Want something pleasing to the eye. And can't quite get it together. This area is about 30 feet long. Please help me design it. can only go width to green hose. ( photo / image / picture from Donna S's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Donna S's Garden )
What about planting some blooming bushes? Something that will attract birds? (If you like watching birds) You might start with what sort of plants you like, then see which of those would do well in the space, then go from there. Another thought, if you enjoy cooking, perhaps this could be a kitchen garden? Plant a variety of herbs and maybe a few veggies. The way the hose is lying makes it seem like a curvy edge to the garden could be a fun idea and might allow more room to work in the garden (or harvest herbs/veggies). Good luck!
Looks like you are wanting more of a curved bed from the hose mark. I would start slow letting my collected plants dictate beds. First remove the straight boards and let the existing plants dictate the shape of the bed along the fence. A nice curve is already visible. If you slowly gather bricks, logs, branches or stones for lining the path it will be easy to play with your design. You might want to create your paths first. Getting around for weeding, etc. is important. I prefer narrow irregular beds for ease of maintenance and interest, plus they make a space feel larger. I can't tell for sure from your posting, but is this a shade garden? I certainly love my shade garden. If you have time and money create a plan and go or it buying all your plants. For myself I always find plants act differently than I expect no matter how much I plan. Giving myself time to collect and propagate plants was important and didn't force my budget. Although I had a general idea what I wanted to create and laid out the paths I am still deciding on plant types. Some paths have narrowed because of plant growth.. With a loose plan I keep an eye out for discounted out of season plants and am slowly filling in the beds. Then too the plants themselves are maturing and after two summers are beginning fill the beds also. I am sure your garden will be lovely once mature. Most of all it will be an artistic expression of you. Take your time and enjoy the process. By the way I love layers of cardboard covered in mulch to get rid of sod. It worked extremely well for me. Patience was all that was necessary.
Thanks Mayashes and Jewell, This spot is at the back of the property and the last spot I have easy access to water. The plants I already have. I have 16 hibiscus that I grew from seed just setting in ugly pots. As soon as they bloom and I know what colors I have I will decide which ones to keep or sell. These plants are 3-4 years old and quite big. I'm hoping I have at least 5 different colors. I also have a few day lilies and plants I can dig up to move. I'm also thinking lots of Spring bloomers to have color before the hibiscus return each year. I have a truck load of year old horse manure coming. Going to till it in and cover with cardboard before I plant later this summer or early fall. The shape of the garden is what I can't decide on. It has to be easy to mow along edges. So any ideas there would help a lot.
Donna, you know I'm a novice when it comes to gardening, so take my advice with a grain of salt. But it seems to me that the shape of your garden would be somewhat determined by what you intend to plant. I don't know, call me weird, but it I've always felt that some plants lend themselves to surroundings that are more......angular, for want of a better word, whereas some seem to fit a more flowing/flowy type area. For example, plants with sort of spiky leaves and/or flowers, bushes like those pencil plants in Paige's garden, seem to me to fit geometric spaces, whereas the .....softer?....looking ones look better (at least to me) in more relaxed, flowing settings. Of course, that may be just my ana/ocd side too.
That is terrific that you already have the main plants. Whether your beds are square or curved if you are keeping grass at the edges make sure the mower can easily maneuver the corners. A wide curve for ease of mowing makes life much easier. I am sure it will look like an arboretum when you are finished. The plantings beyond the fence already add to the plantings inside the bed.
Donna, I've seen pictures of your gardens, and I am almost afraid to make suggestions to someone with such a green thumb and an eye for color! However, that hasn't deterred me. Some of the hose curves look a little sharp and might be hard to mow. We let our grass grow up just a bit taller than usual, then mow in sweeping curves. That way you absolutely know you can mow the perimeter of the bed. Beds that contain plants of all the same height are boring. How about a small tree or tall shrub smackdab in the middle? Then you'll have an eye-catcherand can do undulations of heights on either side. I'm thinking a Wafer Ash tree (Ptelea trifoliata) which is also known as Hop Tree --butterfly host, has vanilla-scented blossoms, and then little wafers that hang on most of the summer. I don't know if it will do well in your area. Roses, you need roses in that bed--Marie Pavie which is a low growing, hardy, lightly scented white-to-pink charmer, and Rise 'n' Shine, which has bright yellow blooms and is small, but hardy. And some dark foliage--purple basil, or Wandering Jew. See, I got over my hesitation to offer suggestions!
I don't have the same weather or plants available so no suggestions on the plants, but MOW the area you want to first. Then make your bed around the mower marks. Make less work not more trying to mow after you design the bed.
