Small Space Flower Garden

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

Hello! I am hoping someone more experienced than I can help me with the below space. For some context, I am a late 20's bachelor that does not desire to do a lot of high maintenance yard work! That being said, I am looking for some suggestions for year-round and decent looking options for the below space. I was thinking a row of perennials in the front and maybe taller bushes in the back? I am completely lost on what to go with and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

The area below only gets direct sunlight in the morning as an FYI, and I live in Texas.

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Comments (5)

Steven Murray
Original Author
5 years ago
Any help would be great!
baileysr
5 years ago
Do you like to cook? Looks like a great place for an herb garden.
Steven Murray
Original Author
5 years ago
As I mentioned, looking for a low maintenance solution! Thanks anyways.
Villain Rose (Zone 11 Qld Australia.)
5 years ago
I can't figure out if this area is dug out, or you want to put pots on top of the black sheeting there? I also agree with the suggestion of some sort of herb garden. Herbs come in a very big variety and are also aromatic when you walk past, making your garden interesting.
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Did you cover it with weed block fabric? If so, remove it since it will make it more maintenance in the long run since it won’t prevent weeds but will make them more difficult to remove, and it will create problems with movement of nutrients, air and water into the soil. If you don’t believe me, do a search on the shrub or perennials forums for “landscape fabric”. Here is a list of threads on landscape fabric on the perennials forum.

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/peren/query/Landscape-fabric/nqrw

Is it in ground? Is the soil depth right up to the top of the patio surface? If so, remove some of the soil so that after planting you can add a couple of inches of bark mulch to help even out moisture and temperature and reduce weeds in a way that benefits the plants. In a space that tiny, weeding and maintenance shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes every 2 weeks if that. If you leave soil and mulch right up to the patio surface, when you water or there is rain, soil and mulch will end up on the patio surface.

What are the measurements for the size of the space? I don’t think that you have space for 2 rows of plants with both shrubs and perennials. You could do a couple of small shrubs and a groundcover or a groundcover and an appropriately sized vine on a flat trellis.

No garden will be maintenance free, but for me, the keys to low maintenance are mulch, plants suited to the spot, both in size and cultural requirements, and removing any weeds before they get established. Since you appear to have a roof over the spot, you will most likely need an automatic drip watering system.

For specific plant recommendations, try the Texas gardening forum here on the gardenweb part of Houzz. Be sure to tell them your approximate location in TX and general hours the area has sun. I know what I would plant in my area in that spot, but NH is just too different fromTX for me to make sensible plant recommendations.

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/txgard