not set the pots out in and around the grass where you would like to have the garden lines, then have Hubby mow around them. That will give you an idea of how to lay out the new bed.