please help with plant ideas

14 years ago

Hi everyone, I have enjoyed reading the posts from AL and would like some advice. I posted on the design forum but I thought it might be good to get advice from people in my area.

We have just finished our stone driveway circle and are trying to come up with plant ideas. We want a tidy look but not overly formal. I also like a semi-tropical look as well as uncommon plants. (I'm not too picky, eh?) We have a pygmy date palm that we overwintered and it is sprouting fronds (yea!)

The boxwoods that you see in on the right side of the house are now planted along the foundation.

Any ideas are welcome! Thanks --

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Comments (3)

red50
14 years ago
What a beautiful home! I guess you don't need a huge tree to block the view, so I would suggest some of the smaller growing conifers with Japanese maples for contrast. Check out the GW conifer site, the people there post great pictures that challenge my slow dial-up, but worth the wait. Below is a link to some of the pics. Enjoy! Joyce

Here is a link that might be useful: Spring Pictures
red50
14 years ago
OK I didn't finish what I wanted to say, cause daughter #1 called with problem.
It is best to be very careful about what conifers to chose, as some can't take the Alabama heat. I love the look of the horizontal branches of Cedrus deodara & Cedrus atlantica. I have Cedrus deodara 'Divinely Blue', 'Electra Blue' 'Albo-Spica', 'Kashmir'. All are doing well except 'Kashmir', which is having trouble because a fire ant mound moved too close to it. Some other conifers that I have are Cryptomeria japonica 'Yoshino', Cryptomeria japonica 'Black Dragon', Cupressus arizonica 'Blue Ice' & 'Carolina Sapphire', Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Heather Bun', Juniperus chinensis 'Hollywood', Juniperus excelsa 'Stricta Variegata', Juniperus sabina 'Tamariscifolia', Juniperus virginiana 'Manhattan Blue', Juniperus c. ÂPath FinderÂ, Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star', Picea orientalis ÂAureaÂ, Thuja occidentalis ÂEmerald GreenÂ, Thuja occidentalis 'Nigra', Thuja occidentalis ÂYellow RibbonÂ, Thuja plicata Â ZebrinaÂ, Taxus ?? ÂDark Green SpreaderÂ.
Some of these are dwarf conifers which may work for your area. The ones I would recommend are Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star', Cupressus arizonica 'Blue Ice', (not dwarf but great light blue), Juniperus c. ÂPath FinderÂ, Thuja occidentalis ÂYellow RibbonÂ.
Here is link to more pictures. Also check the American Conifer Society website. Joyce

Here is a link that might be useful: Dans Garden
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tsmith2579
14 years ago
I see beautiful, tall palmettos at the corner of the veranda and (seasonal) Bordelon (red variegated) or basjoo bananas on both sides of the steps. How about an evergreen cast iron plant next to the veranda with acanthus Mollis strategically placed in front of them. That will take care of year around and seasonal tropical look with both formal and informal looks. How about evergreen Formosa azaleas. They grow informally. Instead of palmettos, how about deciduous ornamental pomegranate which blooms all summer. They aren't easy to find but come in a variety of orange, orange-white and red colors. They would be spectacular against the white house.