Very pretty border, NHbabs. Even looks pretty dormant. Do you have lots of snow on it now?

Thanks, Terrene. We got about a foot of snow (our first real snow of the season,) but it blew around a lot, so in some areas like the cornfield next door, it's down to a few inches on most of the field with big drifts along the edges where the woods are. I haven't yet made it down to this garden since the storm, but may go down today and take another photo or 2.

How much snow did you get?

nhbabs, Very pretty! I really enjoy seeing photos of NEForum gardens. You've done a great job, I like it a lot. Photo #2 is so colorful and a nice composition. I like that Ninebark in Photo #6. It's going to only get better every year. I would enjoy seeing another photo when it's covered with snow. :-)

We got about 16 inches of snow. It's supposed to get pretty warm, so I wonder how much we'll have left next week.

Excellent compilation of perennial flowers, foliage, textures and conifer colors! Mixed borders are the way to go.

Nhbabs, that's a great border. I've been wanting to work more evergreens into my gardens. You did a great job mixing them. What is the evergreen in the 3rd photo down on the left? And where do you shop locally for shrubs? I also absolutely love the spiral trellis.

I enjoyed your photos. I'm reluctant to put a spruce in a shrub border. Have you estimated when it will get huge? I would like to plant a spruce but so far think I will put it by itself (for future Christmas lights).
We moved to our present home in 2007 so gardening with plenty of sun available is a big change from the oak forest at our old house. Glad previous residents planted a rhododendron next to the barn. It appears to shelter birds in the winter. Most of the shrubs I have planted should appeal to wildlife. Bluebirds loved the cotoneaster this fall.
I have a difficult small slope on the east side of the house that is mostly sunny. I still have to figure out a plan for that area. Last fall it got a lilac. Perhaps more shrubs and some sturdy perennials are the answer.

NH, we got about 10-12 inches here. It blew the heck all over the place though. Unfortunately, it piled up on my deck, and one side of the driveway! Took 2 days to clear the piles out.

I was wondering about those Blue spruce too. My neighbors have a huge one in front of their house which they have limbed way up to accomodate the space (looks terrible). It's probably about 50 years old. It looks like you've spaced them out pretty far though.

I have a difficult small slope on the east side of the house that is mostly sunny.
Defrost, the PERFECT little native shrub for this location would be New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americana). Drought-tolerant, loves full sun, grows well in sloping, rocky soil. Easy to start from seed. Has lovely white fragrant flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

I am jealous of your guys full sun. My lot has too many big trees.

Thanks for the kind words! I like it, but I'm a bit biased, so I'm pleased to hear that others like it as well.

The spruce is a 'Fat Albert' which should take a while to get big, if my literature search came up with accurate info. If they seem to be growing too fast, they will become Christmas trees (DH is handy with a chain saw) and something else will go in there.

Thyme - the evergreen in the 3rd photo down on the left is a bamboo, hardy & clumping. I'll dig around to see if I can find the tag. It and the spiral trellis (I have 3 because I love the form) is from Cole Gardens near the junction of I-393 and rt 106, on the NE edge of Concord. They sometimes have unusual items, such as the Stewartia I found there this year. I also like Spider Web Gardens in Tuftonboro and Black Forest Nursery in Boscawen. I've gotten a few things from Brochu in Concord, but they close at 5:00 PM, a bit early for me to get there to look around most days.

Terrene - This area used to be relatively young growth woodland (it's old pasture land historically,) but we had it cleared to get more sun. We still have mostly woodland, so I have many levels of sun and shade to work with.

I have several Fat Albert spruces so I can give you some idea of their growth rate. Mine were about 3 ft tall when they were planted and nine years later they are roughly 12 ft tall. So, we're talking about a ft/year. The name is accurate because are growing substantially wide. I don't think removing some of the lowest limbs on yours are going to be a problem since they are in a mixed border and the foliage of the other plants would hide the trunk.

NHbabs, That bamboo is really interesting in your border. Do you know where you bought it? Is it a spreader? Did you plant it in a pot in the ground?

I've never been to any of the nurseries you mentioned but I'm sure in 2011 I'll check them out. Did you buy the Stewartia you saw? I planted one a couple years ago and it is one of my favorite trees even though it hasn't bloomed yet. I have it with my japanese maples and it fits right in.

Terrene, I've been contemplating Ceanothus and it sounds like you really like it. It's going on my list for next year.

Defrost, how steep is your slope? I have a slope in my front yard and planted all sorts of shrubs and easy perennials and it does very well. Will you be able to water the slope? That will be a key question in reference to what might work.

Thyme - The bamboo is a clumping bamboo, not a running bamboo, so I didn't plant it in anything to contain it since it's not needed with this type of bamboo. I planned this bed to be low maintenance, so I wouldn't want a runner that needed close watching. Because it's at the northern extreme of its hardiness range, it has gotten no bigger since I put it in. At the end of some winters it looks worse than others. It is a Fargesia rufa which I found at Cole Gardens in Concord 3 falls ago. According to the tag, it is supposed to be tolerant of wind (which fits with my experience,) wants part shade (probably not important this far north - mine is in pretty much full sun, though in moist, well-drained soil and well-mulched) and should reach 8 feet (it hasn't exceeded 4 feet for me in the two growing seasons I've had it.)
I did buy the Stewartia at their end-of-season sale. It's in the first photo . . . you can see the white tag and a few branches to the left of the dark green arborvitae at the far end of the bed.

Tree Oracle - Thanks for the feedback on the Fat Alberts. I guess they will be coming out again in 15 years or so since there are solar panels to the north of this bed a ways that I don't want shaded. But 15 years of that lovely color will have been worthwhile.

Defrost - Consider starting a new thread with photos of your area along with a description of the conditions and see what suggestions you get.

Thanks for the suggestion to post pictures so I can get advice. New Jersey tea looks like a wonderful shrub ... dry, sunny slope. The slope isn't very steep and it is within range of the hose but tends to be neglected because it's a distant stretch. (I think we have 2 or 3 hoses hooked together.) But, I also have a walkway with a bed that needs renovating that is close. This end of the yard was a little neglected for the past 2 years. When we first moved in, we used the entrance at that end so I had my herbs in the walkway bed and some pots of tomatoes.

Thanks for the extra info on the bamboo. I'll keep my eye out for it.

Here it is with snow.
Looking west from mid-bed:

Looking east from near the west end:

Looking west from the east end:

Center:
Looking north-west:

South edge from the west end - The hydrangea really stands out against the snow along with the various clematis support structures, though they are almost invisible against the brown mulch without snow.

North side looking west:

Lovely with snow!

Claire

I like all your metal sculpture things too! The blue spruce trees I planted 5 years ago have grown about one foot per year too, so that's probably what you can expect.

Thanks for posting the snowy photos...doesn't that look nice?! That is a handsome grouping. I love the dark, dark green arborvitae, is it? I think one of those will make a great tree to decorate for the holidays when it gets a little bigger. You're very lucky to have such a great space and wonderful backdrop for your landscape. I hope you have a view of it from your windows. :-)

No view of it from the windows since it's to the north of the one building that overlooks it, and there are no north windows. But it is the first garden one sees emerging from the woods when coming up the driveway.

You're right, it's a 'Techny' arborvitae.

. . . and I do feel very lucky to live in such a beautiful spot!

Wonderful photos, nhbabs - your garden is lovely, thanks for sharing the view.