What to plant in narrow long brick planter...

10 years ago

Hi everyone! I live in Central California, Zone 7B. There is a long narrow planter under my front window which I just can't seem to figure out. My husband has lined it so no water will leak out and it's filed with good dirt. It's 12 feet by 1 feet, so very long and very narrow! Summers here are blisteringly hot.

What would you plant here?

Featured Answer

hosenemesis

10 years ago

Irises. Tall bearded irises average 32-42" tall. Reblooming irises would be best.
I saw this raised brick planter on an iris tour. There were irises, artemisia, and some pretty grasses- some baumea and I think perhaps sweet flag (acorus 'ogon'?). It was very pretty. I have always wanted to copy that bed.

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Comments (15)

emmarene9
10 years ago
The liner is just odd. Maybe bog plants.
melle_sacto is hot and dry in CA Zone 9/
10 years ago
I'd plant a trailing rosemary; I'm not sure how a liner would affect growing plants, though. If that makes it more like a pond, then maybe waterlilies?
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gyr_falcon
10 years ago
Hmmm Are there two of these threads? I know I asked about the liner soon after the thread showed up.

Well, anyway. What I wanted to know is if you truly meant that there is no drainage from the bottem on the planter. Because that really limits what will grow, how you water, life span and maintenance. No drainage is not a good thing.
tierra
Original Author
10 years ago
Oh sorry, I guess I threw everyone off...

The planter is lined on the side that meets the wall only - it's sealed so that it doesn't leak into the house or create structural damage.

It drains directly into the groundn and has good drainage, does not bog- I filled it with good dirt. If you look closely you can see a rose has been planted in it (right side of the picture). It's a red Mr. Lincoln rose which I was told would work in the narrow space. So far it appears be doing very well.

Sorry for the confusion! No I didn't make a pond out of my planter even though that's what I made it sound like!
hosenemesis
10 years ago
That is a pretty planter, and it looks like you have a pretty house too. I'd move the rose, though, since it will grow too wide and catch your clothes with the thorns. Twelve inches is just too narrow for me- you would have to butcher the rose and it will only have a few flowers at the top. I tried a climbing rose on a four foot wide arbor and got tired of ripped shirts and blood drops all over the flagstones. It's gone now.

I think I would alternate something spiky with something fluffy, like tall bearded irises with lamb's ears. Pelargoniums generally do well in that kind of a spot. It would help if you could widen the walkway by four or five bricks on the grassy side, because then you could plant things that trail over the side or get a bit fluffier without impacting the narrow walkway. Have fun shopping!
Renee
tierra
Original Author
10 years ago
I actually thought about geraniums. I like the iris and lambs ears idea but I'm thinking it would be lovely to see some blooms peeking through the window from inside the house and I don't think iris will get that tall.

So...what grows about 3 feet tall, has pretty blooms and would be happy in a narrow space? I am scratching my head all the time with this!

What do you think about salvias? with something mixed in.

I wish I could widen it but I think that it is just not going to happen as we only plan to live here a couple of years.
tierra
Original Author
10 years ago
I'm going to try the irises. I actually have a couple in there now, but I've got plenty more to transplant this fall.. I never planted artemesia with irises. I have some stacchys in there now spilling over the edge which could sub for the dusty miller. Love the bright color of the grass. Great ideas! thanks for you help and input.
tierra
Original Author
10 years ago
I'm going to try the irises. I actually have a couple in there now, but I've got plenty more to transplant this fall.. I never planted artemesia with irises. I have some stacchys in there now spilling over the edge which could sub for the dusty miller. Love the bright color of the grass. Great ideas! thanks for you help and input.
MrClint
10 years ago
What sun exposure does this planter get? South, East, West, North? I see some shading, is this partial shade? Then just thrill, spill and fill accordingly. :)
hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
10 years ago
I would just do a mass planting of Geranium 'Rozanne', which blooms for months and months and months on end.

A collection of one-of-each-kind plants such as you have now looks haphazard. If you are only planning to stay a couple of years, in a couple of years a mass of 'Rozanne' will look stunning, just right for when you go to sell.
cerise
10 years ago
Trailing rosemary was my thought, too. The heat will not bother it a bit and it will hide some of the brick, making the planter actually look larger than it is. Its easy to grow & so forgiving.
HU-644299422
2 years ago
I would put all Boston Ferns. It would be a nice look for the windows above.
nancyjane_gardener
2 years ago
Probably too hot for Boston ferns!
judithwolff
last year
It's even hotter in California than when this post started 8 years ago. I think I might do succulents, which are low water and heat tolerant. Aeonium, echeveria, paddle plants, maybe some trailing rosemary and a several bright flowers or orange-hued grasses as an accent?