Shrub ideas for front foundation planting

17 years ago

Receiving my daffodil bulbs inspired me to widen my front foundation bed. I'll plant daffs in front with (probably) annuals to cover. In back of the bed are 3 established Otto Luyken Laurels in front of a white porch. (There are four laurels with a crepe myrtle in the bed to the right of the porch.) The bed gets little sun in the winter and spring and lots in the hottest part of summer. Shade plants burn up. Sun plants sometimes struggle. The question: I'd like to plant another "row" of shrubs between the laurels and the bulbs. I have some Russian sage and gaura there now, just planted this fall. I read on the forum about planting deciduous shrubs in foundation beds, but can't picture how that would look. I love the idea of roses, perhaps Knockouts, but again, worry about the look in winter and about high-maintenance in the humid, drought-prone south. I have Indian Hawthorne planted around the corner of the house. Perhaps this would be simplest and provide continuity. One more complication, the shrubs would need to "top out" around three feet, max. Perhaps I should wait for the Russian Sage to fill in and see how that looks. Thanks in advance!

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Comments (4)

michele_1
17 years ago
Need more info. There are so many compact varieties to choose from. Lots of shrubs will take that brutal sun. Do you want flowers, what color. Sorry I can't help without more info.
Michele
kaky
Original Author
17 years ago
Hi. Thanks for the followup question. I was trying to be too brief ...

- I would like something flowering and compact to plant in front of laurels in my front foundation planting.

- The area gets shade in winter/spring. Sun in summer. I do not give extra water after the first year.

- I am curious about using deciduous shrubs in the foundation planting (as I've read about on this and other forums) but have trouble envisioning how this would look in winter. I had considered itea virginica, fothergilla ... etc. But I saw a leaf-less itea the other day at a garden center and it looked like a wet bundle of sticks.

- love the idea of shrub roses but I'm a beginner and worry I'd be in over my head.

- as I wrote above, maybe I should stick with the Russian sage for awhile and see what that looks like.

Thanks in advance ...
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Donna
17 years ago
Here are some suggestions that should do well in your area.
How about Encore Azaleas? They are evergreen, bloom both spring and fall (though not as show-stopping in the spring as traditional azaleas, the late summer and fall show more than compensates), and they will take a tremendous amount of sun. Mine get almost full sun here in east central Mississippi. Certainly, the hawthornes are a good possibility too. They would give some continuity, since you already have some in your landscape, and it's hard to beat them for ease of maintenance. As for deciduous shrubs, some of the antique or new low maintenance roses are a real possibility. I grow "nearly Wild" which doesn't get over three to three and a half feet tall or wide, NEVER needs spraying and blooms all summer. The new Knockout roses are just as good. They are not a maintenance problem at all. If you don't like their "nakedness" in winter, underplant them with groundcovers and/or bulbs. For instance, Phlox divaricata would love their shade in summer, would give green color to the ground under them in winter, and would fill your beds with fragrant blue clouds before the roses get going in the spring. Hardy cyclamen would be great too. These bulbs need the shade in the summer, then bloom in the late fall and put out beautiful silvery green leaves all winter, adding interest under your roses. I have my Nearly Wild Roses thickly underplanted with daffodils. I prune the roses in early December each year (just as soon as they go dormant), the daffodils come up all around the pruned stumps and the roses get going in time to hide the ugly bulb foliage.
Instead of roses, how about Berberis? I particularly like the "Aurea", which is a beautiful golden leaved Berberis. It does not get overly large, it keeps it's leaves very late in the season, it doesn't burn in the summer, and the fall color is positively spectacular. I do not shear it. I let it grow naturally, so in the winter, it will have a similar architectural form to your Perovskia (which would make a fine companion for it too, by the way.) It could also be underplanted with the phlox divaricata, and boy would that be a show stopper in the spring! It's winter sticks are white and rather ghostly. I find it very attractive.
How about hydrangeas? There is a white variegated lacecap one that would look fabulous in front of your Laurels. Any mophead would be nice too, particularly the Endless Summer one. It takes more sun than the old timey ones and blooms till frost. Mine were full of blooms when we got our first freeze last week. Again, underplant them with spring flowering bulbs to help mask their nakedness. Remember, your Laurels are evergreen, so they will "come forward" and the naked skeletons won't look so lost in front of them. Hope these ideas at least get your own creative juices going.
kaky
Original Author
17 years ago
Thank you so much for your terrific ideas. Forgive my tardiness in responding! The holidays got in the way. I can't wait to research your suggestions.