Need help

Hi Bleujean … pics would really help as you said … what type of light do you get in this area?

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

bleujean,
pictures sure would help! And Welcome to GT!

-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a

Ok, pics are up there.

Very pretty entrance BJ …..

-- blooz 5b - You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt. ~author unkown

Is a very nice entrance.. Some height in your plantings would help a ton. I’d say a tall evergreen flanking the window. I’d say Sky Pencil, but think it’s too thin. Some other kind of holly may work, and you can prune them to shape, but most grow fast.

At any rate, some height would be great, give alot of depth to your landscaping that way.

-- Planting Daylilies in Kentucky, zone 6b

Yes, very attractive entrance way … A nice Dwarf Burning Bush or Dwarf Lilac would be attractive on the outside of that window. Both can be trimmed and don’t get too large. Either would give nice height and color. An easy way to research perennials is to go on line at the various nurseries (White Flower Farm or Spring Hill Nurseries) even if you don’t order from them, their plant descriptions and garden layout ideas are a great place to get ideas from. Check when the perennials bloom and buy plants that will survive in your zone and bloom at different times of the summer. May take a couple of summers to get it looking like you want … but that is half the fun … adding to it each year and watching it grow and mature.

Good Luck!! :-)

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

Ooohh.. Some good quality Hosta would look nice in front of the window and can easily be trampled in case of emergency egress. You can get them that are tiny, small, medium or flippin huge.

Not sure what you have in front of the window now.. Green like like either a type of Lily or Iris?

The bed down the walk is fine and can be pushed full of color, but you really do need to explore layering for that back area. small foreground, medium mid and large background with some huge plants flanking the windows.

If you’re not into evergreen, there ARE some perinatal flowers that get huge, 4-5’ high, even 6’. Just depends on what you want.

-- Planting Daylilies in Kentucky, zone 6b

Thanks everyone. I have started to do a bit of re-arranging. Today I am going to move the larger plants to the other side (left) and the smaller one over to the right. Maybe put the hydrangeas closer to the sidewalk bed, in front of the clematis. I am also going to re-arrange the bulbs (that is what all of the green is, in the middle).

I would suggest something cascading over the blocks boardering the walkway on both sides. Maybe some juniper or cottoneaster.

To add a blast of color and a welcoming touch to your entrance I would replace the little chair with a tall black cast iron urn with a tall grass planted in the center surrounded by some color.

I would also replace the white trellis with an iron obelisk

This would help tie everything into the beautiful storm door.

I agree with everyone else that some stately plantings in the background would help set everything into place.

Beautiful home.

-- Xploreorganics, 5b Canada, LFD 06-20

X, remind me to ask your opinion on some of the spots in my landscape some time.. ;)

-- Planting Daylilies in Kentucky, zone 6b

I have moved the large azaela over to the left so when it gets more leaves it will soften the corner. I have two rose bushes that I am going to put in front of that following the curve of the block. The small azaela is going to go just to the left of the trellis which I will probably replace as suggested above. Then I think the two hydrangeas in front of the azaela on the right going into the curve of the bed. I am then going to fill with some white and green hostas in front of the window. I am trying to recycle plants that I have on hand. As I said, I don’t want to block the window… I would kind of like something in the corner on the right by the stoop but it does not get much light and does get very wet from the downspout.

Could always put Impatiens in that corner … they like wet and not a lot of light. Even put the Impatiens in some sort of interesting container/basket. Color would be fabulous …

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

A Rhubarb plant would work in that wet shaded corner…Sounds strange but the leaves make a beautiful ornamental plant. I grown mine in almost complete shade and bog…It brightenes up a corner with massive foilage…and is edible. Or maybe giant butterbur (one I will be adding to my most wanted list) Petasites japonicus either regular or the variegated form would be even nicer ‘Variegata’ .

Sounds like you are off to a great start!

-- Xploreorganics, 5b Canada, LFD 06-20

I’m done. It was long hard day for me. Husband came home after running some errands and found me laying in the front yard declaring “I am way to ** old and out of shape to be doing this!” He shook his head and laughed. (I’m 45).
As much as I loved all of your ideas, I did as stated above: large azaela to the left on the corner, the two rose bushes following the curve on the left, bigger one then smaller in front. The smaller azaela to the right with the two hydrangeas curving toward the bed. I put hostas next to the stoop in that corner (although I do have a rhubarb plant I may put there, thanks for the suggestion!) I also put hostas along the wall in front of the window and behind the big azaela. I then went shopping. I ended up getting several ground covers and put them in with the taller toward the back and shorter towards the front. Most of them are different types of creeping thyme. I added two silver mounds, some rockn cress, creeping speedwell and something others. Mulched it all and looks like I have absolutely nothing there now. I hope it looks nice after it grows, otherwise back to sod!

Thanks for all of your help and suggestions!

Sounds like you had quite a planting and moving plants day.I’m sure it will look lovely when they bloom.Don’t forget to get a picture now though to look back on.

-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more

Busy indeed … I bet it is going to be just lovely once it all “takes” ... be sure to post a pic too, so we can see all your hard work!! :-)

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b