Swede in need. Designing a garden in a cold region

Just moved into a new house, and a new country.
if you had a blank canvas to work with where would you start in zone 5-6. i am thinking of a rock pond in the foreground, a barbeque area where that rock stands, a children's play area to the right with swings,some fruit trees and perinials around and some sort of paved area.all suggestions are welcome. p.s. i am not completely lost, i have a diploma in landscaping , just never took on a project this size in so cold a region.


( photo / image / picture from coolcarib's Garden )

 

Congratulations on your new house, your new country and the blank slate. The first thing I'd do is to draw up a general plan, then start with what's most urgent (guess the children's play area) and work my way from there.

I'd then take a walk around my neighbourhood to see what's growing in other people's gardens, and then I'd go and bend the ears of the people in the nearest nurseries.

Good luck with your big, exciting projects.

 

Good grief a diploma........

Congrats in the home ..I am 56 and if your in the market of hardy plants and trees , check the online catalogs for your area 5/6.. I try anything..

 

Congratulations! Wouldn't you consider pine trees? I think they look great in the snow, always strikes me during my skiing vacation.

 

What a beautiful home! I'd love to see some red geraniums on that white porch

 

thanks for your kind replies, esp. Droopy. i didn't really have a clue where i should start but yes!! ofcourse- the play area is the most important, and i can work around from that- the labour cost is really expensive here so i will probably hire someone with a tractor to loosen the soil, thus making the manual labour for myself a bit easier i.e. get rid of the moss,planting beds, hopefully the pond. calculating the costs it is cheaper and more outstanding to have a little water feature than replanting beds year after year- given the weather conditions- just no fish- too much of a hassle. been looking around in the garden centres but i find most have the same plants everywhere. i found a passionate gardener on the net living in Norway will to send seeds for the cost of postage and or exchange. so thanks again and keep the suggestions coming.

 

oh, those interested in the exchange of seeds or the Norwegian garden can check him out at http://magnar.aspaker.no
thanks for the suggestion of pine trees- the farm itself (and many of the surrounding farms) is a timber farm for pines, spruce and birch so it won't be so different in the garden if i planted it with conifers. thanks anyway.

 

Yay! ...you're still warmer than me -- zone 4. Brrr!

I'd love to see a formal terrace in front -- that home is beautiful!

Plant ideas for cold zones -- I hate to toot my own horn, but my website has some ideas. Online, I like to look up Mobot.com (Missouri Botanical Garden).

If you want something different -- remember it starts with the hardscape. Keep hunting the local nurseries, though. My favorite perennial nursery is conveniently tucked behind a huge store -- so you'd never know it was even there. They've got the best selection, too.

Sometimes native plants are overlooked by the local nurseries -- and they can be really easy maintenance.

A small orchard out front would be lovely -- apple trees are beautiful. I still have fond memories of when we had a pear tree in front of my childhood home.

Another beautiful tree is the honeylocust/Gleditsia. Magnolia -- I wish we had a larger variety in Zone 4, but they're gorgeous.

If you can keep animals from chewing it, Serviceberry/Amelanchier is nice. Forsythia is fast growing and easy. Ninebark/Physocarpus comes in several varieties and colors. Lately, I really like Amethyst Snowberry/Symphoricarpos x 'Amethyst'.

None of these are really 'unusual'. For that, you might try Harry Lauder's Walking Stick. Most of the year, it's just okay. In the winter, the twigs are amazing! If I was zone 5 I would own that plant, I'm pretty sure.

Ok, back to work ... Good luck!

Heidi

Best of luck with it.

 

hi creative,
just added your website to my favourites and my head is spinning. now i just have to have a FIREPIT - and best of all the logs are free here. thanks for the plant advice, i'll check it out. question- i have been reading a lot about palms and other tropical plants eg;banana trees growing way up in the north. have you tried growing anything like that in Missouri?

 

I see you've found Magnar. He's very knowledgeable and has an amazing collection. I want to go and visit him some day, but he's so far north it would take us several days to drive there. By the sound of things you're already well into it, keep going, I'll cheer you on.

 

I'm actually in Wisconsin -- land of the frozen tundra. I use Mobot, though, as they have good info, plant finder, and lots of pictures.

I have heard of palm trees being grown in northern climes, but the cut off is zone 5 -- so, I'm stuck. You will have quite a project on your hands if you go the tropical route, but if you're passionate about your outdoor space....and, of course, I've seen people use tropical plants in pots. They can bring them indoors in the winter that way.

Fire pits -- are awesome. Especially in cooler areas, they can be a lot of fun.

Oh, and thanks for adding me to the faves! I've got a free newsletter and blog, too -- another way to keep in touch.

Best of luck with it.

Heidi