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Upstate New York

Small Shrub/Perennial/Tree Recommendations?

16 years ago

Hi guys! Am looking for some advice, and some vision!

Recently I ripped out some giant Spirea bushes and overgrown shrubs in front of my small 900sf cottage/cabin. I am planting a dwarf Japanese maple, and would love some suggestions for the rest of it. I would like to plant either a series of small shrubs (flowering would be great), or some compact mounding perennial flowers around and next to the Maple. Plants that will stay small- preferably 2x2 or smaller and require little maintenance/pruning are ideal. The area is part shade, and I'm in zone five. Please see link for inspiration. :) Your suggestions would be appreciated!

Here is a link that might be useful: Pic of front of cabin/cottage

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Comments (7)

gottagarden
16 years ago
You might want to try the landscape design forum, they are pretty good at giving suggestions, although they will probably ask more questions first.

Hostas of course will do well with part shade and stay short and mounding with good looking foliage and low maintenance during the season.
party_music50
16 years ago
I LOVE the color of your cabin/cottage!

Very small shrubs that might do well there are things like dwarf rhododendrons (I love 'Purple Gem'), Euonymus (like 'Emerald and Gold'), barberry, dwarf mugo pine, creeping juniper, etc. They require very little maintenance and all but the barberry will retain their leaves through winter.
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Not a thing accomplished here, Bonnie! IÂve been working for the last 4 days. Spent last nite in PhillyÂin a snow storm! Just got back a couple hours ago. But itÂs kinda fun to sit in a hotel room and watch it snowÂwhen you know you donÂt have to shovel it! And we sure havenÂt had any good watchinÂ snow storms out here this year! I might try to get something done tomorrow. ItÂs supposed to be beautiful again! Just heard we broke a record todayÂ74 at the airportÂthat went back to 1901! And itÂs supposed to be in the 70's for the next 3 days. After tomorrow IÂm on reserve for 5 daysÂfingers crossed that I donÂt get used for Wednesday or Thursday! There are SO many things I want to move and/or divide that I donÂt have a clue where IÂm gonna start! And there are so many of those things that I want to pot up for the swapÂbut IÂm just not sure I want to do them quite this early and have to try to take care of them that long. IÂll figure it all out when I get out there! I agree with your assessment of the new Echinaceas! From everything IÂve heard, they are definitely not as hardy as the old standbys! I hope yours make it. I know how much you like all the new varieties. When my garlic chives bloomed the first time a couple years ago, I was really impressed with how pretty they were too. I rarely use them when cooking, but I do look forward to their blooming. And the seedheads would be nice for dried arrangements too! I saved some the first year. Skybird
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The Blue Hollies I planted were Ilex meserveae 'Blue Maid' and 'Blue Prince' and 'Blue Princess' with 'Blue Stallion'. I have one of the males in the foundation at the front of my house and it faces east. It's very happy there getting morning and early afternoon sun. It's gotten very big and I prune it back and then let it fill in and prune it back again. It is a very vigorous grower. Has not had any pest problems or disease. It is next to a walkway so I didn't want berries that might fall off and stain the concrete so I put the male there. The females I put in the back along the lot line that are in more shade. One doesn't grow very much at all and never has more than a few berries on it. The other seems to get a little more sun late in the day and that was covered with berries this year and the robins showed up one day a few weeks ago and stripped it. We've had dogs and never had a problem with berries. They showed no interest in them and I don't find them on the ground because once they ripen, the robins strip them before they fall. Also the leaves have little sharp edges, that I'd think would make them of no interest for a dog to chew them. But your mileage may vary. Here is a photo of the male in front of my house behind the echinacea. It is pretty dense probably because I keep it pruned to keep it the size I need it there. It does not produce berries. It has reached to the top of the gutter and would be taller if I didn't prune it. It makes a great screen.
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remy_gw
16 years ago
For a flowering shrub I would suggest a dwarf viburnum.
Remy
LESNYC
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi guys! Thank you so much for your compliments and suggestions! I'm busy looking up all your recommendations online! Have any of you tried the dwarf globe style blue spruce? I'm thinking that might look very nice with a few others mentioned above...
gottagarden
16 years ago
Define part shade - spruce don't do well with lots of shade.
von1
16 years ago
Look at Mountain Laurels. I have two in zone 4 and they are doing OK. Well, one is, the other was devastated by deer. The flowers are beautiful in spring. Shiny oval green leaves would be a good contrast to the maple. There are dwarf types also.
LESNYC
Original Author
16 years ago
HI! Thank you all for your suggestions, they are very helpful! I've been seriously considering a few Potentilla mango tango, and mixing that with a couple other small round bushes (from the suggestions above), and then adding something informal and a little bit taller than 1-2' just to break it up a bit-maybe grass or a slightly taller (3') evergreen? Decisions, decisions!

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