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What would you plant here?

8 years ago

I'm trying to design a foundation bed for the left side of my house, wrapping from the deck all the way around the weird corner area. Front of house is south-facing. Little front deck will be replaced. Plan to have stairs that lead into the yard in the front center.

Not sure how deep to make new bed. I think I need shrubbery! Also thinking a tree; magnolia or crabapple maybe. Included a pic of my perennial garden earlyish in the season. Unfortunately, it doesn't provide much to look at for several months of the year, so I want something a little more structural in this new bed I'm planning! What would you plant here? Anyone have great ideas what to plant in one of these little corner areas? Anyone have favorite foundation shrubs they could envision here?

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Comments (4)

laceyvail 6A, WV
8 years ago
A small tree at the farthest point from the house in the bed might work, and everything else needs to be quite low so as not to make the low house look engulfed.
iamflowerdot thanked laceyvail 6A, WV
kitasei
8 years ago
I would post this first on the landscape design blog and work on developing an overall plan for the shape and sizes of the borders and plantings. Then come back here for help choosing the specific plants that will fulfill the vision. The mountain in the background is a major asset of your house IMO, and should be highlighted in the design.
iamflowerdot thanked kitasei
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You have some wonderful plants. Is it important to have the window free from being hidden by plant growth? Regarding what is currently planted: White butterfly bush -- do you know the genus? Buddleias grow to 12 ft. here in Sunset zone 16. They work as a short tree. Buddleja globosa -- grows to a 10 ft.by 10 ft. shrub. Roses, Siberian iris and marjoram -- sun. Of what is on hand I believe the digitalis, C. californica, Aquilegia and Ribes would be best in the dappled summer shade. They are upright growers so I would be on the lookout for a low-growing filler plant or use more marjoram along the perimeter (it looks very healthy). One thing I've noticed with natives is the smaller foliage can be monotonous. They need something large-leafed or very large rocks for contrast. IMO. Siberian iris may work if bloom is not of paramount importance. Check mature height and width on shrubs. Nothing but headaches down the road if they are too close to the foundation. Good luck.
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Christopher C Nc - I have roses along my driveway and they look beautiful with very little maintenance. A major pruning is only required once a year and the thorns are very easy to avoid, and there are thorn-less varieties of roses. The flowers that you mentioned would look lovely as well. laurienj9 - While knockout roses are beautiful, there are many varieties that are even more beautiful and that have a lovely scent too. Would you want a solid color hedge of roses, (and if so, which color?) or would you want to have different colored roses. If you don't want to plant roses, I would also recommend peonies, which bloom in the spring and form a lovely bush until frost, or dinner plate dahlias, which form huge, stunning blooms; they come up in late spring and bloom until frost. Azaleas would be lovely too, but they like light shade, so you could plant them there if your neighbor plans on having their bushes grow bigger without trimming them into a hedge, or you could plant some azaleas that will grow in full sun like one of the Encore varieties. Hydrangeas would probably be my number one choice because they tolerate full sun to shade, so if your neighbor's bushes grow bigger, they will still grow beautifully. Good luck! damask_rose_5 : ) Rose hedge Peony hedge Dahlias Hydrangea hedge Encore azalea hedge
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
first.. figure out what to do with the downspouts ...

next.. i would continue that flower bed across the front of the porch ... and maybe echo the corner ...

trees would come out at least 20 feet into the lawn ... keep in mind.. foundation plantings are for hiding the foundation.. not planted on the foundation ...

shrubs is a nebulous term .... it can mean way to many things ... what are you thinking ... conifers, often referred to as shrubs... might offer some winter interest ... but many can be way to big ... unless you pay the piper and get some true dwarfs ...

and i agree.. you need a some vertical to offset you horizontal house and perennial beds ...

that tiny thin bed between the walkway and the house??? .. a nice trellis between the picture window.. and the small window... and a clematis for the long term .. maybe a morning glory for this year .. but dont let it seed ...

ken
iamflowerdot thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
iamflowerdot
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks all! What do I need to do with the downspouts? Should I bury them and run them away from the house? I was reading up on trees. Was thinking a crabapple, but then maybe dwarf apple tree. I found Magnolia 'Ann' which apparently has a shrubby habit and gets 8-10 feet tall. Maybe I could plant something small like that just 12 feet from the foundation at the edge of the bed? Someone on the landscape forum had made a sketch that included a shrub that looked to be 10ish feet tall where I was thinking of putting a tree, but I'm still trying to figure out what to put there. Sounds like I need lower growing shrubs otherwise, so maybe some boxwood with some perennials to fill it all in otherwise.

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