Need input and new ideas...

This is my front porch, long & narrow, & a work in progress. Im looking for ideas to make the best of what space I have. I like the Japanese Maple & fountain where they are but, really would like some help from this very creative bunch..Anybody wanna jump in?

planter's. plants, colors ,placement, whatever comes to mind...(Brain picking here)..lol

Oh yea, Thats Hank peeking out the window ( he has almost killed the blinds) another work in progress...ahhhh, maybe someone would like to make a suggestion there too?


Thx, Dixiechick

It has been said that cats don't like stepping on sticky stuff and if you put a clean board in the window sill with double sided tape stuck to the top side of the board the cat will avoid that area. I asked a friend who has two inside cats and he told me it works and will keep them at bay for weeks. Ernie

Thx Ernie, Sound's like a quick fix for the cat..Now if I could get the porch fixed up that fast....lol

Carol

Carol since you are kinda short on space and that is magnified by the things you indicate you would like to maintain have you considered large containers like half whisky barrels that you could change out as the seasons change. You could have replacements growing and move them to the porch as they reach their show. Three bright dark red gerainiums with three trailer ivy types of the same color with a white bacopa and three mid blue trailing lobelia would be nice for summer and fall. Ernie

Ernie, That's a great idea, I never thought about half barrels...Nice plants too.....Thx

Do you have a picture of your whole porch? It would help me get ideas that would look nice as a whole composition to see the whole space.

That planter to the left of the Maple - It might look nice to have another one exactly like it on the otherside........
Maybe some orange in there, to brighten things up. Marigolds (the kind that aphids hate, not the zinnia looking ones) might be pretty in them, along with some hot pink (cherry) million bells. I think those colors would look good with that dark brick and the white you have going. Just MY thoughts, here's a pic of the type of marigolds I am talking about:

http://plantsdatabase.com/showpicture/1465/

when grown in pots, and given plenty of water, the flowers are much thicker.

Here's a pic of the million bells, that will drape over pots as well

http://plantsdatabase.com/showpicture/17552/

(the hot cherry pink ones are the ones I like, although I didn't see a pic of them in there.

carol - don't know to much about this but have you seen the stuff that tom tom does in japan. hi containers are amazing. check them out in this forum some time ago.

herbie, I have been looking at Tom tom's planters and WOW!..there great!...I've done some changes and have more planned. It's looking MUCH better now I'll post pics as soon as I get My new puter back up and runnin...I'm using our old dinosaur now and it just wont do the pic thingy....

thx, Kerrie for the ideas and names of plants to use..you picked some nice ones too...


Carol

check out provenwinners.com - the have some great container 'recipes' - i also like looking through catalogs - white flower farm has some good combos too

Dixie What do you like to see think paint a picture with the plants including the structure and texture thats what I do a lot and it works for me I tru to visualize what the end product is going to look like when I do baskets and containers with annuals or a combination of those plus some prennial types including spikes and grass. Ernie

These are my ideas.... I do this a lot. In fact I'll upload my last pond project. It's not a patio tho I have designed many patios.
Opps ok this was closer to the end of the season when things were a little big. hard to see the balance. Color and balance is what really makes it all happen. You're in an area where you can grow some great stuff.

The pond is your focal, however in this case good to have something tall behind it. I'd raise the pond or drop the tree some so that it frames the pond more. Prune if needed but keep this classic tree as part of the sculpture.

Now add two small containers of Brazilian Cherry aka Grumichama. Put these close grouping everything tight, then on the ends and at the base, front of fountain colorful seasonal flowers you can change out with the seasons.

lol- I'm a tropcial fruit addict. Normally if I grow something I try to stick with exotics and something that gives me a bonus I can eat. I sell to customers as far north as Maine growing banana's, citrus, mangos and more in containers. With proper care they look great, do well and taste yummy.

Tamara Burton
Tam's Trees
www.tamstrees.com

Hi there, how about a small trellis with climbing snapdragons (the take shade or sun) , any flowering vine that you like and completments your porch- remember the dark colors recess making your porch appear wider, or use more interesting pots-wrought iron-terra cotta-copper etc. Check out the annuals in your area and add a little bit of color here and there. Oh and there is the old standby, the hanging basket.