I did talk to the nursery where I bought these Dwarf Arctic Willows...McKay Nursery...very well respected Nursery in the midwest.

They said that these guys actual like being pruned down about 12" above the ground and this will help contain them.

This was the least of my worries. I've always known that willow trees have invasive roots systems so I asked about these being within 3ft of my block wall fondation. They said that I shouldn't worry about it.

Only reason I starting wondering is when I watered these guys during a month long drought I noticed the lowest part of the stems went from pencil size (when I originally planted them) to 1.5" caliper stems.

Thoughts?

That's a beautiful area you have there. Calls for something nice and showy I think.

I don't know much about holly bushes, but we had two in front of our house that were evergreen with berries in the fall. But they were small and spindly, never really got to size so we pulled them. They do have year round interest though.

On one side of our house in front of the picture window we have barberry- the golden colored ones. They look nice, don't obstruct the view and maintain a rounded habit. The burgundy ones might look nice with your house color.

The only other ones I can think of would be wine and roses weigela (interesting leaf color, but deciduous and a single bloomer for me), fothergilla mount airy, and perhaps a knock out rose bush (thorny but showy). Oakleaf hydrangea is lovely when in bloom and has great leaf color in the fall. There are many dwarf varieties to consider.

If you didn't mind winter die back, a catmint (nepeta) might also do the job.

Good luck :)

Purple does look good...I have the same bay window on the side of the house where I used Fine Wine Wegelia, looks great but doesn't offer anything more than the season long purple foilage.

Replacments I've debated, compact rounded rose or fothergilla. I fear the fothergilla due to the rabbits tearing them up around here. I've heard they don't bounce back as well as other plants, like Weigela.

I love the look the willows give, but it does seem like they just are not in the right place if they need that much trimming.

Why don't you mix it up a bit? Try a dwarf buford holly or small japanese maple on the left (or even a small climbing rose could give you some height there), maybe some roses (could look beautiful from inside) or even something different if you go with the climbing rose, a couple of golden barberrys or weigela and end with the catmint suggested above or salvia.

Unless you really like the look of the hedge (and if you do, why not try dwarf indian hawthorne?), I think this could be a great time to consider something entirely different.

I don't know much about what grows in your zone, so if I suggested something that doesn't work, I apologize.

Here is a good representation of the willows last year fall. Look like babies here!

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I also like the idea of mixing it up as hollygarden suggested. Will a camellia survive in zone 5? That would give you some height on the left and would be evergreen. The small willows made me think of lavender or the nepeta. Do you like hosta? There are some that will become very large and could fill in under a small tree if you put one in on the left. It is a pretty spot. Can't wait to see what you decide to do! Cynthia

I'm confused, are you guys talking about replacing the vernal witchazel to the left of the windows?

Thats one of my fav. plants in my yard, lol. It will end up about 8' X 8'...almost like a small tree. Its only 1 year old in the landscape. Hasg the coolest blooms in March and the yellow fall color is amazing.

If I end up removing the twist shout hydrangea, the catmint walkers low or dark pink rose would be a good border plant.

Back to the willow, lol. I think I am going to keep them another year, depending on how the hyrdangea perform in their second year.

oops, sorry. Didn't recognize it as a witch hazel and also didn't know they got that big! Perfect size for that spot...nevermind...

No worries, its hard to tell without more of a closeup.

I'm actually thinking about doing Catmint Walkers Low in the front and then putting a med. pink rose to the back.

Only problem is I don't know of an full compact mounding rose that get min. 3' tall.

Plenty of 3 footers, but I have never seen them with a full rounded habit.

I also didn't recognize the witch hazel there. Kind of wondered what that was - it's not common here in Texas.

Now that I know what it is, I am really loving it. No wonder they are always shown in the catalogs!

A mix of purple shrubs could be pretty to offset the golden of the witch hazel. I wouldn't go with just one, but perhaps 2 or 3 different types. You could easily plant 7 shrubs there in the 3-5' range if you plant them not in rows but places diagonally back and forth. Like *.*.* (hope that's clearer than mud!)

Instead of a row of catmint, perhaps you could use the catmint and a couple of different dayliles. I like the daylily you have there now, and pehaps adding a small yellow type (stella d'or perhaps) could give your bed lots of interest.

Plant more in 'drifts' than 1-2-3-1-2-3.

Just some ideas to get you thinking.

I love the look of the willows when they were young. I wonder what would happen if you pruned them to the ground each spring?

If that wouldn't work, I would rethink the whole hedge thing too. I agree that you could use some evergreens to give you some structure, but they don't necessarily have to all be the same type and they don't have to be planted in a straight row along the front of the window.

I agree with the above poster. I think this area cries out for roses, maybe in front of the bay window, but not necessarily in a hedge along the wall.

Also, you simply need more plants in this area, but I am sure you already know that.

What do you guys think about this, if you can picture it, lol.

Remove the willows. Move the hydrangea back in there place (they have potential due their multi-season interest). Then put a more upright box wood to the left and right of that group. Bascially where the arb and spruce are now.

In front of the hydrangea, I'll put a low growing rose, maybe 24" tall that is deep pink. In front of that put a mix of blue clips camanpula and plum pudding coral bells.

I think I need to put a groundcover of somesort in front of the spirea. Those coral bells in the older pic, didn't make it...but my fault. Its hot, dry soil.

foundation plantings.. are planted.. to HIDE the foundation...

not ON THE FOUNDATION ...

its hard to tell from the pix.. but those plants are way too close.. for the potential they have ....

ergo .... whatever you replace them with.. should be another foot or two.. away from the house ....

which would mean re-working the whole bed.. which opens up many more potential suggestions ...

you said: Remove the willows. Move the hydrangea back in there place

=========>>>>> how about just removing the willows.. and leave the hydrangea where they are??? or move the middle one back.. a triangle.. instead of a straight line ....

and whats the deal with that little green ball right on the house next to the sidewalk [second pic]... kinda jammed in there ...

in my z5.. all these plants would be moved in october .... removal at your pleasure ...

good luck whatever you decide ...

ken

Yeah, the angles aren't the best. The bed actually comes out over 12ft. The willows (centerline) are about 5 from the window, techically 7ft from the actuall block foundation.

I do like the idea of moving just one hydrangea, but those would be the plants for height. They get between 3'-5'.

So what I hearing is that everyone would vote for a groupings/staggered look vs. the layered look (ie 4' hydranges, 2' rose, 1' perrenial?

The little arborvitae and dwarf spruce are coming out as well.

This is one of my 1st beds I did, so I am trying to improve what I had.

I will try to post an image of a sketch...maybe everyone can tell me what they think.

Here is a sketch of a potential relay. Be as critical as you want, lol

My main goals:
- Don't block any plant on a front view
- Long blooming plants
- Vary heights and textures

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FYI to the right of this bed, which but up to the garage, in front of the porch is:

Purplecious Speedwell, Shasta Daisy, Iris, Purple Coneflower, Stella Daylily, Purple Sandcherry, Varigated Wegelia

Yes, I think you are beginning to understand - groupings/staggered look instead of layered look says it perfectly.

That being said, I think your sketch still has more of a layered look. The sketch really helps, I think.

I would:
take out the far right hydrangea.
take out the far right pyramidal boxwood.
move the far right rose back to replace the spot of the far right hydrangea.
move the two geraniums to replace the spot of the boxwood.
add three or four more of the mums to go in the spots of the rose and geraniums.
add four? speedwells to go from the mums toward the witch hazel to draw your eye to the witch hazel.

This gives you more of a fluid bed where the entire bed is the focus, not just the bay window. Reread that: The entire bed should be the focus, not just the bay window. Having larger plants (witch hazel, boxwood) on the left, and small plants (geraniums) closer to the house will 'draw' your eye to the front door.

Take a picture of the front of your house and with a piece of plastic and dry erase pen, 'draw' in the plans. Just need to draw shapes. Make sure they are approx. mature height. See if you like more of the 'round the bay' plan better or the 'descending toward the front door' plan the best. That will help you decide which plants you want where.

Took Holleygarden's suggestions but with a few minor tweaks. What does everyone think?

I may need to find a sub. for the mums to the far right, that corner only gets 4-5 hours of morning sun.

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