small perennial flower area SUGGESTIONS request

13 years ago

Folks, I have an area adjoining my lawn which is sunny and shady depending upon the time of day. I would like to fill it with Perennials requiring little upkeep. The area is about 8 feet deep and adjoins the lawn for about 20 feet.

I am thinking that the area nearest the lawn would have shorter plants with the height of plants increasing as they move further back in the 8 foot depth culminating with tall-growing flowers near the barn-red rustic fence.

I am in zone 5 but it actually behaves much more like zone 4 because of our high altitude (6,500 feet)

Any suggestions for about 5 or 6 HARDY Perennials ? (not poisonous to chickens or dogs, hopefully.)

Since I am retired on disability...I'm not looking for expensive or labor-intensive flowers.

THANKS for ANY suggestions !!!

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Comments (13)

laceyvail 6A, WV
13 years ago
What time of day does it get sun, morning or afternoon? Makes a big difference in recommendations.
0
squirejohn zone4 VT
13 years ago
Hosta and daylillies come to mind, but as laceyvail said the time of day and duration of sun/shade is important.
0
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Lavender is a bit fussy in many places and isn't easy to grow from seed. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't try, but I often can find pint plants for $3-5 in my area, and that might be easier. It likes relatively lean, dry soil after it has gotten established, but as for all plants, be sure to water any new transplant well and for the first couple of months. Echinacea is easier to start from seed. An easier plant with gray-green leaves and purple flowers is catmint AKA Nepeta. Look it up and see if you like the look. It likes similar growing conditions to lavender, lean to average soil and lots of sun. Daylilies come in a variety of shades of yellow and orange. I like the way they look with Limelight or Little Lime hydrangea, sort of like a creamsicle. You will have blooms for much of the summer, especially if in the fall you plant daffodils between the other plants for earlier spring bloom. You will want to be able to water the hydrangeas in dry weather, and many of them do well with some afternoon shade. All of these plants will look fine in a cottage style garden. Good suggestions from Woodyoak, and Ken's suggestion of beds at least 6-8 feet wide is a good one as well. That gives you room to leave a couple of feet to do maintenance on the house behind the plants and gets the plants out of the rain shadow caused by the house. Then you have room for more than one plant deep in the part of the bed you will be planting in. You might want to put an organic mulch like pine bark down on all the beds but the one you will start with to keep weed seeds from sprouting. You can mulch the first bed after planting. Then when you are ready to plant the other beds, just pull aside the mulch and pop the plant in. Preventing weeds and pulling any that come up when they are small will make your life much easier. Enjoy the process, and check around to see if there is a garden club in your area.
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I agree with jeff_al (beautiful garden bed by the way!). You would be surprised at how many so-called "sun" perennials do well in shadier spots. Especially in the South where hot temps can be brutal on even hardy perennials. They may not flower in shade as much as if they received 6-8 hours of sun but they still often do bloom dependably and brighten up shady beds. Darker daylilies in particular benefit from some shade because in the sun on hot afternoons the bloom's texture and color often "melt" into a different sun-scorched color. I have darker maroons and purples planted in a shade bed and though they don't bloom as profusely as the field daylilies, the blooms themselves are much more pristine and the foliage seems happier not getting so scorched. I also second the recommendations of Hydrangea, Hellebores (Lenten Rose -- mine is blooming right now and gets full shade), and colorful foliage plants such as Heuchera and Hosta, though there are many other kinds. I used to HATE foliage plants....I was a flower-snob as a teenager just getting into gardening. After a couple of years in my own home I soon learned the value and beauty of colorful foliage as a typically seasonally longer-lasting alternative to flowers. Good luck with your shady spot.
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junkmanme
Original Author
13 years ago
THANKS for the replies !!!
The area in which I would like to put perennial flowers gets full sun from about 11 AM until sundown. Earlier in the Mornings it is somewhat shaded by the house. (The area is West and somewhat North of my house.)
ALSO, in choosing flowers, it would certainly be NICE if something or another were blooming throughout most of the growing season.
THANKS,
-Bruce-
0
diggerdee zone 6 CT
13 years ago
Would you consider any shrubs? They might be lower maintenance and could give you year-round interest.

:)
Dee
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luvahydrangea
13 years ago
Most perennials don't have a long blooming season. How about roses? A lot of people around here grow the "Knock Out" roses and they seem to bloom from May to....I dont konw, cause most of them are still blooming here and its Oct. 31st.
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junkmanme
Original Author
13 years ago
THANK YOU ALL for you input !

Kathy, your thoughts are useful. BUT, you must consider that the Climate HERE is as different from Las Cruces, NM as Minnesota is from Florida. Our climate is more closely associated with Colorado Springs, CO...except colder.

Dee, I have a shrub in that area (I can never remember its name-very common with berries...and upon the "barn-red" fence at the back of this area I will have "trumpet vine" growing for the benefit of our numerous hummingbirds. So I'm really not looking for shrubs in this area now.

"luvahydrangea", THANKS for your suggestion. It is a GOOD ONE...however...I don't wish to grow roses there. (I had a rose-garden for 20 years...it's not what I have in mind...but THANKS...good thought.)

I am thinking more in the line of several different PERENNIAL flowers that would complement each other if blooming together and a "staggered bloom" with many different Perennials ...so that the scenery in that area would CHANGE through the season...but never look really "neglected" until time to "clean" in the Late Fall.

Perhaps I am seeking something unattainable. I don't know. That is why I asked on THIS Forum. Flowers are NOT my "specialty...Now maybe I could answer some questions on Hot peppers or tomatoes..but NOT Flowers...Ha-Ha !!!
(This "dummy" knows very little about flowers--especially Perennials.)

I appreciate your advice and comments...they just don't "hit" what I am after....even though they are GOOD suggestions.

I realize that I didn't explain myself and my intentions very well at all in my original question. SORRY.

Happy Halloween !!!
-Bruce-
0
junkmanme
Original Author
13 years ago
THANK YOU ALL for you input !

Kathy, your thoughts are useful. BUT, you must consider that the Climate HERE is as different from Las Cruces, NM as Minnesota is from Florida. Our climate is more closely associated with Colorado Springs, CO...except colder.

Dee, I have a shrub in that area (I can never remember its name-very common with berries...and upon the "barn-red" fence at the back of this area I will have "trumpet vine" growing for the benefit of our numerous hummingbirds. So I'm really not looking for shrubs in this area now.

"luvahydrangea", THANKS for your suggestion. It is a GOOD ONE...however...I don't wish to grow roses there. (I had a rose-garden for 20 years...it's not what I have in mind...but THANKS...good thought.)

I am thinking more in the line of several different PERENNIAL flowers that would complement each other if blooming together and a "staggered bloom" with many different Perennials ...so that the scenery in that area would CHANGE through the season...but never look really "neglected" until time to "clean" in the Late Fall.

Perhaps I am seeking something unattainable. I don't know. That is why I asked on THIS Forum. Flowers are NOT my "specialty...Now maybe I could answer some questions on Hot peppers or tomatoes..but NOT Flowers...Ha-Ha !!!
(This "dummy" knows very little about flowers--especially Perennials.)

I appreciate your advice and comments...they just don't "hit" what I am after....even though they are GOOD suggestions.

I realize that I didn't explain myself and my intentions very well at all in my original question. SORRY.

Happy Halloween !!!
-Bruce-
0
diggerdee zone 6 CT
13 years ago
No Bruce, I don't think you are seeking something unattainable! It just helps to have as much information as possible so we can make the best suggestions for you.

I'm still leaning towards shrubs for ease of maintenance and long-season interest, (and can't help but wonder if maybe you're not aware of all the great shrub choices out there??) but I'll try to think of more things - and I'm sure people will contribute lots more suggestions too. Any chance you could post a picture of the spot here? I do so much better with visuals!

:)
Dee
0
laceyvail 6A, WV
13 years ago
If you are in New Mexico, look at the offerings of High Country Gardens. They specialize in plants for the desert southwest. Your conditions would be considered full sun.
0
plantladyco
13 years ago
I never said I gardened in Las Cruces....just lived there!
I understand about growing at altitude..as I do.
0
mnwsgal
13 years ago
Will this area get regular watering? Have you looked at native plants for your area? Have you looked at other people's yards to see what grows well in your area? Checked the library for books about perennials in New Mexico?

Some suggestions of things that grow well in my Z:4 with either rebloom or long bloom:

Clematis, both vining and bush
Daylilies, reblooming
Dianthus
Geraniums, hardy
Linaria "Canon J. Went'
Knautia 'Mars Midget'
Potentilla 'Monarch's Velvet', a see through plant
Rudbeckia
Sage/Salvia 'Firebird', long blooming,
Sedum, both upright and low growing
Veronica

How about including some self seeding annuals, alyssum, verbena, poppies, larkspur, etc.?
0
mnwsgal
13 years ago
How did I forget gallardia, burgundy is my favorite
0
laceyvail 6A, WV
13 years ago
Once again. High Country Gardens.
0

small perennial flower area SUGGESTIONS request

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laceyvail 6A, WV

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