Need help with my pool area garden

We have recently redone the patio around our inground pool and have left an area by the back fence where we want to plant a garden--picture attached (we are also in the process of replacing the pool liner). We would like a mix of shrubs and plants, some flowering, some not, and maybe some ornamental grasses. We would like our plantings to be more sparse than dense and we want things that will provide a lot of color in the summer months. Our soil is very clay-like and we get very hot summers (Missouri, zone 5B). The majority of it gets full sun, but there is an area on the right that is always shaded by the redbud tree on the other side of the fence. Any ideas about what we should consider?

Hi amtmdm, sorry knowone came into this thread, I am not going to be a lot of help to you more some advice really, so to start with, you would be better to finnish all the pool work before you do any planting as for sure, no plants will like to be stood or trampled on when work is in progress, not too sure what you meen when you want shrubs and grasses with colour and perfume, this is a tall order as all these will need different conditions and in such a confined space, it will be hard to accomodate all of there different needs, but lets say for the shade area, you could grow Hostas and ferns, I know these are mainly green but hostas have various coloured leaves with a wide range of shapes/sizes and colours, also lovely pink/lilac flowers, but green is also a colour and if you get the shades of green right with the different textures, it can look most atractive within this area, you could also add some potted plants that can take a bit of shade like Fuchsias either as a standard or hanging, these can be changed for other pot plants in summer to change the colour scheem and taken indoors for shelter if required in winter. as for your other area in full sun, you have a wide variety of shrubs and grasses, but you have to keep in mind, shrubs grow quite fast and before you know it, you could be emptying thid bed as it becomes too thick, shrubs like Datura (angels trumpets) these have the most strong perfume, mostly in the evening, but not sure if they will stand your winter temps as you say you are in zone 5, Gardenia, some of the citrus family might be good as they give you the lemons, grapefruit, oranges, but if these are too tender, then mock orange is also perfumed, as for grasses, it all depends how tall you want the grass to be, there are hundreds, but for the ornamental type, the stipa type, pennisetum, or lagurus so there are plenty really nice ones, shrubs with winter perfume are daphne, hamamelis, also summer perfumes are Lavenders, no matter what plants you choose, you will need to improve your clay soil as this holds too much moisture, which in turn holds onto the neutrients that plants need, so if I were you, I would dig a load of the clay out, add lots of compost/manure to the beds and mix this with the remaining clay soil so that the soil gets aireated, the roots can breath and the plants can get food, wish I could be more help to you but also you should go along to the librery and get out some books on plants, landscapeing etc for beginners so that you can see some ideas and some pictures of some plants you might quite like and will grow in your climate, no use spending a lot of money on plants if they will die on you because it is too hot/too cold. a good way to see plants grouped together is to go to the garden center and all the ones you like, pull them out and group them together. move them around so you are happy with the group before you buy them, then you wont waist money and you will know what they look like beside each other. Good Luck, WeeNel.

In your sunny area, there is a small shrub that only gets to 2 ft by 18 inches or so called Bluebeard that would look good there. It gets purple flowers and attracts butterflies. In shade, ferns and hostas like WeeNel suggested. Japanese Painted Ferns are great ones cause they aren't green when they mature. Also one called Pewter Lace Fern that has color too. Vines that like shade are perennial sweet pea and clematis. Clematis can handle lots of shade to just shade on its roots. Tall phlox is a great plant for either light. Great purfume too. Will think of more later.

I wouldn't think a redbud tree would be that deep of shade unless the fence is helping shade the area. what do you mean by sparse rather than dense? most of the ornamental grasses i have seen are dense. are you refering more to space between the plants?

there are many light and airy roses. irises grow well short bloom time but also have nice fans the rest of year. gaura is light and airy. sedums grow well. bulbs. asiatic lilies grow well