What to plant here

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

Started planting along our back wall. So far we've planted the large evergreen shrubs/trees we needed for privacy to get those in.

In the center of the back wall we had 5 black stem pittosporum in standard form planted. They are 9.5 feet apart. On both sides of the group of pittosporum we had 5 zhu zhu loropetalum planted (5 on each side).

Now I'm stumped about what to plant under/around the pittosporum to fill it in. I do know I want it to be a mixed planting. I do want to use Grevillea Bonfire (I have another Grevillea down the way further and love it. My hubby also insists on Little John bottlebrush.

Stumped on how to go about it. Put the same shrub in the middle between each pittosporum so the background is the same and do a mixed planting all around those? Or do a mixed planting all together? Suddenly having trouble deciding what to put in and how to arrange it all.

zone 9, just outside Sacramento

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Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
i dont do CA.. so i cant make specific recommendations ...

but lets talk about your goal .. or lack of one .. and therein lies the problem ...

your first goal.. was the sight block.. so that made the decisions rather easy ...

but now.. you are at a loss.. because you arent sure if you want it all regimented like the previous ... or whether you want to start mixing it up a bit ... and we cant really define that for you ... where do you want to go with it??? .. and how much time do you want to spend on it.. weekly ...

my first thought was.. in 5 years [maybe faster in CA?] .. what you already have there.. will probably fill in nicely and be a rather carefree landscape ... could that be your goal??

which begs the question of instant gratification ... do you want to wait that long for it all to mature??? .. i figure not ... but it still needs to be addressed ...

all that said ... its a garden .. not an interior design.. just plant things that make you happy .. or hubby ... it can always be moved or removed in the future ... too many peeps.. think a garden is a plant once and forget about it type thing.. in my world.. warped as it is ... it isnt ... i think of it more of a collection of things.. that make me happy ... and if and when they dont.. be done with them ...

soooo ... whats your goal??? .. when you can elucidate it .... explain it ... then your problem is solved ....

aw heck.. just buy what pleases you.. and plant it ... lifes too short ...

ken

ps: i didnt know yards could be that big in suburban CA .. lol ...
A S
Original Author
9 years ago
The center is also straight off the patio. So fun, pretty, colorful. Love interesting flowers. That's why I love loropetalum and grevillea so much I think. It would be nice to have something that flowers other times of year besides spring.

Guess I need to draw on graph paper what both ways would look like and see how it goes.
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A S
Original Author
9 years ago
And the problem is, is that I like most everything at the nursery. But I don't think buying one of *everything* is a great plan either.
A S
Original Author
9 years ago
And yes I know my Nandina look like soldiers in a row. Gonna fix that.
A S
Original Author
9 years ago
Anyone have a minute to weigh in on whether you'd mix it all up? Or plant the same shrub between each pittosporum (likely grevillea) and then mix it up surrounding all the large background shrubs?