bush dilemma for Frontyard

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Hi everyone,

Frantically redoing yards of his fall. Apologies for asking so many questions about my design dilemmas.

I have a part shade spot in my front yard. The backdrop is a row of box. In front of it there will be a row of golden grass - Carex elata aurea most likely.

I am trying to decide between:

A. Daphne summer ice or Daphne transatlantica Biafra
B. Firefly Heather
C. Choisya gold fingers

I have a Daphne blafra on hand. But I worry it won’t look good with the box parterre. On the other hand sumner ice has silver edges but I worry it might grow too big.. 2 feet or 2.5 max height.

Any other suggestions?

My sunny yard is becoming shady due to a neighbor’s large tree. I am having to redo big chunks of it as my roses no longer flower.

The area is the space below the box hedge. The grassy stuff is liriope which has never flowered. This area is part sun during summer. Any suggestions for what I could plant here is most welcome!!

Other side of the stairs that I am working on:

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Comments (5)

floraluk2
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
You are going to have to tell us where this yard is located and provide pictures. It is impossible to envisage your ideas at the moment. The plants you have mentioned are different sizes and you don't explain where you want to place them in your scheme.
Dorian W (PNW 8b) thanked floraluk2
Dorian W (PNW 8b)
Original Author
2 years ago
Fair enough. I will take pics this afternoon. Rather rainy here.
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
2 years ago
From previous postings, the OP is located in the PNW, zone 8b.

Skip the heather - for best growth and appearance, especially coloring, it needs full sun.

Both the daphnes and the choisya will exceed your 2-2.5 foot height limit. But can be pruned to keep smaller (although not ideal).

With the green box and the gold grass, it would be nice to select a shrub that combines those colorings. And one that provides a contrast in leaf texture/size if possible. Shrubs that stay as compact naturally as you desire are few and far between so expect to do some pruning to keep things in size.

And yes, photos would help :-)
Dorian W (PNW 8b) thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
Dorian W (PNW 8b)
Original Author
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) and @floraluk2, sorry for the delay. I just updated with photos. Let me know if these photos are useful. If not, I can take more.

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9), I am totally open to any other shrubs or grass/perrineal suggestions. These were only my initial thoughts.

Currently the grass is liriope. I had a previous thread about replacing it with something more interesting. I settled on carex elata aurea, but I haven't planted them yet. So even that can be changed.
floraluk2
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Photos can be deceptive but it doesn't look to me as if there is room in the angle of the steps for any kind of shrub really. Maybe a shade tolerant cushion-forming sub shrub or evergreen perennial. Or a hardy fuchsia? That would give you colour in shade but you'd not have anything to see in winter.

The space is rather an awkward one. I don't know why the builder didn't just carry the front wall right up to the steps. You could perhaps lay 2 rectangular pavers there and place tallish containers to flank the steps.