Canadian Gardening: Please help me plan my "Outstanding" condo garden, 0 by ginnylynn

ginnylynn wrote:
Okay - here's some ideas Sydney.

Since you are in a nice warm zone, if it was me I would fill up the space with tropicals and tropical looking things (remember things usually won't grow as large in pots as they will in the ground). Some possibilities, including more "normal" plants:

For height (4' - 6'): Ornamental grasses, Brugmansia, Canna Lily, Banana, Castor Bean, Oleander, Dwarf Lilac, Rose, etc.

Medium height (2' - 4'): Calla Lily, Datura, Freesia, Crocosmia, Colocasia, Alocasia, Dwarf Canna (Cleopatra is a nice one), mid-sized Ornamental Grasses (such as Purple Majesty Millet), Eucomis (Pineapple Lily), Miniature Rose, etc.

Lower height (< 2'): Smaller Ornamental Grasses, Caladium, African Daisy, Alyssum, Linaria (looks particulary good with grasses), Marigold, etc.

Trailers: Ivy, Ivy Geranium, trailing Petunias, etc.

I have used a number of these items in groupings in 1/2 whiskey barrels - here's some pics:

o Night shot of some of my barrel containers: http://davesgarden.com/tools/blog/viewimage.php?did=33408 Here's a link to my DG Blog of my gardens last year - more containers shown. http://davesgarden.com/community/blogs/t/ginnylynn/6595/

In the sample "plan" image I've attached here, I've tried to give the space some interest while still leaving room to manoeuvre around everything, and lots of clearance for the BBQ area. I had to guess at how your wall is designed. This is definitely not to scale either.

In the back left-hand corner I added something I did once on the tiny patio of a townhome I lived in - a small pre-formed pond. It measures about 36" x 20" with an 8" depth. I surrounded it with curved wall stone and topped that with flagstone to hide the pond form. I put a tall ornamental grass (labelled 1 - now I would probably put a banana or a brugmansia) in behind it, and placed smaller pots all over the top of the wall stone and in front of it too. In the pond I put a small pump to keep the water flowing and clear, a couple of smaller pond plants, and a bright yellow bowl with water cress growing in it - it trailed right out into the pond. I also added about a half-dozen very small goldfish.

In the front left-hand corner, labelled 2, I would put something really big and showy - a banana, brugmansia, Castor Bean, etc. I would do the same in the centre of the circular "planting" area.

If you start off with a few strategically placed showpiece items you can then fill in around them in graduated layers (taller to shorter) - and don't forget to add some of your favourite garden art as well - a sun dial, bird bath, small statuary, whatever suits your taste.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents, for what it's worth :-)

--Ginny