Hmmm....IDK..looks like a perfect spot for a veggie garden to me.. if the area is nothing more then a path ..and if they have younger kids they want to be able to see int eh yard shrubs or hedges wold grow to tall .
If they Really want shrubs there.. some fragrant floriabunda or grandaflora roses would be nice. And I'd put in a ton of early spring to late summer bulbs.

I don't know that I would want a hedge or a fence there. I like seeing the expanse of the yard. Seems to me a hedge would cut the yard into two parts; one yard, the other patio... unless that's what they want.

Maybe one shrub off to the left of the first photo, above the area with the steps, and maybe another shrub in the small existing bed off to the right. Sorry, I'm coming up kinda blank.

It's a very nice patio and wall, by the way. Nice area to sit in. Let us know what your friend decides to do.

Dee

I'm with the others - I think a hedge would be very dividing - creating a separate lawn area and separate patio area. Also, since you mention that this patio area is not very wide - how would a hedge affect the sun?

I personally like the idea of something short and trailing over the wall. Basket of gold comes to mind. And for some reason, I think silver mound artemesia would look nice there.

I think some shrubs - all of one kind - would help; the stark wall and grade difference already creates two spaces. As long as the shrubs aren't very tall, and are spaced fairly widely, they wouldn't really split the space any more than it's split now.

A picket fence would not work well, IMHO, because of the curves in the wall; the same would be true of the rigid line of shrubs in a hedge. Maybe spacing something like small hydrangeas (is Pia hardy there?) in the forward arcs would make the curves seem more ... rational? Or, since it will be DRY at the top of the wall, and it looks sunny, what about a "sparse and staggered" row of something like Russian sage or Caryopteris? R.S drapes really nicely and would do a lot to soften the hard line of the wall.

I'd pick one variety of draping foliage plant, and one variety of small shrub, and then fill in between with whatever appeals.

Was the purpose of the curves to make the wall seem more "natural"? To my eye, they make a busy situation busier, but that's obviously just a personal bias in my point of view.

Thanks for your input all.

She is currently leaning towards Physocarpus Coppertina. So you think not as a hedge, just a spaced row with some separation? More of a gentle divide than a harsh hedge-like divide. I can picture it. Hopefully 3 will do the trick. 5 might be too strong.

Pia is adorable, but too cold here. She's in southern NH.

When we were on the patio staring, we definitely saw a need for a single species and minimal flowering to calm the look. In front of the wall are many many many different species. I don't know that coppertina is calming, but it is a really nice plant.

The part that you can't see, down towards the patio, and just at the driveway edge off to the right, is loaded with color and foliage diversity. (ivory halo, purple sandcherry, more rudbeckia and more I can't remmeber)

This section in the photo is not the patio... just the entry way to the patio.

You're right about the S's. They are a bit overdone. From the front it doesn't seem as S'y as that sideway shot. Good opportunity for some draping to tone it down. I have some excess false plumbagos that I need to edit and control. That doesn't get busy til late season so that might work.

Any other draping candidates?

other small shrub ideas?

I'd probably go with a more neutral shrub. It seems like the red leaves of the coppertina could really clash with the rudbeckia. As well, those hostas seem to have light green leaves. I'm just wondering if the coppertine would just add more distortion to an already busy view?

What about some type of juniper? Blue Rug would trail over the wall, but doesn't get much height - just a few. Blue Star gets a bit more height, though doesn't trail as much.

Hi Wendy, your friend has a nice yard there. Great patio too. I like that stretch of trees in the back of the property that makes a very effective screen. It's not easy to divert water to where you want it to go, so if that solution is working it is a major accomplishment.

I'm getting the idea that they are not using that grassy area for anything and the main concern is a planting around the patio that enhances their experience when using it? Is this the main backyard or not?

Just building on your original idea of a sense of enclosure for the patio. To me the retaining wall itself has already provided some enclosure and you would have to consider whether you want to completely screen off the area behind the patio from view from the windows of the house facing it and from people sitting on the patio. It would seem that they already have quite a good screen in the back with the trees and a 4ft hedge added to the wall might screen everything behind it from view when you are sitting on the patio. You might want to sit on the patio and place a 4ft high stake in the ground and see what you can see above it from a sitting position.

I have a low wall that I've been trying to find trailers and low shrubs for and I have not enjoyed basket of gold, because of the way it looks out of bloom. I do enjoy phlox subulata, 'Silver Mound' artemesia and golden thyme, for looking good all season and ease of care. Or one of the creeping veronicas is nice for something very low. I like the Rhododendron 'Purple Gem' for a dwarf shrub. And one of my favorite dwarfs is the Clethra. It always looks good all year and has white fragrant flowers mid summer. I think they have a dwarf variety now but I don't remember the name. Dwarf Japanese hollies or boxwood are nice too, if you want no bloom at all. I wonder about a combination of a dwarf boxwood with a dwarf hydrangea at all? White flowers seem very unifying to me. I know she is in NH....zone? Not sure if there is any kind of dwarf that is hardy there, but I would look for one.

I had a link to a great article, called 'Dwarf Shrubs - The Perfect Choice For Many Reasons', but GW would not allow my link because it was on DG. But if you google dwarf shrubs, it is one of the first links on the first page.

I have 3 retaining walls.
The wall above my perennial garden has juniper,a birch tree and winterberry. The wall outside my bedroom has dwarf pine along the top with a garden facing the bedroom, and a tall wall above my leach field has dwarf lilac with mixed shrubs facing the house.
I can certainly picture dwarf pine or juniper along your friend's wall. I think it would help to unify the area...it does look like a 'busy' area from the photos.