After almost three years in this house I am finally working up my nerve to start in on my courtyard. It gets mid-afternoon shade from the house and a little shade in the early morning from the wall and from two African Sumacs outside the wall. I’m on the lookout for a Musa basjoo or a Musa velutina (spelling doesn’t count, does it?)
Here’s what I have waiting to be planted.
Blue Daisy (3) | | Felicia | amelloides | Courtyard
Calla Lily | | Zantedeschia | aethiopica | Courtyard
Elephant Bush | | Portulacaria | afra | Courtyard
Giant Bird of Paradise | | Strelitzia | nicolai | Courtyard
Kangaroo Paws (5) | Bush Garnet | Anigozanthos | | Courtyard
Lily of the Nile (3) | | Agapanthus | orientalis | Courtyard
Mexican Bush Sage (5) | | Salvia | leucantha | Courtyard
Potato Bush (3) | Royal Robe | Lycianthes | rantonnetii | Courtyard
Split Leaf Philodendron (2) | | Philodendron | selloum | Courtyard
Tropical Hibiscus | President | Hibiscus | rosa-sinensis | Courtyard
I will need quite a few more things – including a Musa. It's a fair-sized (long and skinny) area. I’m looking for low maintenance, tropical-looking plants that will survive the heat of my zone here in Tucson. I’m also limiting the flower colors to red, purple, blue, and white.
I’m nervous about all this. I’m much more confident about my cactus and succulents! “Green things” seem so fragile to me. I am going to wait to plant the things that need to be protected from frost.
Other plants I should consider?
Things that ought to stay in pots?
Obvious purchasing mistakes I should regret?
General suggestions?
Jen
Seeking advice... lots of advice!
Sounds like an ambitious project. Learn from my mistakes. DO NOT PLANT THINGS TOO CLOSE TOGETHER!! I went from a charming garden to something i had to take a machete to in 6 months.
I would warn you about the potato bush. They get BIG and are somewhat bug prone. I have one that I trained into a tree but the other went bye bye. I did not have enough space allotted to it. I am the very fond of my mexican sage but it also gets large. I have some against a fence that I tie up that stay manageable but one I put in the front yard got to be 6'x10'. I have noticed other folks manage to keep them at bay. (I should note that it is near a brugmansia so it may get more food than is absolutely necessary.) Unless you have a HUGE area, I would not recommend planting 5 of them. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/457693/ Another happy plant in my xeriscape area is the red hot poker. Good luck!
I *know* not to plant too close but when I actually have shovel in hand and I look at the tiny plants I have to really work hard to resist the temptation. I thought the Mex Sage only got 3-4 feet wide! Yours is 10?!?! Holy cats! I thought I had checked up on that one. Shoot. I want it as a backdrop and I was going to put it about 2 feet from the wall. I have a lot of space to fill and these could give me an easy way to have a cohesive look - but not if they don't allow me enough space to put smaller plants inbetween them and the path. I'm really bad at estimating length so let me take the easy way out and tell you that the courtyard extends from the dining room, past the living room, foyer, and two bedrooms. Building a curvy wall was one of our first projects to help with the flat look of the house.
I haven't decided whether to use the Potato Bush as a bush or tree. I have room for several small trees. I've never trained a plant into a tree - at what height do I have to decide? I tend to like things more unkempt and wild looking but I don't want a big ol' bush taking over so I'll pobably give it a go. I'll worry about bugs later (can you hear my Scarlett O'Hara voice?) but I'll be on the look-out fo them.
Those poker things are Kniphofia uvaria, right? They look great for this area - especially if I can find some that are bright red. I'll start asking around.
Thanks so much for your wisdom, my dear frog! I really need all the help I can get!
Ok, Jen. Here's my two cents worth. Obviously you've got cactus and succulents because you live in Tucson and those kinds of thing grow there. Just as obviously, you like tropicals too. Sometimes one has to make compromises. I know Tucson is 2000 feet higher than Phoenix and not quite as hot. I also know that periodically you get the summer rains. Be realistic between what you really, really want and what you KNOW will probably be problems. Prioritize your desires. Sometimes I've made bad decisions in my selections of plants. But you know--I actually kind of knew I was making a bad selection, but I really, really wanted that plant. In effect, I had to teach myself the hard way.
Because I live in a mediterranean climate, I have the luxury of pushing sometimes. Consequently, I have basically a cactus/succulent garden-with things from South America, Australia, Mexico, you name it. I like a lot of tropical things too, but I can't go too tropical. So I have to temper things somewhat. I think that some Calliandras and Caesalpinias would do nice in your situation. Peronally, I like Kangaroo Paws a lot, but I've had lots of problems with them (read--gone through a lot of money).
Also, do you already have some sort of overstory to protect some of these plants from the hottest midday sun? I usually focus on the big things first (trees/large shrubs) and then work down. It's easier for me that way.
I hate to say this too--and frogs and every landscape designer worth his/her salt will disagree. I over plant (a lot). Then over time, I weed out or move what I don't want. I'm not patient either. I don't care how much I want a particular plant to succeed--if it's chronically a problem--out it goes!
My suggestion, start out with some of the tried and true things for your area (that you like), and then get more exotic. It worked for me, but I can't necessarily say that it works for everybody. Of course, my 'garden' is over 20 years old now, so I have the luxury to say that.
Good gardening,
-Ron-
Lol Ron. I am the queen of overplanting but will try to keep others from the same fate lol. For some reason, I have found the the yellow kangaroo paws fare better in the garden than the red. Dunno why.
Jen, do not feed the sage and they will probably be fine. They are easy and do not care about being hacked on and divided. The ones i have along the fence do not get as wide althiugh they are tallish at bloom time. They bloom late so it is nice to have them when all else is gone.
Not a great picture, but this dwarf hibiscus is a nice filler. You can train it up or down as well.
The sooner the better to train a potato bush into a tree. They are a fast grower so the window of opportunity is small. You can always put them in the ground in 5 gal pots until you decide for sure if you want them there. I wish I had done this with a few more things.
Here is a somewhat bright pic-the sun between the rainstorms. Here is the poker and lavender and to the right is an artemesia. On the right is a dietes vegata and I have a bicolor too. Good hard to kill plant. Mr bush with yellow flowers in the back is a carolina jessamine. It is a keeper too. Mine is old. It takes a while to get one that big.
Ron - the thing is I don't know which plants will be problems. I am so new at this. The sales clerks are so reassuring, too, lol! Do you see any red flags on my list.
And I need to add Blue Hibisucus 'Santa Cruz' (Alyogyne huegelii) to the list. At 8' tall it's my largest purchase. The plants that will hopefull be tall one day are tiny little things right now. *sigh*
I had planned on Calliandras but had forgotten. I've had good success with them. They'll be great in there - probably in the sunniest areas.
Unfortunately midday sun is is my biggest problem. The house starts shading in the early afternoon so I should probably put certain things against it. There's also a tiny area of porch shade at noon. I'm hoping to have time to taks a picture of the area and mark where I think things should go (and hope that I get corrected before I put them in the ground!).
I don't mind digging things up to move them but I worry that their roots will tangle with other plants and that I'll damage several plants in the process. Tell me this never happens, Ron!
Frog - Planting the Potato Bushes in plastic pots is an idea. Goodness knows I have a ton of them to spare! Can you point me to a site that explains "treeing?" Or can you explain it for me? Type slowly.
I've never fed a plant - time to learn about such things - but not on the sage, eh? OK, I feel better about them! They'll fit... or I'll make 'em fit!
I'll take a look at your lush pictures later today.. time to play taxi for the kiddos. :)