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Wow, landscapedesignchina has given you a very creative mix there.

I think you have done a beautiful job laying out the landscape. It's private, cozy, and has loads of interesting places and beds. I use the same flagstone paths in my garden, but mine, unfortunately, was laid out haphazardly, like the rest of the yard.

Your current idea of a smoke tree and golden breath of heaven seems like a wonderful color combination, and I think it would look great with your peachy pink rose. How big does a smoke tree get? Golden breath of heaven, even the ones labeled "dwarf" get big in my garden. These have been in the ground for five years and they are monsters:

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I tried to trim the one in the back, it didn't turn out very well so I am letting them go wild.

Seven feet across, four feet deep:
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If the breath of heaven will fit, it think it will look gorgeous. They don't get too yellow, and in the early spring they are almost medium green.
There's a stunning callistemon, peachy-pink and white with small gray foliage, called "Cane's Hybrid" that I saw at Quail Gardens last week. San Marcos Growers wholesales it. It might be a nice standard in your garden if the smoke tree is too big. But in terms of color choices, I think you can't beat that purple and chartreuse for drama.
Renee

Wow, Renee, I had no idea that a breath of heaven would get that big! According to my Sunset Western Garden Book, the Sunset Gold (diosma pulchra) grows to 1 1/2 feet tall to 4 feet wide. Yours are huge! I was concerned about pruning these. I would have no idea how to do it. Around town, I see them pruned into little balls...I don't like the little ball look though.

The smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria) is supposed to grow 12 - 15 feet high and wide. The fellow at the nursery said they could be kept pruned smaller.

I like the purple with yellow look too.

Your idea of the Cane's Hybrid callistemon is great. I had no idea that bottlebrush came in any other color than red. Do you know if this kind is attractive to hummingbirds? I wonder if it can grow as a multi-trunked tree? How do you think it would look in my center island? Here is a picture if found:
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Hi littlefatcat,

I like the Smoke Tree better, with the chartreuse, but I would look around and see if you can find any in your area to see how big they REALLY get.

I don't know how big the Cane's Hybrid gets. At Quail Gardens in San Diego, the specimen was about eight feet tall. It was stunning enough that I took a few photos:
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You can see that this one has multiple trunks. Here's a close-up:

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I'm still trying to decide what to pull out so that I can have this plant.

If you find any other small shrubs that are as pretty as the Breath of Heaven in the chartreuse I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know. I am looking for the same thing.

Renee

And Renee, just what is that ground cover you have where most people would expect to see grass?? It looks brilliant. I think I just bought a pot of it, and see I am going to have to give it some room...

KarinL

i like hosenemesis 's yard, that looks pretty vivid. these plants grow very well. they're natural, maybe need not be trimed is better, i think.
the golden Privet is a nice choice---This fast-growing, bushy, deciduous shrub has bright golden yellow leaves. Plant in full sun for best color and leave untrimmed for best appearance. Evergreen in warmer climates. and u can control its height or shape.
good luck!

Renee:

A couple of beautiful chartreuse shrubs that I am considering are Spirea thunbergii "Ogon" and Hydrangea quercifolia 'Little Honey'. I think both of these would grow okay where you are too. I have been researching plants that look spectacular (I hope) with the Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'. I have seen these two mentioned on several lists. Both are deciduous though, where the Breath of Heaven is not.

I couldn't plant the Hydrangea next to the Cotinus where I am though because apparently it needs partial shade in hottest areas. I have full sun. I love the look of this plant though. I may try and plant it in another spot in my garden.

Are the breath of heaven plants shown in your pictures supposed to be the dwarf plants? If so, they would never work in my tiny space.

I am still trying to figure out what a good focal plant for my center island bed would be. I would like something that doesn't totally look like I just stuck a huge tree in the center of my yard. I thinking about planting some peach drift roses (see pic) around it, whatever it turns out to be. Anybody have any suggestions for my island?

Hope this gives you some ideas, Renee. If you come up with any others, please post!

Thanks.


{{gwi:43771}}Hydrangea quercifolia 'Little Honey'


{{gwi:43773}}Spirea thunbergii "Ogon"


{{gwi:43774}}Peach Drift Rose

Wow Landscapedesignchina, that is a gorgeous design littlefatcat. What do you think I need to change in my front yard landscape. Just curious to see what you would do.

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Landscapedesignchina, here is a side view as well

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Hi everyone,

karinl, the groundcover is zoysia, also known as Korean bunch grass or Korean grass. I have the old-fashioned mounding variety. It is like bermuda grass in habit, but MUUUUUCH slower-growing. It goes dormant in the winter in cold climates and it creeps through stolons. The main problem is that it is very expensive. I bought a flat yesterday: fifteen bucks! It has lower water needs than a regular grass and you never need to mow. Here are a few photos from last week:
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This grass makes everything look lush, even in Southern California. You can see how it has crept over the rocks on the right there, and I have to chop it out of the beds once every two years.

Littlefatcat, it's so funny that you would post photos of the spirea! I just did a search on chartreuse plants and saved a photo of that plant to check out. I have not been able to grow hydrangeas because of their high water requirements, but that is one gorgeous plant. Have you considered a lorapetalum for your center island? I don't know how much sun they can take, but they have purple foliage and are easy to shape naturally by taking out whole branches. There's also a redbud called "forest pansy" that might work... finally, the dwarf breath of heaven might not grow as big in your yard as it gets in mine. For small chartreuse foliage, I love acorus. I grow it in full sun and in full shade.

Yin, thanks for the tip! I will look it up. I agree with you. I don't like shrubs that have been shaped into little balls, the natural look is so much prettier. I am hoping my breath of heaven recovers from my hack job at the bottom.

I wonder where landscapedesignchina went?
Renee