Need your opinion on flower bed design

5 years ago

Hi everyone,

I would appreciate your advice on the design of a flower bed in my Zone 3b/4a backyard please! My new backyard has a linear design, to go with the linear design of the house. I have never done a vegetable garden but this time, I would love to try it! However, in order to go with the best south facing, sunny location, I need to put the vegetable garden "inside" an L-shaped flower bed, which is next to a Japanese garden. In one arm of the L-shaped flower bed (facing south) I have just planted a row of Winnipeg Parks roses. The question is, what should I plant in the other arm of the L-shaped flower bed, which is between the vegetable garden and the Japanese garden? Please bear in mind that I am just experimenting with the vegetable garden so it probably will stay pretty small as is. Here are the 3 options:

1. Option 1 - plant peonies in the flower bed between the vegetable garden and the Japanese garden. I love that the healthy foliage of peonies will go well with the Japanese garden.

2. Option 2 - plant peonies in the flower bed, but also add Denim & Sage Russian Sage next to the roses, as I am just dying to get some Denim & Sage Russian Sage next to the roses! However, then the vegetable garden will become smaller, which may be OK as I am not really an avid vegetable gardener...

3. Option 3 - plant the Denim & Sage Russian Sage in the L-shaped flower bed, and I will find a home for the peonies elsewhere. But then does Russian Sage go well with a Japanese Garden and the dwarf Eastern White Pine there?

What do you think will look the best? Honestly, I care more about the form than the vegetable garden...! I know, it is a bit weird to have a vegetable garden next to the flower bed, but then this is the only south-facing spot that I have, without ruining the overall design of the backyard....

I appreciate your advice and opinions! Thank you in advance.

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Comments (5)

pds290
5 years ago
I will leave it to others to answer your question of placement, since I’m unfamiliar with Japanese garden design. I would, however, think about one thing for your vegetable garden. Figure out how you are going to plant it so that each vegetable can be reached while you are stepping on something other than your planting soil. Vegetable gardens necessarily get more traffic than any flower gardens other than the most active cutting flower bed because you’ll be picking from them daily or close to it. Right now it looks like you will either have to step in your flower bed or in your carefully filled veggie bed to pick your tomatoes, water, or check for pests. One possibility is to incorporate some of your more attractive veggies in among the front of your flower bed, though I’m not sure how Japanese that is. The front of my flower bed has my salad greens tucked alongside shorter edible flowers. Another possibility is to make your veggie garden more of a U shape, with a path down the center so you can reach everything. Enjoy your garden!
ostrich thanked pds290
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
do not use landscape fabric under mulch ...

but if you are using it on top of the soil to warm such ... a farming use .... then that is a different question ..

most veg are annuals ... just plant them.. take notes.. and change it all next year if it didnt work out ... only the perennials would require some level of permanent placement ...

J gardens evolved over centuries ... do not think you can make one in one season .. the whole point of gardening is trial and error ...

so just do it.. and then go all zen ... and it will be easier to do such.. if you dont go all interior designer.. on your exterior garden ... trying to force anything on ma nature.. usually doesnt work out..

ken
ostrich thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
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ostrich
Original Author
5 years ago
pds290 - thank you! What a great point. I should consider making that U shaped indeed. Thank you!

ken - you are so right. The veggies that I am considering are all annuals. In fact, I was thinking that if it does not work out, I can just turn that whole area into a rose garden or something! I am not afraid of moving perennials but then I would rather not move my peonies once they have been planted. That's why I was wondering whether they should be planted between the vegetable garden and the Japanese garden area? Or does it look better with the Russian sage there?

In terms of the landscape fabric, my friends who are avid vegetable gardeners around here said that I should do that. I thought it was to keep out the weeds!!! But perhaps they do that to retain the heat? Anyway, now that you have mentioned it, I should think twice before putting the mulch down! Thanks again.
emmarene9
5 years ago
I would use the Russian Sage because if it gets too large it can be pruned.
ostrich thanked emmarene9
ostrich
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks, emmarene9! I am currently leaning towards option 2 above, to have both the Russian Sage and the peonies there! Hmm.... let me think more.... LOL! Thanks again.