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Help me to fill a void

Nessdizzle Formally 6a, now 9b Central Florida

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Hi so I had a maple tree removed and planted a crab apple as you can see in pic. I will be removing the rest of the grass and weeds that are in the smaller mulch bed to left, and putting down fresh mulch everywhere. My problem is, I had to plant the crab apple a lot more forward than I would've liked due to the tree guy telling me I need to plant at least 6' away from where the old tree was. So I did...but by doing so there is a huge void behind the crab? I planted a Gelsemium sempervirens ‘Margarita’ vine in the corner of the fence on each side so it will hopefully blanket that fence to camouflage it. But I was looking for idea on what to do behind the tree so it doesn't have this big awkward space because we're gonna make it all mulch only due to not wanting to deal with mowing a small patch around the mulch bed, and thought it might look 'off' so should I plant a shrub back on the corner...flowers...don't plant anything and use some type of garden decor? Please help, need ideas!! Hahaha

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Comments (5)

Nessdizzle Formally 6a, now 9b Central Florida
Original Author
6 years ago
This area marked in yellow along with the very back is the 'void' empty area I'm speaking about..there are more plantings of daylillies and regular lillies and dianthus that I happened to color over on accident but those are all in my small existing bed to left that I am now expanding..I tried to color in a black to show where mulch going..that's if it will ever stop raining for longer than a day! I swear it's raining so much that when a sunny day comes along I'm trying to mow, weed, plant, etc. then of course I don't have time to do all so I go in order of importance and planting is first then I mow etc...I will get to the weeding and mulching hopefully this weekend. Lol
laceyvail 6A, WV
6 years ago
It's hard to tell how far it is from the new tree to the corner, but I'd be inclined to plant a very large shrub near the corner to begin to screen the not very attractive view. Possibilities include Magnolia stellata or one of the large viburnums--V. sargentii 'Susquehanna', V. pragense, etc.

Nothing you're planting will hide that view.
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cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I'd do an entire border of mixed shrubs about three feet out from the fencing all around the corner, taking it as far in both directions as you can afford. Then lengthen it a few feet each year.

With a mixed shrub border you plant large toward the rear, smaller in front, and stagger everything so it is very informal- no rows or soldiers. That way if you lose something it is easy to replace without having to try and match specimens. Then fill in the front with perennials, annuals, groundcovers, etc. The less empty space/mulch the less hand weeding.

But yeah, fill up that entire corner! Take a trip to your local nursery and pick out four of five nice flowering shrubs, broadleaved evergreens, and conifers and fill that space in.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
keep in mind ... that gardens evolve ...

i understand you want this done yesterday ...

but in my world.. if it took a year or two ... to fill the space.. that would be fine with me ...

finish the grass removal ... do the mulch ... plant some annuals and perennials ...... and lets see how it goes as far as more shrubs .. you can always plant in fall ...

in other words.. dont worry about it ... ken
Nessdizzle Formally 6a, now 9b Central Florida
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks Ken, that's true I should just chill...but I also know my OCD will get the best of me seeing that spot lol..so maybe I'll go with the annuals like you said just to 'scratch the itch' so to speak until I figure out what I want to do there

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