Can you explain why you appear to have such an overwhelming need to cram a flowering tree into a space in which it will not fit? There is no shortage of flowering shrubs that are better suited to the space and the current design is chock full of flowers as is.

An ornamental lollipop crab would look tacky.

My lollipop crab is maxed out at 9 feet and 8 wide so seemed reasonable but as always appreciate the expertise. What’s a good flowering shrub that has height and min width that could replace a tree? Crapmyrtle?

Hydrangea paniculata, Hydrangea petiolaris, Viburnum rhytidophyllum, Calycanthus floridus, Syringa vulgaris, Pyracantha coccinea.

Why the tree in a space where it will not fit? Why?

I love those shrubs esp the lilac. Interesting the fire horn is an evergreen. So what would I do with the 4 hets midgets? If I went with say the lilac?

The bed is 6’3”W x 39’L

Any chance pruning could improve the look of the viburnums or would you do rejuvenation pruning? Or buy two new ones?

Are those handicap parking spaces? I would not plant anything that would hang over the parking are or roof. You have vehicles parked there and people moving around the vehicles (possibly handicapped) and downspouts that would need more frequent cleaning if leaves get blown onto the roof and end up in the gutters. Not to mention a possible mold problem on the building if a tree or shrubs prevent the structure from drying after a rain.

Just general parking.

Consider White Chiffon Hibiscus, Winterberry. Sunshine Ligustrum & Juniper:

Looks great. Will junipers survive heat from asphalt and is there enough room between junipers and hibiscus?

I mean between winterbury and hibiscus?

Privet is invasive in IL. Would need alternative.

'Sunshine' privet is sterile. It is not invasive anywhere, which is one reason it is so popular.

And junipers are probably one of the most heat and drought tolerant of any conifer species.

I think you need to do some homework, both with possible plant selection as well as with correct spacing for a mature plant.

Agree on the homework. I have no clue as to the spacing in the design posted by Doug. I like the height along the back.

Checking out the plants - by name - online should provide you with sufficient mature size info to determine spacing. Unless you want the plants to comingle (and risk one overwhelming another), space no closer than one half the mature spread from any other plants. Allow a bit more room when planting against a structure so you can perform any necessary maintenance. And if you wish to avoid unnecessary and possibly disfiguring pruning, select and place plants so that they do not spill over the edge into the parking area to any significant degree.

So based on that there is no way I can fit hibiscus behind the privet in a 6 foot bed. Nor will6 winterberries and 3 hibiscus fit across the back when they need 6 feet spacing. Unless there are dwarf versions.

Quantities can be adjusted and the plants shifted a bit if you like the overall plant selection and arrangement of Doug's Design.

I love the design. How does winterberry do in 20-30 below plus wind? Are winterberry evergreen? What’s a good looking juniper cultivar that would be compact?

On another note, can I do a rejuvenation pruning on my wine and roses weigela now or do I have to wait until late winter?

Prune the weigela after it has flowered. If you do it now or in late winter you’ll lose this spring’s blooms. And does it really need pruning?

Winterberry is deciduous.

It hasn’t been pruned in 12 years. Had some dead branches this year.

Does this look better?

Well, you asked ....

In my personal opinion that looks horrible. But it’s done now.

That is a weigela? Are we sure of that ID? It doesn't look like a sheep anymore.

Pruning anything at this time of year is not recommended. And I have to agree with floral....it looked much better before you hacked it.

Lol. It’s a arrowood viburnum. Someone from church pruned it. Not Me. They are trying to save it

The church parking lot. Tidbits of information like that can be very helpful when making landscape plans.

Ok. Yes. Church parking lot. Bed faces south

Would have they been better off to just rejuvenate prune? (cut down to 1 foot)

What was the reasoning behind doing anything to the Viburnums? What was seen to be wrong with them as they were? They were clearly suited to the spot and healthy. My personal view would have been to just fill in the gaps and leave the existing shrubs alone.

The gaps are filled in. You just can’t see it from the overgrowth

Sorry, I don’t understand that statement.

By ‘gaps’ I was referring to the empty wall space either side of the Viburnums in the first picture. As to ’saving’ the Viburnum by pruning it, what was it being saved from? Is it diseased? From the photo it looks fine. I’m trying to understand what was considered to be the problem with the original planting and what outcome are you seeking?

Sure. I think some were expecting the viburnums to grow tall, wide and upright. However, as you can tell by the photo that wasn’t the case. There was severe drooping and the shrubs structure was erratic. So I was asked to get a design put together. One of the board members thought he could prune them to get the desired look. There are ornamental grasses and junipers that are below the overhang and not thriving that you can’t see.

I see. So what I would have done in that case would be to move the grasses and junipers out from under the Viburnum rather than trying to shape the latter against its nature. That would be a never ending battle. Especially in this kind of public situation you need tough, low maintenance plantings which are not going to be bothered by occasionally being driven into or neglected when the person who volunteers to look after the garden loses interest.

A closer look at the viburnum rejuvenation project shows a bed mulched with stone that I am willing to bet has landscape fabric or better yet, plastic underneath, on a South facing white wall in a black asphalt church parking lot. Word is the juniper and grasses are not doing well.

So my suggestion is: hang a nice real timber tree like cross in the center of the wall for your desired height and spread. Frame the cross and plant the bed with "tough, low maintenance plantings which are not going to be bothered by occasionally being driven into or neglected when the person who volunteers to look after the garden loses interest." Up light the cross for evening events.

Remove any fabric or plastic under the rock in the makeover.

Lol. What’s the issue with fabric? All the landscapers use it here in cent illinois

They use it for instant results. It looks great when first laid. They don’t have to live with it long term when it is entangled with roots and covered in blow in weeds. Nor do they have to extricate it and dispose of it when eventually the bed needs rejigging.

The cross is a great idea. Until you said so, I had no clue that was a church from its appearance.

Which is it, fabric or plastic? Do you know for certain?

Let's do a little thought experiment. You may have taken note of all the people whining about being asked to wear a face mask in public because The Plague. Imagine instead it is a fabric bag that covers your entire head 24/7/365. How you gonna eat, drink and breathe with that on your head? Or better yet, make the fabric bag a plastic bag covering your head. Good luck.

Plants are living entities. Their roots need to eat, drink and breath and you have covered them with a bag that restricts or completely blocks all that. The soil itself needs to breathe. You say the grasses and juniper are not doing well. Could it be because they have a bag over their roots?

And the alleged purpose for this is to prevent weeds. Sorry, weed seeds will blow in and germinate right on top of the fabric or plastic. It does not prevent weeds.

The good landscapers in central Illinois don't use landscape fabric.

Fabric. Juniper and grass are not thriving from being in the shade. The ones outside are doing well. Thanks!

Too late to plant bulbs in Illinois? Any suggestions on good performers? Giant Darwin?

Is this related to the church garden? If so how will you plant bulbs with the landscape fabric in place?

No. Home garden. Wife request. Wants pretty red tulips.

Tulips are varmint caviar. Daffodils are poisonous. Yes you may plant them now before the ground freezes.

Would you include rabbits as a varmint?

Yes.

So much encouraging news. I guess I should turn on CNN and here how inflation is a good thing.

Rabbits are edible.

You can plant the tulips now if the ground isn’t frozen. It’s a pain to do, but I cover the spot where I plant bulbs with chicken wire and then mulch over the chicken wire. That usually deters the squirrels. I have bunnies here and they don’t bother the tulips once they come up, but I know other people who haven’t been that lucky. I don’t have voles, so I don’t know if the chicken wire would work with them. I also don’t have deer, another issue. You could plant bulbs in containers and leave them in an unheated garage. I water them lightly every week until the soil freezes & then pick up watering in the spring. Once I see some growth, I stick them outside on the deck and let Mother Nature take over. On the deck, I don’t have animal pressure. I treat tulips as an annual. They are so pretty—give them a try.

How to plant indoors?

place bulbs in container with soil for 6-8 weeks until you see growth then bring in doors and water regularly?

Do I water when they are in garage (in pots)?

So do you want the tulips for indoor flowers rather than outside? If so Google ’forcing tulips’. We’re straying a long way from your original question. You’d do best to start a new post on the bulbs forum since people skilled in bulb matters might not look at posts headed ’Looking for tree suggestions’.