Landscaping ideas?

[Splaker]

Hey folks, I am about to spruce up a spot next to my pool. You can see the stump of a fairy large blue spruce that i cut down. this site gets full sun from early morning to late afternoon with a bit of shade in mid afternoon as there is a large spruce in the neighbouring property.

The bed was already in place and overgrown with scraggly shrubs and the spruce. I've removed most of the stuff and I am now prepping it. I have not done a soil analysis but there are a LOT of spruce needles in the soil so I'm sure it's highly acidic.

We want to stick to shrubs for the most part, both flowering and non-flowering. We may add some grasses if space permits.

I have the following short list of plants which we feel combine to create diversity and pleasing colors and textures. The site is a little on the irregular size as you can see and it's approx 17' by 9'

-one Summer Wine ninebark OR Rose Glow Japanese barberry (this could be placed perhaps in the centre at the back of the bed to anchor it as both reach about 6'
-threadleaf false cypress (2?)
-other barberry (golden carousel?)
-a row of bloomstruck weigela (perhaps pink, red and white at the front)
-Wine and rose weigela flanking the bloomstruck?
-a couple of endless summer hydrangea (perhaps flanking the false cypress

Not sure what else I could add or substitute. Perhaps some boxwood? grasses?

We plan to plant from the tallest to the shortest and try our best to create some symmetry/order

I plan to draw a sample plan and post it here. For now this is what we are dealing with

thanks for your help!

 

[DrCase]

Nice looking rocks
Tall flowing grass would be a start

 

[Splaker]

Thanks.. would you place the grasses off to the sides? Or make them more of a central feature?

I am drawing up a diagram of my plan and hope to post it tonight

thanks

 

[Beth_B]

All good ideas...in your climate I like the idea of hydrangeas for long-lasting color. Tall ornamental grass would give you winter interest.
I like the big rocks and flagstones, do they go all around your pool?

 

[Splaker]

No stones only in that one spot... I just don't know if I have enough room in that spot for that wish list... I do love Weigelas.. planted a sonic bloom in the front yard about 5 weeks ago.. incredible performer already.. saw a hummingbird dance around the countless blooms yesterday.

So grasses for sure.. hydrangea, weigelas... and something dark/purple... love the barberry family... but nine baks are cool too...I have to draw this out to see what fits!

 

[Splaker]

Any grass suggestions?

 

[Beth_B]

I just planted Ravenna grass this spring - transplanted actually, from a neighbor who was getting rid of it. It might get too big for your space, though. I'm not an expert on grasses but there are so many pretty ones.

Thanks for the nudge on Weigelas...I've never grown them but now I'm intrigued. I like the idea of anything that attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.

 

[Splaker]

Love the Weigelas.... I highly recommend them... planning to put in more around the property.. some how, they sort of remind me of oleanders.. miniature versions...

I like the idea of burgundy/wine colored grasses... along with some green variety..

 

[Splaker]

So here is a very amateurish sketch of my garden. The gray areas are the rocks.. scale is not perfect... I realize that I cannot put that much in the space... it's only about 150 sq ft.

I placed a question mark next to cypress b/c the info on this plant widely differs.. some sources claim it reaches 15'! My local nursery says about 4 x 3... the label on the actual plant (I already bought it) claims 3 x 3 Its a gorgeous plant though... any ideas as to the actual size?

I and thinking if space permits, I add some sedums or perhaps boxwoods but I would place the sedums in front of the weigela (so shit the weigelas close to the barberry) - Alternatively, I could also add some colourful annual

thoughts?

 

[Beth_B]

Hmmm, no clue on the cypress tree size. I have seen them get pretty large, though...
You know what would look pretty to fill in spaces: Shasta daisies. Such cheerful flowers, bloom most of the season and a hardy perennial.

 

[Splaker]

Shasta daisies would be nice.. never considered them... And I don't have any white in my collection, so that would offer contrast.

What do you folks think of the cypress on the right and the hydrangea on the left? I am worried that it might not be very cohesive/symmetrical... does it even have to be? I guess there are no rules. I just don't want it to look haphazard..

 

[Splaker]

While visiting a reputable garden centre in my area, someone there told me that it's best time plant in odd numbers; 1, 3s, 5s, etc... guess I'm mostly sticking to that.

 

[Beth_B]

Honestly, I'd forgo the cypress. Maybe another hydrangea, unless you think that would be too symmetrical?
What do you mean about planting in odd numbers?

 

[Splaker]

Honestly, I'd forgo the cypress. Maybe another hydrangea, unless you think that would be too symmetrical?
What do you mean about planting in odd numbers?

Hmm, maybe you're right... I guess I should not have purchased the cypress... kind of fell in love with it when I saw it. I got it at Lowes less than a month ago. Maybe I can return it as it is still in its pot

Given that I don't know what size the thing will become, maybe I should forgo...

The idea of another hydrangea is tempting. I love the bloomstruck cultivar.\

Another option would be a couple of knock out roses... I just bought two and was going to put them somewhere else, but they could work there too, I suppose... but the blue flowers of the hydrangea, along with pink weigela and burgundy barberry would be a pretty cool spectrum of color

 

[Splaker]

How big do they bloomstruck get? again, reading differing sizes at maturity.. but 4 H x 5 W seems to be the common size