The bed in our front yard is just too big and nothing seems to want to grow in it. Every year something else dies off. I want to re-design it so it is lower maintenance. I was thinking of 2 rings. 1 around the tree and 1 around the lamppost. In the middle I was thinking river rock. The 3rd pic shows how the design would look.
Should I just keep what I have or now or change it up a bit?
How is it irrigated?
If it is the same system as the lawn, then the plants you select need to be compatible with the water needs of the lawn.
If it has its own system, then you can adjust it to suit whatever you plant. The tree roots are more than likely under the lawn, so you are not really watering the tree when you water this bed.
Changing the shape is up to you, but I would try to find out why things are not surviving in there. No matter what shape the bed is, if you cannot correct the problem, things still will not grow.
I agree with Diana's last statement. You need to figure out the problem before deciding what to do with the garden. The garden as it stands is very pretty. Does it have irrigation or are you watering on your own? What sort of sunlight does the garden get?
I also agree with Diane, you cant say nothing will grow when your picture shows a healthy tree, a few low growing plants and the grass looks lush and green so it may be you have just selected the wrong plants to try grow where they maybe needed different type of soil, different light / shade or different environment all together.
Could you let us know what type of plants you did try, what happened (did they live more than a season or what) did you water /feed / or add any nutrients to the soil where you planted them, all that would give a clue as to how to solve your problems.
Altering the shape to have 2 circles and a load of large or small rock wont help, in fact, it could add to your problems as you would then have more work cutting around the the 2 circles and then weeding in amongst Rocks and edging the grass around this feature.
If you can give more info re what you did before with the type of plants used it would help us out.
Another thing is what type of tree is growing, and what soil amendments were added at planting.
Hope this helps when you get back to us, nothing in un-solvable, it just need thought.
Best regards. WeeNel.
You need to find out the problem before deciding what to do with the garden. The garden is otherwise very nice for me.
Is there landscape fabric underneath the gravel?
If weed'n'feed products are used on the lawn, they may be toxic to many ornamental garden plants you've tried.
How long had you been gardening on this bed?Do you have a good amended soil and how thick is the soil?
Belle
Work with what you have, the layout looks really nice.
Why not put shrubs and flowers in various sizes of pots, there are so many to choose from these days, have a look at my garden showcase files you'll see what I mean and when you get bored looking at the same layout you can change the pots around, I suggest you buy an X-Hose it expands to twice, three times it's length well worth the money, it doesn't take long to water your pots each day in the spring and summer.
Your garden seems nice, little renovation and it would be new again. Just visit the following website and take some great ideas for your renovation project. http://oceansrg1.tumblr.com/
Look at what grows well in your neighbor's yards. Native plants will work best with your winters. If you have ruled out the usual suspects" underwater/overwater", picking plants that have a freeze warning higher than your average winter temp at night, etc. Read your plant labels to make sure they are comparable to your setting. Make sure your mulch does not have "weed inhibitor" in it. Something to grow up the lamp post would be nice but you can add a stone block circle around the tree with a "cap" on it for sitting or setting a garden sculpture on it, Even ivy looks good on a lamp post if it is variegated for more color. You could plant lower, hardy plants or ground cover in front of the stone circle or place lovely bird houses on the stone circle for color and interest. Pick only two colors schemes in that small area to avoid looking "too busy". Grasses that are variegated or have interesting colors or form here and there can be hardy. You may have to cover some plants in harsh winter so good luck looking. Post pics for us as you go....thanks
I have a question similar to Dinok except that I am in South Central Texas. I have a Beautiful Cedar Oak planted by the previous homeowner. There is an iron circle around the tree about 4 inches high with some monkey grass sparsley planted. I tried putting pots with caladiums, violet, etc. but our heat managed to kill all of it. The house faces east and the front has partial sun from the tree.
I want to expand the circle but the front yard is small in front of our garden home. I had wanted to use the big box store stones to shape the circle or whatever but have learned here this might need to be done professionally and that is too expensive for me. I do know not to put dirt right up against the tree. I need it to be fairly maintenance free for health reasons.
I have some ornamental kale that we planted last spring in a back yard plot and it survived our 105 degree summer and so far our very cold winter. Unusually cold winter for our part of the country. I wanted to line the circle with Kale but read here it will not survive summer heat. Just wondering if it is a bad idea in spite of the fact that ours has been fine.
In addition, we have two holly bushes in front of the house that are about 24 years old and we want to plant another shrub in front of the fireplace to balance the house out. Not sure whether to plant another holly. Suggestions appreciated.
I tried to post a picture but for some reason it is not possible.
I apologize for this being a rambling post and promise to get better. Thank you for any input.
Hi 36ladybug,
Probably better to start your own thread about this, but here are a few more questions and (maybe) some answers.
How large a circle does the iron make around the tree? If it is fairly close to the trunk (say within about 5') I would not try to alter anything that close to the tree. If it is farther out then you might be able to change some things.
Why do you want to add the stones? Are there tree roots that make gardening difficult under the tree? Do you need to raise the soil level? Is the tree on any sort of a mound?
Are these 'stones' you want to add actually the shaped concrete material that can be made into a retaining wall? You can go on line to the manufacturer's web site to get instructions about how to build low walls (usually under 3'). If it is as I suspect you might only be able to add a couple of blocks, maybe 12"-18", or else the soil will be too high.
Plants in containers have a harder time than plants in the ground. In the summer heat they dry out a lot faster, and the roots heat up a lot faster. In the winter the frost can kill them easier than if they were in the ground. If you have a large enough container, or raised mounds of soil (with or without any retaining wall) these would be better than smaller containers for flowers.
As a general guide, flowering cabbage is fine in cool weather, and even a certain amount of frost, but will bolt to flowers in the lengthening days of spring, and usually will not tolerate the heat of summer. However, if it has worked in your back yard go ahead and try it in the front.
Other plants that thrive in the heat include Petunias, Cathranthus (common name is Vinca, but it is not Periwinkle the ground cover), and marigolds. There are many other heat loving annuals, too. Probably a bit early, but they will be showing up in stores soon. (Stores around here still have big supplies of red, pink and purple stuff left over from Valentines day).
About matching or not the holly, it is really up to you. Here are the things I consider:
1) Is the house symmetrical with respect to these areas? Are the existing hollies centered on some architectural feature that is repeated in the third location so that it makes sense to repeat a holly in that third location? Maybe an arch, or a push out of the wall, or a high window.
2) If the house is not so symmetrical that it calls for a repeat of the holly, is that 3rd location still a good candidate for some large shrub or small tree? Is it a large blank wall? Is it a window that needs some shade?
3) Is the rest of the layout of the garden such that a larger plant here would balance some other feature? The balance does not have to mean exactly the same thing or a mirror image, but rather the overall feel of a plant grouping, perhaps separated by a stretch of lawn or a walkway. Perhaps in one area there is a grouping of smaller shrubs and perennials near a low window, and this other area has a high window so a larger plant with a couple of smaller ones would work.
This is almost a 'feeling' sort of thing, not as precise as the other 2 parts of the question.
If the fireplace chimney is basically a blank wall, then something tall is in order here. Do you want something like a large shrub? (Branches and leaves to the ground) or do you want a small tree, perhaps with something smaller under it? Small tree would have a visible trunk, and even a small tree is taller than most shrubs, and the 'something smaller' could be flowering shrubs or perennials. Either a tall shrub or a small tree would stand up well visually with the tall chimney. Small stuff, by itself or a small group of small things tends to get lost against a tall chimney.
If the chimney is brick or stone, are there other brick or stone features near the hollies? Then repeating the holly seems like a good way to go. If the chimney is the only brick or stone in the front, then you can go with something else pretty easily. Is there some other plant or grouping in the front that you like, that is the right size?
Thank you for the thought provoking ideas and suggestions. I need to find out how to post a picture of the front of the house. No idea why it is not compatible. I will keep trying - a picture is worth a thousand words- they say.
The holly are beneath narrow windows flanking the fireplace. They are not very large, even though they are 20+ years old. The previous owner kept them less than 2' in diameter and height. The trunk itself is large.
The space between the two holly is about 8', the front of the fireplace is 6' wide. The depth of the bed is 3 - 4'. The front of the fireplace is flat but centered brick going up the face gives the illusion of a triangle shape.
The bed has weed guard cloth covered with landscape rock, not the tiny ones. The bed is looking a little tired because the rock is no longer attractive. The bed needs to be cleaned and redone. Because the holly is so old we cannot build up the bed to slope as we would like. We are stuck with a flat bed that can be somewhat redesigned. I am working on that idea. Not sure how to rework the bed.
I want use native plants if possible.
The circle with the tree is about 6' from the trunk. The reason for the stones is aesthetic only. I have also considered taking up the iron circle and just letting grass grow up to the tree. There are a few plants around the tree that seem to thrive. Last year there was a pepper plant the birds must have brought. We do not have great soil but it appears to grow things anyway or perhaps it was upgraded years ago.
Thanks again for your response. I need all the help I can get.
Your garden seems nice,you need to find out the problem before deciding what to do with the garden. If it is the same system as the lawn, then the plants you select need to be compatible with the water needs of the lawn.
This message was edited Feb 24, 2014 11:37 PM
