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Florida Gardening

What would you plant under this window?

15 years ago

Hi, I had planted some ferns in my front landscaping and they really took over my whole garden. They were huge and spreading so fast. I love ferns but they had to go. Now I have this lovely dirt patch that is sort of like a triangle from the window to the front path. I've been searching books and the web for ideas and my head is spinning. The house faces northwest. This spot is shady all morning, then some afternoon sun, then gets shaded again by an oak. I tried azaleas here once but they didn't do well. I'm thinking of putting in some small rounded shrubs near the walkway, with some containers of flowers in the middle of the widest part as a focal point, but I'm stumped when it comes to what goes right in front of the window. I don't mind if the window gets covered a little bit. I have a toddler so I want to stay away from anything with thorns or highly poisonous plants. I am trying to post a photo so you can see the area (the last clump of fern remains but will be removed also). I did save some ferns and put them in pots that I might put on either side of the window. This forum has such great ideas and I don't want my house to look boring with a generic florida yard. I like tropical plants and I also like Japanese gardens. Any ideas? Please help! Thank you!

{{!gwi}}

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Comments (5)

ginibee
15 years ago
Hi LL,

I have a front bow window that is mostly shade except for a little morning sun and have Philodendron 'xanadu' planted in front. It only grows about 2 ft high and looks a pretty green all year. This picture really doesn't do it justice, but you can get an idea.

Ginny
goldenpond
15 years ago
I think a small treee would be nice with the xanadu or something similar beneath. My window is like yours I have a pink Hibiscus tree in front and Disney roses beneath I don't like the combo though because there is too much color so I will be changing it but that little tree adds height and shade to my window.
Also if you are getting that much shade how about some great foliage plants like Coleuc and caladiums. If $$$ is an issue you can buy one or 2 coleus and keep propagating til you fill.
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Wow, you had bad luck with this thread, first you get the crazy Chinese guy and then you get someone who just wants to flog his company and gives you a bunch of random plant names to make it sound credible. Well, maybe there's still hope. I guess what I'd like to ask is why you want to replace the bushes. If you want to hide the foundation anyway, you may well have the best solution already in place. Granted, landscape shrubs do outlive/outgrow their spots, so maybe they've grown badly, are sucking up too much water, what have you, but if that's the case, just replace them with more of the same. I can't see too much on this photo, it's too small and taken from too far away (though it's good to have one overall shot), but it seems to me that if you put in stuff that is more sprawling, whether evergreen or deciduous, you may end up with a mass of greenery blocking your exit. In summary, I kind of like the little hedge where it is, but what I don't like so much is the darker bit of hedgey stuff off to the right, in front of the door. Do you need that there, or do you like your door to be a bit hidden? If you have a photo that shows the area better, that might help. KarinL
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I don't have pictures of our ancient MB, but I noticed that yours seems to be close to your neighbors. I am a fanatic about privacy, so I had wooden blinds installed on the large window in our MB. They've been up for 15 years and when we remodel later this year, we'll have new blinds. Am very satisfied with blinds, as they give almost total light control and can be adjusted for any privacy condition that one needs. If I were putting blinds above your tub, I'd add a valance or scarf or tie-back curtains to soften the look. If you're thinking about curtains or other fabric treatments, you might have a look at countrycurtains dot com. They have a great selection of looks and their prices are very, very reasonable (and their customer service is excellent). At the very least you'll be able to see lots of window treatments, from contemporary to ultra-feminine. Could I ask you about your shower? We're also probably going to install a drop-in. Where did you get yours, and what are its dimensions, height and width?
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I like the idea of the three posted by k9arlene better. I think the two things from Hokku are not as good together as they are separately, and the bookcase, while attractive, is "a lot of look" for the space. The Ikea triplets are compatible with your scheme, and you could use any of the three colors they come in. Then a tall lamp toward the corner, like the ones below from Overstock, and a container of some kind beside it to collect mail and keys and the like under the pair of shelves. And to balance the whole wall, a large framed graphic under the high shelf - perhaps a piece of Marimekko fabric, a square of wallpaper, or a reproduction of one of Josef Albers' color studies? Because the space is low, an actual image or a mirror would be problematic, since the center wouldn't be at eye level if you're older than eight ... Lamps from Overstock: One of countless Josef Albers images - Google "Albers interaction of color" to see more.
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Comments (12)
The kitty perch needs to stay at the window to keep the pet happy so I would place items to minimize its appearance. Add drapery panels, a decent floor lamp with a high back chair and accent table. Take down the fake candles from the mantle because there is no reason to place anything there once you decide a TV is being positioned there. The rug under the table is not large enough if it's needed at all.
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laura1
15 years ago
How about flax lily or giant lirope?
littlelizard
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the suggestions everyone.
I had the xanadu on my list of possibilities also. I think I may have to try it and see how it does. The coleus and caladiums I like also and would bring in some color. Good ideas!
Desma
teeka0801(7aNoVa)
15 years ago
(Yucca smalliana "Bright Edge")...says it takes sun or shade.

I actually saw it in someone else's yard and asked what it was. It would bring a different texture(it is not stiff like maybe an agave would be, but it does keep upright and looks like an agave or cactus).

btw, the Yucca has alot of cool-looking plants in it, you may want to see, and the flowers are neat,too. Not sure if they are all tolerant of shade,so need to check that out.

I noticed you have crotons to the left of the picture and that would be beautiful there,too, maybe try a variety that is more shade -loving(we have an expert on this board who could help w/ that). I have the petra , Mrs Icetone and both do well under an oak tree(they get some sun,east and west as it rises and after 4pm).

teeka

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