Mmm, actually Lauren, I definitely don't think this exercise will be terribly helpful (although Marlorena has gotten you off to a good start)...because we are all coming at this with some massively different personal preferences, styles, soil types, and aspects...so you are going to end up with a mishmash of plants which may well be wonderful as specific specimens, but whether they would, or could be grown together is a moot point. As there are many thousands of wonderful plants to choose from, I would suggest that you immediately narrow down the list of possibles by setting the scene. Climate is only one variable - you could go all out for alpines, for woodlanders, for xeriscape or rain gardens. You might be in full sun or deep shade. Wind and rain will guide your choices - as will other wildlife (for better or worse). You could consider a naturalistic, oriental, formal, urban, cottage-y style. Not forgetting the wider situation and connection with the buildings (architecture, use etc.)Once you have set some parameters, you will find that appropriate plants will already be inclined towards a natural harmony (any healthy and well grown plant, at home in it's surroundings is intrinsically beautiful whereas the most refined and beautiful plant, grown badly or against its innate nature, will always look a bit dodgy (right plant in right place, in essence).

And finally, your own personal philosophy - the amount of time you have for maintenance, the size of space, your aesthetic sense, what the garden will be used for, and , of course, your budget.

I speak from long and woeful experience here - as one who has random and quixotic cravings for this and that plant, growing them gleefully only to agonise over placement, especially since many of them were grown on a whim with not a plan or strategy in sight...whilst you will learn about a lot of plants, you will have a garden like mine - a mess of pots, seedlings, single plants of every type and hue in an insane and chaotic jumble - this is NOT landscape design...or even gardening since many of these plants never get further than their seedling pots.

How about if you list all of your plants, first? We don't want to feel like we're doing your projects, lol.

if you are taking the class for a grade .. a degree.. i refuse to play ... all you end up learning.. is how to get answers from other peeps .... in my generation ... it was akin to looking at someone elses test ... it was called cheating ....

if you are taking the class ... as an offshoot to becoming a gardener/homeowner ... i can give ideas ... per rhiz note above ...

i hated doing my own homework.. i refuse to do others homework ...

ken

lol, this is not part of an assignment... and even if it was, I have compiled enough on my own to have more than enough ideas. This is a no-credit, online class that I am taking to learn new things. Just wondering what you've all had success with, I know many of you here are zone 5ers.

Some of my ideas are: baptisia, ligularia, goatsbeard, turtlehead, japanese forest grass, angelina sedum, jack frost brunnera, phlox jeanna, new england aster, shade clematis, serviceberry, variegated dogwood, [more variegated foliage ideas?], willows, smokebush, [more dark purple shrub ideas?], evergreens with yellow shades in the fall, flowering small trees, hydrangea (lacecap variety), ninebark... I have MANY other plants I could add to this list but these are the ones that I have a particular fondness of that I do not yet have in my landscape. And I'm well aware not all of these will work together, really all I'm trying to do is get a list of plants I like, then go from there.

camp - I appreciate your comments, I don't plan to use everyone's suggestions, this is really just a way for me to get more plant ideas on paper, I will do my own research and see if they would work in my landscape. If they will, I may use them, I may not - depends on how the whole thing looks together in my head. But here's this if it helps: I have 3/4 of an acre with sun/shade all over the map - dark shade, light shade, bright sun, part sun, etc... soil for the most part is clay but I have amended many planting areas with compost and will continue to amend and time goes on... I like a full look, cottage style I guess, informal. I am always in the garden so I don't mind having to trim things, deadhead, water, whatever. I realize my style is a little high maintenance but I am OK with that for now.

Well yes, this is what I do - have a list of plants I really like but in terms of structuring a landscape, this way of going about it is destined to be frustrating and costly - I honestly think a bit of really specific focus helps..are they meant to be flowering at the same time? Do you want a list which will take you across the full season? Or mainly, say spring. Shade...or sun. I know I am not helping here but 3/4 acre can contain many microclimates, and often, a popular choice is to split a larger space into smaller, discreet areas which try to follow a particular theme - doing the entire garden along the same thematic lines can be taxing. Simply listing plants which survive in zone 5 is neither here nor there and keeping it down to 20 or so is a real test...but this is usually why I rarely chime in when people ask for recommendations for this or that...because it is all so contingent as to be a bit pointless. Still, you have identified soil type and basic style, as well as climate so we are getting it down a bit.In your position, I would try to identify the bones or the foundation of this fictive landscape - for example - a wild and free scape of tall perennials, grasses and anchoring shrubs, for full sun...and take it from there.

Ah, beg pardon, I just realised we are talking about an actual landscape - yours in fact, and not something made up. Apols. Still, same things apply. I love dahlias, for example, but they would be inappropriate both stylistically and bio-culturally, in my woodland.

ok, more specific...

part sun to full sun, clay soil, I have around a 600 sq ft area I'm looking to plant in next year - very long fence line, about 8ft in width (for now). Any suggestions for some bones I can add to this area? Evergreen types with fall interest? I'm definitely looking for 3 season interest at least. Any suggestions for small trees? I love purple foliage too...

I realize this size area may take some time to fill in, that's OK with me... just want to get a good start on it next year.

I appreciate any advice you can offer!

Lauren - I can't help with plant suggestions but I would urge you to always use the botanical name for a plant and the cultivar name if there is one. That way you will know exactly what you are getting and others will know, or can find out, exactly what you are talking about.

Rather than plant suggestions - most of what grows in my zone is unlikely to do very well or be particularly suitable in yours - I am going to give you a resource suggestion :-) Get a copy of The Well-Designed Mixed Garden by Tracy DiSabato-Aust (library, Amazon, book store). This is the companion text to the Well-Tended Perennial Garden but expands the focus well beyond just herbaceous perennials to include trees, shrubs, vines, annuals and bulbs. This book is intended to help you combine various plant types into a mixed setting based on whatever criteria you establish - structure, winter interest, flowering times, complimentary coloring and texture, light conditions, etc., etc. And it is very well illustrated with both line drawings and photographs. It also offers copious lists of plants for particular situations, which I'm sure you will find extremely helpful.

As a 'budding' landscape designer, even if only in your own garden, the plant selection process can be overwhelming and there is always the urge to pick out the plants you most favor. But knowing how best to combine them and add others you may not be as familiar with will result in a more cohesive and better thought out garden design and this book should be hugely helpful in that regard. At $40 bucks new ($25 soft cover), this is a cheap investment for a lifetime of garden design inspiration.

The DiSabato-Aust books are great. I'm still just beginning to learn about proper maintenance for perennials, and the "Well-Tended" book has been one of the best sources for that. Originally I had the idea that I would just plant a bunch of locally native plants which would need hardly any maintenance except the annual cut-down in late winter. Not so easy.

Another favorite of mine is Roy Diblik's "Know Maintenance" book. It's got lots of good starter plans that are all 10 feet deep (front to back), so pretty close to what you're working with. It's all perennials, but would give you a good starting point. His nursery is in Wisconsin (zone 5a), so I think most of the plants he discusses would work reasonably well in your zone.

One thing I didn't see on your list was perennial geraniums. There are so many wonderful ones to choose from whether you are looking for a sun lover or something that can tolerate shade. A few of my favorites are psilostemon (large plant, magenta flowers, not for everyone but I adore it), Rozanne for its amazing bloom time and I love the way it sprawls, Purple Pillow for the color of its flowers, Bevan's Variety for its ability to grow in dry shade, and renardii for its gorgeous foliage.

I do actually have 'the well-designed mixed garden' and I finished it a while ago. I will re-visit it to get some ideas... sometimes when you finish a book you put it away and forget about all the good resources it had in it.

Thanks chou, I do have rozanne and I am obsessed with it. Will look at the other varieties you mentioned too!