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Cottage Gardens

New perennial bed - design / hydrangea question

17 years ago

Hi all,

2 week-ends ago [while I was stuck in a hospital room for a week] my curved walk and circular patio was poured - all my fears are laid to rest 'cause it looks super. Now I have the joy of planting. My entire back yard is just 17 x 17.5 feet so I have decided to treat it all as one mixed border. I have a Francis Williams hosta, globe flower, Japanese painted fern, a miniature burning bush, lupins, a primrose, monkshood and hens and chicks on one side of the new path in a small bed 5 x 8 feet [1 plant of each] and I want to mirror the plants into my new bed on the other side of the walk[2 - 3 plants of each] including the globe flower, hosta, lupins and hens and chicks. This "bed" is oval and is about 8 feet x 10 feet - part shade but mostly sun. I already have a Cherry bush that I am training into a tree and I bought a "bugbane" [I loved the leaves and it blooms in late summer/fall] which is supposed to grow into a tall bushy perennial. I would like to include a hydrangea and fell in love with Endless summer but have also been taken with Limelight - any suggestions on which would best fit into my space? I have also thought about a Fern leaf peony. Thanks for any suggestions

Fern

Comments (3)

foxglove
17 years ago
I have a limelight and I love it! They mature around 6-8' wide and 6-8' tall. The flowers are gorgeous. Now with that being said I do not have a Endless Summer, so I cannot really compare them. My mother has an Endless Summer that she loves, but the size of her flowers cannot compare to my limelight. Good luck!
debbieca
17 years ago
I don't know about the hydrangeas, but I love the look of fernleaf peony. Do not have one, they are too pricey, but I sure would LIKE to have one. : )
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fernsk
Original Author
17 years ago
6-8 feet wide with the Limelight might be a little too big for my space. Has anyone turned one of these into a "tree"? If I could do that I would still have some space on the ground for perennials.

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