Perennial Garden in Zone 7

last month

Hi! i just moved into a home (Zone 7) with an empty rectangular garden bed about 6 ft long by 2 ft wide. It backs to a fence and is East facing so it gets lots of sun until mid day. I know what plants I like but i dont know how to arrange them. I’d love a Japanese Laceleaf Maple. I like Iris, Peonies, Dwarf Hydrangea, Lavendar, Azalea and then I’ll add a few purple annuals. Any thoughts on the layout would be appreciated! I also need ideas for a path to the gate. Thank you!

Featured Answer

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

last month

A planting bed six fee long by two feet deep only gives you 12 square feet of planting area. And that is not nearly enough to accommodate the number and variety of plants you propose. The two foot depth is particularly problematic, as the maple and hydrangea will easily exceed that measurement and even the peony could exceed that in time.

If you want some thing taller, perhaps a couple of very narrow columnar shrubs, like Sky Pencil holly or Graham Blandy boxwood. Then fill in with the iris and maybe the lavender in the sunniest, driest location. And as many of the annuals as will fit.

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Comments (9)

mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
last month
Zone 7 where?
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last month
You might get away with something espaliered on the fence. Morello cherry should cope. Maybe a Chaenomeles cultivar.
K Moore thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
K Moore
Original Author
last month
7b Maryland
tracefloyd
last month
last modified: last month
A curved flagstone path of stepping stones to the gate will add a natural element and accentuate the circular shape of the gate.

It looks like you have room on each end of the patio for your wider shrubs and would give a softer sense of enclosure
K Moore thanked tracefloyd
K Moore
Original Author
last month
I love that idea! Thank you!
tracefloyd
last month
last modified: 27 days ago
My pleasure. Staining the fence a dark gray will let it recede visually, open up the space. Create a dry streambed for the ditch runoff.
K Moore thanked tracefloyd
K Moore
Original Author
last month
Wow! Beautiful!!
tracefloyd
27 days ago
last modified: 27 days ago
Same photo but I added some of your flowers and the two solar downlights. The stream is a bit more meandering.