Time for a change

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

I'm ready to replace my foundation shrubs (8; 4 on each side.). I have red and green Barberry on the front beds next to the house. They look great but are showing age. At least 2 need to come out. I'd like to replace them with evergreens that cap at 3ft or so. I also don't want to do a lot of trimming as I am getting older. I like boxwoods but they grow so slowly. Maybe I'm looking for a unicorn, but would appreciate your ideas.

Featured Answer

cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)

5 years ago

"evergreens that cap at 3ft or so"

If you are looking for easy care conifer I can highly recommend Thuja occidentalis 'Tom Thumb.'

I have several groups and love them.

And I have to say that the phrase "foundation shrubs" gives me pause- you always need room to work behind the back of any bed, especially next to a structure. I try to leave a minimum of three feet- wide enough to go through with a wheelbarrow. Sooner or later you'll need to service something- siding, windows, paint, gutters etc. PLUS all plants need to be out where rain can hit them easily.

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Comments (6)

Marie Tulin Boston burbs z 6a
5 years ago
Really, truly we need a photo or five/ In part because we don't know what burberries are . If we see a photo we might be able to tell what plants you have now. There are a lot of good gardeners here, and they welcome questions. But not a single one is mind reader.
laceyvail 6A, WV
5 years ago
Might the OP have meant barberry--Berberis?
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mzdee
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you Lacey. They are barberry shrubs and auto spell correct is not my friend.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
location.. big city name..

pic is really necessary ...

what do you mean when you said: I'd like to replace them with evergreens

any limit on that.. anything evergreen ...??

trees.. aka.. conifers .. never stop growing at some magical height.. so those can probably be ruled out.. especially since you also state time is of the essence ... the ones that stay real small.. will take forever to grow to size.. and they will just keep going ...

how deep are the beds.. what is the soil.. how many ours of sun.. at what hours ... do understand that foundation plantings are planted to hide the foundation.. properly done.. not on the foundation ...

you havent really given us much to work with.. so the pic would be worth a million more words ... from the curb so we can see the whole front of the house..

ken
mzdee
Original Author
5 years ago
Working on getting a good photo. In the meantime, I'm in zone 6b right outside DC in MD suburbs. The beds on either side of the house are appx 15 ft. long and appx 5.5 ft deep. Soil is clay although after years of mulching the soil in the bed is in fair shape and has good drainage. The beds currently have barberrys at the rear of the bed. There are perennials like salvia and cone flowers in the space and of course each year I add annuals. The left bed gets full blistering sun

The right gets dappled shade from a crabapple planted in an adjacent bed. Hope this helps until I can upload a pic of the front of the house.