edging and height
- Add curves and edging to draw eye away from linear effect. I like stones or fake stone edging, so many new ones on the market. You could add some stepping stones for easier access, 22 feet is a lot to walk around. The pot is kind of random. You could add shephard's staffs with colorful hanging baskets and flowers draping down, like lobelia. Can be changed thru the seasons or year to year. Gardening doesn't have to be with just plants. Add garden art, birdbath, statuary. This gives a more defined form to contrast airy plants.
- —Guest NE OH gardener
color, contrast
- I love the burgundy color in so many different plants. However against the dark mulch and dirt it just seems dark. The white alyssum helps, but you have to wait for them to fill in. I would suggest a variegated ground cover or silvery one. I like creeping phlox or vinca. Use a vinca with white flowers or variegated leaves. Hostas might work but you may have too much sun. All the burgundy plants you used are open & airy which adds wonderful texture and allows light thru. But that also can be a problem because there is less form/definition to each plant. All the flowers are small (also burgundy as with the sedum) and not very showy. I would add another color for contrast and/or use plants will more showy flowers. Pink or yellow would go well. Mariglods are another workhorse and low growing. Dianthus is a good plant and comes in white and shades of pink. For color with more height, you could use the old stand-by daylily or dwaft dahlias, taller dahlias, liatris, coneflower.
- —Guest NE OH gardener
overhaul
- I would extend the border out two feet. Add a three layer castle wall border, that matches the outline of the walkway. At the beginning of the walk, I would put in a variety of plants, that would compliment each season (so there is always fresh growth). As you work up the walk toward the house, use low lying plants, and build to medium height plants. At the end of the walk I would fill in with matching tall plants on each side. I prefer fountain grass or sculpted mini azaleas (or something similar) Fill in the bed with creeping carnations, or baby's breath. They spread fast, but are easy to maintain. Let some creep over your 'wall' to draw attention. I go to Lowe's and see which perennials are blooming during each season. This way I always have color and variety. If you really want a complete makeover, use different shape and size slate, and arrange in a nonsensencal pattern, with a simple dirt fill between the flat rocks. Place pot near house where it is seen first on approach.
- —Guest armchrqb
an after thought
- you might want to add some crocus, snowdrops and paperwhites if you want to start blooming in early spring
- —Guest Rose Dellinger
brighten it up
- I love to see where the actual edge of the bed is. I think lariope along the edge would be stunning with its purple flowers on spikes. I also think that pot gets lost among the plants. If it is going to be a feature then it should stand out more. Personally I would remove it, paint it or move it to the end of the bed. I once took a cheap clip apart butterfly fence and separated the butterflies and used them scattered throughout to add depth and lightness. that was very effective. Could also do that with some cute solar lights. I have found alyssum always looked straggly, maybe begonia violas or impatients might be better, although impatients will need more water than the other plants. Definitely add more plants, and I would be looking for more brightness.
- —Africanaussie
Give it weight
- At first glance the garden is lovely, but the more you look it does seem a bit boring. My first thought was that it needs some anchoring--maybe 2 or 3 small dark green evergreens like junipers or something in the pine family about 18", and it definitely needs 3 or 4 boulders about a foot each in various places to give it weight and texture. Take the pot out, pots in the garden always look like an afterthought to me, put the pot near or on the porch. Then I would sprinkle in some light blue to compliment the dark colors like some light blue petunias, and the shasta daisy idea was a good one too, to liven it up some. Maybe a splash of bright red geraniums in a couple spots too.
- —Guest guara lover
no definition
- In my opinion, the bed is not defined enough,...I would like to see some small evergreens to define the space, such as Blue star junipers in an arc around the widest part of the bed near the driveway . I think candytuff would be excellent to give a bolder white to the bed, and would showcase more of the burgandy colors. Too much going on to confuse the eye,..its not fluid. I think it should be simplier, with bolder plants and use of smaller plants for fill-ins. Maybe also a big rock or two to anchor the bed.
- —Guest Sunny
color
- I would like to see a little more color in the low to mid size range. Something as simple as Pansies in a burgandy and yellow combination or a white and yellow would perk things up. What ever plant you choose, you definetly need more color.
- —Guest lori
Combine plants
- The first things I would do is move the container to the porch and make the width of garden the same from one end to the other. Next, I would combine 2 Purple Fountain Grass, 2 White Wand Flower and 2 Blackjack at each end of the garden. (you would have to purchase 1 each) I would put the Weigela in the center. I would plant a Yucca on either side of the Weigela with Peacock Orchids between them. I would add Irises in white and burgundy or wine between the Yuccas and the end groupings. I would also add columbine between the irises. I would scatter some Shasta Daisies throughout the garden. I would add mums in the wine or purple and white colors. Alternate them with the irises from the grouping to the yucca. I would use the Purple Leaf Coral Bells, Hens and Chickens, and Snow on the Mountain (Aegopodium podagraria) as the ground cover.
- —Guest Rose Dellinger
Better Ground Cover & Mid-Level Plants
- My suggestions would be: 1. When taking pictures, try backing off for a better over-all view. I could not see the other side of the walkway. It appears that the beds have different plants in them. 2. If you want to stay with the color scheme, I would suggest possibly using the "wave" petunias as the ground cover. There is one called "Tie Dye" which is pale pink and white. Another choice might be the annual Vincas. There is also a Portulaca called "Peppermint" which is pink and white. 3. You seem to be lacking any mid-range flowers. How about Burgundy Gaillardia or "Daybreak pink" Gazania? 4. The rule of 3 doesn't mean they have to be touching each other. This may be part of the problem with the Gaura. Spread them further apart and use the round plant supports. If that isn't the answer, you could try the "Heaven's Gate" Coreopsis, the SHORT Joe Pye weed or the purple coneflowers. 5. Put the same plants on BOTH sides of the walkway.
- —Guest Elaine Long
Keep it Simple
- I love the border with its predominance of burgundy colors. It's very pretty, but could do (IMHO) with a bit more color. And that can be a changing theme from year to year with the addition of a few annuals. Burgundy goes so well with golds, pinks, blues, whites; a few french marigolds would add a lot to an already charming arrangement.
- —AlmackHouse
Bright Splash of Color
- You might add a strong but still complimentary splash of bright pink or bright yellow to make the more subtle greys and burgandys pop. The colors in this garden compliment each other well but need something strong to complete the idea.
- —GypsyGirlsMom
Wine color
- Love the weigela and would like to see another big leafed wine colored plant in the border. Perhaps a huechera
- —Guest lucky
pots
- I like the white flower in the pot but would like to see that repeated down the border.Or just leave the pot and plant a couple of stands of white flowers.
- —Guest lucky
gaura
- I also grow gaura and love it behind other plants to help prop it up negating the need for triming. They are a see threw flower and do well in the back of the border also.
- —Guest lucky
Move the Plants Around
- Going from left to right; I would pull the grass out, transplant the "floppy" plant here where it can be caged into the corner, move the pot out and put in a foam flower or variegated hosta, in the empty space try penstemon. Recommendations for ground covers would include thyme, moss phlox or snow in summer.
- —Guest Fallentimbers
Add Height
- I might add an obelisk with a climber at the drive end and move the plants around so that you get variation in height instead of medium height in the centre line and short plants either side. Alan Titchmarsh recommends planting in height triangles.
- —Guest Vee
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