Need ideas of plants/ shrubs

18 years ago

next to the house/ porch. Right now I have canna's and rose bushes, glads and hostas. Cannas I want to move as the beetle's love them and they do obscure my view of the yard. (have two kids to wath over) They have also offered too much shade for the rose bushes. The glad were placed this year but I think I need to move them and put some kind of support around them. (is it best to cluster the glads together too?)

The sun is on this in the afternoon so need something that will be heat resistant. I would like some kind of hedge with color inbetween or below. My husband want's shrubs that will grow about 4 feet, height of the where the lattice starts. (but it's ok if I have to trim them, he says!! LOL) and stay colored all year. He hates thing's that only bloom and than looks like twigs or weeds the rest of the time...LOL Hope I am not asking too much...

Thanks in advance,

Sondra

Comments (7)

maternut
18 years ago
The shrubs around my deck is blue berry bushes. Guess they
would look sort of like red sticks in the winter. Pretty
red foliage in the fall. Lot's of good fruit in the summer.
Norm
peri__n_eal
18 years ago
Euonymous makes a nice short hedge in time. Varieties range in shades of variegations from mostly yellows to mostly greens. They look a bit ragged in January and February, but hold their color most of the year. They make a nice yellow background for other plants planted in front of them and will tolerate hot sun. Once established they will require regular pruning.
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big_orange_vol_
18 years ago
Yews and Boxwoods are no-brainers, trim out nicely for small hedges and they're evergreen.
sondra_tn
Original Author
18 years ago
Thank you all for your wonderful ideas. Now, just to find them. LOL I live in a very rural area of TN and Lowes and such is over an hour away. LOL Maybe I can get some cuttings at the spring swap....hehe
rizzir
18 years ago
Sondra, you can get just about ANYTHING from the folks here! I know you are eager to get your planting started but it would be a good idea to wait until the spring swap because you can get items at the swap that would be SO much more interesting than the things you'll find at Lowe's and Home Depot. Also, you'll have a good amount of time to research not only the best design, but the plants that can live in the light and drainage requirements in that location. Finally, you will have time to properly amend the beds to be a great permanent home for your final design.

Check out this great thread on the Landscape Design forum regarding how to design your plantings/hardscape:

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/design/msg0811433514816.html

I hope this helps!

-Regina
wild_rose
18 years ago
Sondra, when you start choosing foundation plants, you'll probably want mostly evergreen shrubs. Be sure to carefully read the plant descriptions on the labels and don't plant anything under your windows that wants to grow 10-feet tall or you'll spend the rest of your life pruning to keep them short! Just because the name of the plant says "dwarf" or "compact" that doesn't mean it will stay small. For instance, Ilex cornuta Casey's Dwarf (Casey's Dwarf Holly) will grow to a height of 10 to 15 ft. and so will Ilex cornuta Cartwright Compacta (Cartwright Compacta Holly). On the other hand, Ilex crenata compacta (Japanese Holly), only grows 3 to 5 feet tall. Point is, be sure to do your homework before spending a lot of time, effort, and money.

Virginia
sondra_tn
Original Author
18 years ago
WOW, that landscape forum is something. Maybe I should submit some pictures?? LOL I have a deck 1/2 around my house (which is wood siding with green roof). SO I don't have to worry about covering any windows. I just don't want anything to obscure the view from my sunroom as I look out at my horses. LOL Plus, want something low maintence. I take care of the 5 acres plus kids and hubby is gone alot ( only been home 2 times since 6/27). Thought about selling horses and turning pastures into huge flower beds...hehe ( well would keep two for manure of course)