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Florida Gardening

Plants for my narrow planting beds

13 years ago

I am in south Florida and I have two narrow planting beds. The front door faces north, and to each side of my front door is a planting bed 20 feet in length and 3 feet wide. They run along the front wall on both sides of the house.

I would like to plant something in those beds.

Originally when I bought the house, what was there were some cocoplum. I didn't want a "hedge", and wanted something a little more architectural and interesting, so I removed them and planted some red button costus on both beds. The costus did really well, the only issue is after a few years the rhizomes spreaded and I dug them all up and replanted them in the center. They also had a lot of ant problems because the flowers have nectar. Anyways, my lawn care guy was very helpful he saw some weeds around the planting bed and he took it upon himself to spray ROUND UP all over my bed. The Costus all died.

Now I have both planting beds bug up again and trying to decide what to do. Forty feet of planting bed, twenty feet on each side. What to plant?

My questions are:

(1) Is it necessary to plant the same thing on each side? Could I plant something to the left and something else entirely different on the right? Would that be weird?

(2) What kind of shrubs are more architectural looking?

(3) Should I plant a shrub on both sides but at the ends where it meets the corner of the house plant something taller, like a small tree?

Thanks for any advice or comments.

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Comments (4)

hester_2009
13 years ago
Wow - what a fun project! There are endless possibilities and I would do a little looking about in books or online for ideas.
Here is a bit of what I think - I see you are in Miami so maybe freezes or cold north winds aren't an issue for you.
(You are lucky if that is the case!) But if you get cold weather, it would be nice to choose plants that won't go brown on you for so much of the year.
I have a strong need for order and symetry in design but not in plants - I like the wild look - so I would plant much the same on either side of your door. This is a very personal decision - some people don't mind uneven design and you may be one of them. It would make me crazy to see two different gardens in your space but it might work for you. You could vary colors but I would keep the shapes similar. And I think your idea of trees on either end would be perfect as it would give the spaces an anchor.
For my front walkway, I have large mondo grass (not much),natal plums, (such a dark green beautiful color),some dwarf calliandra,india hawthorn and I just found white crown of thorns at a box store to add to the space. Then I add annuals in pots sunk in the ground to add color.
I'm just beginning this garden so I will probably change things around but for now, it looks neat and colorful.
There are so many shrubs to choose from - you have to decide what shapes you like -
I'm sure others will come along with suggestions.
Good luck and have some fun thinking about what to plant!
Hester
hester_2009
13 years ago
I forgotsomething! (could be the early evening glass of wine)
In my last house, I planted two beds that framed the front door with...cordyline
in back, lorepetulum in front of them and then varigated oyster plants. The color pallete of maroon and pink complemented the green house paint.So you can use the same colors or versions of them despite what I said about different colors!
It just depends on the look you want
Have fun!
Hester
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miamicuse
Original Author
13 years ago
I have looked around a bit and I think I decided to make the two beds more or less symmetrical.

I am thinking of using mostly Albertia Belize as a shrub, mixing with some red star codyline, some african irises. At the two ends I am still undecided, a smaller tree or a tall shrub, may be Gardenia or Magnolia Little Gem, but not sure. Still thinking.
junglegal
13 years ago
I would mix in some bromeliads & crotons too

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