Nice job and well maintained. If you decide to go with a perennial salvia, I think it could be planted now as long as you are able to keep the soil consistently moist as others have said. For maintenance, they need attention only twice a year. First, cut them way down in very early spring. Mine are mostly dead above ground anyway. Then I will deadhead them after their initial bloom flush in late spring. They will bloom throughout the rest of the season.

Very neat and well maintained. Enjoy your project!

Was looking at local nurseries for Perennials best I would like bloom time to find is begining to end of Summer if that possible. Looked at Salvia,Foxglove,Dalia, Sweet William hmmmmm need deer and drought resistant. I know I should ask the congregation but I kinda want to follow through with this. Wish I could find a mounding type of small daisy with many flowers if it fits my requirements. Otherwise need help with suggestions. Even looked at knockout roses but a lot of time and maintenance. Height 18-24" mounding deer and drought resistant.

Umm, I think you should just decide yourself. You are doing the maintenance. Besides you really don't want 'millie' to donate something unsuitable in memory of her husband and then you feel obligated to use it while she keeps an eagle eye on its health.

Why don't you read some more about the bedding, carpet, oso, carefree roses?

If they are black spot resistant and not J.beetle fodder they can give a lot of color over a long period of time. Even just a few as a centerpiece, with nepeta, then coneflowers can be lovely.

Are you saying you have deer? that's a game changer.

Forget drought resistant as a qualifier. Too often it refers to plants adapted to fairly arid conditions that are not adapted to northeastern levels of rainfall. You want to avoid water hogs, but be careful not to go to the opposite extreme.

There are daisy-type chrysanthemums that fit your description. Sheffield Pink is one.

You may find the deer aren't a big problem in that bed is the road gets a fair amount of traffic. I can grow hosta along my road.

Also looked at Galleria, Shasta daisy and some types of coreopsis still interested in knockout roses. Or any kind of small shrub rose . Being July I am afraid I have missed peak planting time

I would not attempt to plant a rose there in July. Knockout roses are known for their landscaping suitability and they are also readily available and everywhere you look. I will say that roses thoughtfully planted along a split rail fence with some perennial companions is one of the best things to look at. Take a look at floribunda type roses like Julia Child and Ebb Tide.

would a lace cap Hydrangea's do good along the fence pictured above near street?? Gets mid morning to afternoon sun

another thought for along the fence I had is

http://www.finegardening.com/indigo-spires-sage-salvia-indigo-spires

If you are happy to grow it as an annual. Tender salvias aren't reliable in any part of New England.

Actually, I strongly recommend you change your zone to 6b from 7. There is a reason we privately refer to that area as 'zone We are NOT zone 7, We are NOT zone 7'.

perennial suggestions please :)

a lace cap hydrangea would not like afternoon sun, especially if you are not around to water every time it wilts.

Is there a particular way you are thinking about choosing the plants?. I don't mind if you like hearing all the ideas and then arrive at your own conclusions or use our experience to cross things off the list.

As it is, you're throwing out ideas, reacting to them but I'm not sure that you're crossing anything off! Would you like to try making a few lists: what's in, what's out, what's maybe?

I'd just like to understand where your thinking is going, so we can make good use of of time.

My thinking is that since I have put up two split rail fences for my church I am looking for perennials to plant near them. Now of course everyone wants blooming time to be as long as possible, so I am sure my list would not be that long I am in zone 6B the area does get full sun and I am looking for shrub type, mounding plants rather than leggy ones. I love working with plants just not that experienced in all types, that is why I appreciate forums like these.

Shasta Daisy is something I am considering would have to find out best planting time is there a certain type that is more mounding than leggy??

I don't know of any 'leggy' Shastas. The flower stems grow up above the base foliage but that's just natural.

I am fairly certain this little rose is available Stateside so a shout out for 'Sommerwind'. aka 'Surrey'...one of the original Poulsen's ground cover roses. This is used a lot in the UK as it is mannerly, healthful and absolutely guarantees a long (May to November) period of CONTINUOUS bloom (not just a couple or three flushes). It is a clear pink which seems not to clash with either cooler or warmer tones and is my all-time reliable small rose...even over the well-known knockouts. 'Kent' is a very decent white from the same stable. With a couple of hardy geraniums, perovskia, alchemilla or smaller campanulas, this is a very classic cottage-y look. For a more modern look, the smaller grasses with coreopsis and other daisy types are always useful.

Shasta daisies are a short term thing here -looking shabby the rest of the time.

There are also a couple of beds near me consisting entirely of prostrate rosemary and euphorbia characias - either or both are good value plants for easy maintenance and visual appeal.

I might just go with a low care rose bush

Frank, there are literally thousands of plants which 'could work'...so, in common with Marie, I suggest you choose one plant which you are loving...the centre piece or main specimen (repeats are good) which you simply must have then plan around this 'dead cert'...and we can then do our best to suggest appropriate companions. Plants always look better in groups...and there are soil conditions, climate, seasonal needs, geography, architecture, budgets and a whole host of limiting factors which makes the final choices harmonious...but simply listing plants which are OK in your zone will not necessarily lead to a garden...more a random collection of plants. Now I am not massive on design...but nevertheless, there are certain tricks and tips we can employ to make sure you are getting the best value and survivable, sustainable planting.

I love Russian sage planted with Shasta daisies. They are easy care and have a long season of bloom. Orange flowering milk weed would also look pretty with them and attract butterflies. It might look a little shabby in late summer though.https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/russian-sage-flowers/russian-sage-care.htm

That's my dilemma I have never had to think about planting around a split rail fence. I have a garden there which I am happy with, but I keep going back and forth on the fence with many ideas of flowers shrubs. I do know I would it rather be shrub type of perennial that I can get the maximum bloom out of. I am funding the cost so I don't mind spending the money on a good quality plant that will look good because it will be high exposure to everyone. Mostly sunny area I would have to keep it well watered being on a median strip 12' wide 60' ft long

I don't really see how the fence makes any difference. You are designing a long narrow flowerbed that just happens to have a fence in it. If you make a design with ideas first you can populate it with specific plants later. Decide on heights, shapes, colours and placing first. Then find plants which fit your plan.

Well because people have told me to use roses to climb on the fence so that would bring the fence into play. I would rather have two maybe three one at each post shrub types 3' high mounding type long blooming perennials full sun about all I can offer

OK, so we start with several groups of larger catmints.

so many varieties!!!! When would be the best time for planting, I am assuming Spring or Fall also what do you think of Campanula??

Frank, there are dozens of Campanula species and cultivars varying from a few inches to several feet high. So we can't say 'what we think of Campanula'. You are still thinking in terms of individual plants rather than overall design. If you can come up with some ideas on what shapes, colours and sizes you'd like people can start to make relevant suggestions rather than just naming random possibilities.

I've reread the whole thread and as far as I can see nobody has suggested planting roses to climb on the fence. All the roses suggested have been bushes. You dismissed roses as involving too much maintenance. Climbers would be even more work so the having them on the fence doesn't really come into the equation.

In general, perennials with long bloom periods are short lived. The ones that aren't require regular deadheading. So they aren't recommended for a low maintenance situation. More typical plants are variegated types and grasses.

Shapes I would like is either mounded or medium spiked 12-24" high and colors would be yellow or red, or dark purple nothing pastel or light colored. ...variegated types of plants I would also look at. Coleus I have always liked but they are annuals I believe. Thanks to everyone for bearing with and trying to help me

Floral is so right. First pick a "look" and then find the plants that will fit.

This is the fun part because you can just google different gardens and bookmark the ones you like. Without meaning to, you'll start to notice you have a preference. That's good- do what you like!

Here are some inspiration pictures to get you started.

This is a line of very colorful alternating plants all in a row with a taller and looser background. Roses, salvia and nepeta are what I can ID:

https://goo.gl/images/gMho4r

Informal garden with lots of heights and textures. Grasses steal the show in my opinion, but in a really fun way.

https://goo.gl/images/yPbXy4

Really simple, but effective three layer design. Bush(es) in background, tall spikey flowers in the middle and some colorful annuals at the bottom.

https://goo.gl/images/RvsfY3

The object is to see what you like and then once you know your style, imitate the configuration and make it your own. For example, my fence garden is very much like the first one, but I am planning on adding a clematis (or five) rather than roses. I saw lots of narrow fence gardens when I lived in New England and copied the feel.

My main garden is a cottage hodgepodge which I like.

Hopefully I have stated what look I would like to obtain but let me go further. I have a garden at the church that I maintain and am happy with. The split rail fences (pictured near the top of thread) is an addition to the garden that I have recently put up for them at their request. I don't think I am looking to install a garden around or at the fences location, there is only so much I can maintain myself there and don't get me wrong I like doing it myself with the help of my wife. I was just looking to place 2 or 3 perennials flowering mounding shrubs first choice maybe at each of the three posts 2-3 ft high either yellow or dark purple magenta in color. More mounding than leggy which can bloom through the summer months in full sun in zone 6B.

Most deer will enjoy roses, campanula, tall sedums (like 'Autumn Joy') and Shasta daisies. Highly deer resistant perennials include Nepeta (catmints), Pardancanda, all irises (Siberian iris foliage will look MUCH better after bloom time than bearded), Perovskia (Russian sage), Gaillardia, Coreopsis, Salvias. There are, of course, many others, but all mentioned (except possibly Siberian iris) should also do well with the heat coming from the asphalt nearby.

How about a miniature Buddleia? Have you taken the time to drive around your locality and take note of shrubs & other plants that you like? This is a good way to gauge what might do well for you also.

Also, I know this isn't applicable to your fence project, but I wanted to share a pic of what a church near me has done with ornamental grasses. This image is from google earth and appears to have been taken in September. I just think the effect is so lovely here and it is interesting practically year round. Maybe worth considering for the other church garden you maintain.

You could consider some of the small flowering Spirea bushes if you wanted to build some 'bones' for the garden. My deep pink one keeps on blossoming so long as I remember to deadhead it---and the deer don't touch it.

never thought of Spirea I am sure they come in different sizes and colors as well

I have very large summer blooming Spireas I never cut them back are you supposed to??

I'd start another thread about pruning spirea or we'll get even more distracted!

I will staying on topic I think Catmint would serve me best making about a 3ft bed in front of the fence with mulch and two Catmint plants don't think I will have room for three with the spread

Oddly enough, I also have a sunny space which currently has a mish-mash of unmatched perennials...so am intending to pull it together with a couple of vigorous nepetas - Six Hills Giant maybe...to go with the existing salvia pratensis. Along with a perovskia or two (I am taking cuttings asap)...for a mistily blue haze which looks good both close-up and at a distance...and will go through the season looking mannerly. Eventually...a hopeful attempt with rosa moyessii (the heps as well as blooms).

Camp, that sounds like a lovely plan.

Going with two Walkers low Catmint plants 3 or more feet from the center post on my split rail fence then a hardy rose bush 4' tall at center post. How does that sound??

I would plant the catmint "underneath" the fence so it looks good from both sides of the fence. I would plant enough to make an edge like the above picture. I suppose if you want to add the climbing rose you could do so but i'm not sure you need it. I have a split rail fence and i also am planning on planting catmint as seen above. I love my catmint i have in my yard. it's beautiful land drought tolerant. I suggest maybe adding it to your other flowerbed as well.

would it be colorful enough?? and would two plants do it 44' in length is the fence

Frank, if you're looking for 'color' I don't think those catmints will have a very big impact unless you're up close to them. In the picture above the blossoms seem to 'fade' into the foliage, in contrast to the picture with the Echinaceas. Looks pretty bland.

'Bland' is a bit harsh. I love the misty blue merging with the grey foliage and the silvery weathered fence. But if you want really bright colours it's possibly not the ticket. And just two catmints would not make much impact.

You're right, Floral. If you're up close it may not seem 'bland' but from a distance I think it wouldn't make much of an impact, if that's what he's going for. The misty grey foliage will fade right in with the fence once the wood ages.

Went with combination of Walkers Low Catmint andHelenium Mardi Gras the only question now is semi circle or straight across see pics

straight growing in the fence. i would have also put one under where the fence starts going down. i forgot to tell you to plant 3 and 3. i think that's what you're suppose to do...plant in odd numbers. it will look better once they are bigger. are you adding some to your other flower bed?

Nice job, Frank, that will look great. The cool blue and hot orange will be colorful without being a circus, and will enhance each other as well.

I love these gardens-in-progress threads.

That should make a beautiful combination, Frank! The Mardi Gras was just the right 'pop' of color!