Adding curves to the path is an excellent idea and will make the space seem larger. How much sun does this area get? Irises like full sun, and this kind of enclosed space doesn't usually get much. Iris cristata can take more shade than any other iris I am aware of, and Siberian iris might work if there's a little more sun. Bearded irises might be difficult.

Put some kind of focal point plant at the far end to draw the eye. This should be one with good year-round presence, and some mass to it. A small Japanese maple could be good. Elderberries are a cheaper stand-in, but they'd require a lot of pruning to keep them to size.

Janet's Garden

Hedgwytch, have you thought about creating a suntrap? You will have to watch where the sun hits and where the warm pockets are, but I bet you could sneak in some things your neighbors can't grow.

1) throw a vine or espalier a tree on the fence to create a windblock 2) invest in a wide stone path 3) mulch with rock 4) tuck evergreens in the corners for windbreaks. Bet that would raise the temperature up quite a bit and you could grow those plants that straddle zone 7 and zone 8. For plants, I would suggest you pick up Lawrence's A Southern Garden-most of her plants are safe down to 10 degrees or so.

also, as someone with a side garden I would suggest you really think through how you will water it. My house become a lot larger during those hot summer evenings last year when I had to lug a hose all the way around it to water!

manzomecorvus-what a great idea! I love to push the zone! Luckily, on the water issue, I have a spigot on the back of my house, halfway between the back door, and the soon-to-be garden entry.

I had thought about putting vines on the fence, and I did want to espalier a tree, maybe a pomengranate. My mom has plenty to choose from. I love the idea of the stone path, but need to do this on a budget. DH hates gardening of any kind, so I have to do it all for free. Does the rock mulch really retain that much more heat than a deep wood mulch? I've got 2 boys, and I'm afraid the rocks would end up all over!

I love this idea, though! Do you have a good website to recommend for this?

Thanks so much!

HW

Sorry, I disremember any particular site! I know the permaculture sites out there have stuff on creating suntraps, maybe you could google them?

As for cheap rock, theres lots of it out there. Lay down discarded carpet along the path as a liner, throw gloves in your car, and go looking.

Do you have a marble/granite countertop shop in your area? my potager has a "flagstone" walkway, which is just discarded pieces of granite countertop turned upside down. (the polished top is too slippery). The shop near me looked at me strange, but said I could help myself to their scraps which they toss in crates in the back. The stuff is heavy and a little bit fills a car quickly, but free is free.

If that doesn't work, keep your eyes open for a construction site where they are ripping up concrete. i know several gardens around here that have paths made up of broken concrete. Some people stain it, which looks so cool and is cheap as well. I suspect that if you use large enough pieces, you will quickly know if your boys take a piece!

Manzo, what a cool idea! Scrap granite!

Janet's Garden

Since I'm new to this forum, this thread may have been addressed before. A similar question to the one above, but any ideas how to landscape between two houses when the fence is set way back? this leaves an area about 12 feet wide and 30 feet long of grass from the foundation of one house to the other. it'd probably be best to get the other homeowner involved in the landscaping, but if you can't get their participation, you have to landscape 5-6 feet by 30 feet, and know that you'll have your neighbor's St. Augustine strip right up against your landscaped area. any ideas, O Great Designers?

Jenny