A bush to pull things together

[mystang89]

I've already asked in a few other landscaping forms but I figured I'd ask here just in case to.

We are doing our landscaping finally and purchaseda few plants I thought would go together. My wife thinks they clash and so I was wanting to find a plant that brought them all together.


That is the front of my house where I am landscaping. In the middle is where I want to put the 2 plants (same plant, just 2 of them). They will be the entrance to my door so I wasn't something that brings everything I'm planning together, something that isn't too tall (3 or so foot tall).

I'm planting Carmel Coral Bell in front of a Japanese Painted Fern. Those are really going to be what people see but then the smaller plants are in the picture along with hostas.


My wife says that the Bell and Fern are too much of a fall color and that the other flowers would stand out to much. I need something that will help here.

 

[Baymule]

I like all of them, but what do I know. We have pine trees and sand, sand, more sand, I am envious of your green grass. Want some sand?

 

[Alaskan]

If your wife doesn't like it... ask her what she wants that will make her happy.


Landscaping is super subjective. Different people like different things, I really don't think that there is any right way. Some like going with bold colors... and others like muted.

What does your wife think of plumbago? It kind of gives a soft feel... airy kind of bush with muted blue flowers. It might work as a nice background to tie it all together.

Wait a minute! You are in Indiana. What zone is that?

Your grass was so green, I was thinking zone 8 (where plumbago grows... there and further south actually).

Are you zone 7?

 

[promiseacres]

I like rhodenderns, peonies, roses.

That's just my favorites I have had around our homes.

Just whatever you plant make sure it has plenty of space, our current home has so many bushes that the previous owners planted so close to the house....now it just looks ugly..

 

[Latestarter]

Yeah... envision what it will grow into 5-7 years from now, and plan accordingly. Lots of folks plant with spacing based on the present plant size, and in 3-5 years, the whole space becomes overgrown and crowded. I wonder if Promise was meaning Rhododendron... If so, be real careful as there are over 1000 different kinds, and some are TREE sized! Many also shade out under-vegetation or poison the ground under their foliage, so nothing can grow there. They sure do have some pretty flowers though...

 

[Bunnylady]

Sooo, maybe I'm missing something, but I'm not seeing shade around that door (other than the porch roof, that is). Almost all of the plants you have named prefer at least partial shade; are you sure they will even grow there?

 

[mystang89]

I like all of them, but what do I know. We have pine trees and sand, sand, more sand, I am envious of your green grass. Want some sand?

lol, actually YES PLEASE! I actually had to buy a tri-axel of sand not too long ago for $250. If you come to southern Indiana bring a load with you .

If your wife doesn't like it... ask her what she wants that will make her happy.


Landscaping is super subjective. Different people like different things, I really don't think that there is any right way. Some like going with bold colors... and others like muted.

What does your wife think of plumbago? It kind of gives a soft feel... airy kind of bush with muted blue flowers. It might work as a nice background to tie it all together.

Wait a minute! You are in Indiana. What zone is that?

Your grass was so green, I was thinking zone 8 (where plumbago grows... there and further south actually).

Are you zone 7?

You are completely correct on all accounts. Landscaping is super subjective. Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder. However, I made a deal with her and she got to make up the inside of the house however she wanted and I gave her an island outside where I would plant whatever she wanted, whereever she wanted. The front of the house which acts as the first thing people see and "speaks" to people about what type of person lives there is mine. But I am trying to concede a bit with her which is why I've taken to the forums for suggestions on what might be good here
Also, I am in Southern Indiana which is still considered zone 5. Technically, 5b.
The Plumbago is a very pretty plant but the varieties of it don't seem to be what I'm looking for. The ground cover grows to only about 6-12" which is shorter than I want but the bush seems to grow to 6ft which is taller than I'm looking at. The way the porch was designed gives it a "smooshed" look as my wife says, so anything too tall, (over 3 1/2 ft) she is afraid would make it ever more "smoooooshed" Had to. Sorry.

I like rhodenderns, peonies, roses.

That's just my favorites I have had around our homes.

Just whatever you plant make sure it has plenty of space, our current home has so many bushes that the previous owners planted so close to the house....now it just looks ugly..

We seem to have plenty of space right now but I know it doesn't take anytime at all for that to disappear. It's like chicken math. Just...one...more...
The rhododendrons might be something worth bringing up to her. The ONLY thing that I disliked about the description was when it mentioned Azaleas were a sub genus of Rhododenrons. I will NOT plant Azaleas again. Do the Rhododendrons have the same soil requirements as Azaleas?

Peonies are pretty and I will have them on the property, (actually replanting one on the side of the house now, but they die back too much in the winter leaving an empty presence and not a long flowering period around here from what I had in Kentucky.
Roses are my favorite. I love them, but I have a whole area in the back of the house dedicated to all sorts of roses.

Out of all those I think the Rhododendrons might be able to pull all the colors together, both the subdued and the more flangrant. We'll see what she says. When I get a bit more time tonight I'll try to be more specific on my layout so that you all may be able to get a better picture of what I'm going for.

Yeah... envision what it will grow into 5-7 years from now, and plan accordingly. Lots of folks plant with spacing based on the present plant size, and in 3-5 years, the whole space becomes overgrown and crowded. I wonder if Promise was meaning Rhododendron... If so, be real careful as there are over 1000 different kinds, and some are TREE sized! Many also shade out under-vegetation or poison the ground under their foliage, so nothing can grow there. They sure do have some pretty flowers though...

+1 Absolutely! Plant for the future, not for the present. Everytime I tell my wife I would like to plant something here or there she always says that it won't fill that spot, or look good there by itself. She is the type of person who wants to do all at once. I like that too but money dictates otherwise and you also have to "see" into the future and know what you're wanting.
I noticed the tree varieties of Rhododendrons but didn't know about the other downsides. Thanks for bringing that into consideration for me if I decide to go with them or anything similar.

Sooo, maybe I'm missing something, but I'm not seeing shade around that door (other than the porch roof, that is). Almost all of the plants you have named prefer at least partial shade; are you sure they will even grow there?

Yeah, that picture was taken in the morning. So the porch is actually facing Northeast....ish. This means that the sun will be there in the morning from about 7am - 11:30pm. By 12ish its already on the side of the house providing shade for the front. So the glaring heat of the summer sun shouldn't be bad.

Once again, thank you all for taking the time to help me with this. I take landscaping very passionately as it is the first thing people see when passing the home or coming over. It's what tells about the person before anyone ever meets them and I love it.

 

[Bunnylady]

Ironic - we are spang in the middle of one of Wilmington's biggest celebrations, the Azalea Festival. You almost have to try to get them not to grow around here.

Not having the varieties in question in front of me, I have to go by the images that google brings up. It looks to me like the painted ferns have ruby/violet and silver tones. It looks like Heuchera 'Caramel' has mostly golden tones, with just a bit of pinkish highlights. Honestly, if those two were the only plants being planted, I'd have to agree with your wife - they clash. They can work, with the right companions. If I were planting these together, I'd work with more of the dark tones- maybe Heuchera 'Palace Purple' which has a similar leaf shape but more of the red/purple foliage. Barberries can have those sorts of colors, but some have wicked thorns, so you have to be careful about what variety you plant and where you plant it. I like white/silver foliage and flowers in most situations - white goes with just about anything, and brings a bright, fresh look that lets the bolder colors speak without getting noisy. I don't know how you feel about Lamium as a ground cover, but it's a thought.

Another possibility might be planter boxes on the porch. you can plant things that cascade out of the planter, getting color without a lot of height.

 

[greybeard]

Do research on Rhododendron ponticum. and mad honey
You will not like what you find.

(you have a very nice looking front yard just as it is)

 

[mystang89]

Ironic - we are spang in the middle of one of Wilmington's biggest celebrations, the Azalea Festival. You almost have to try to get them not to grow around here.

Not having the varieties in question in front of me, I have to go by the images that google brings up. It looks to me like the painted ferns have ruby/violet and silver tones. It looks like Heuchera 'Caramel' has mostly golden tones, with just a bit of pinkish highlights. Honestly, if those two were the only plants being planted, I'd have to agree with your wife - they clash. They can work, with the right companions. If I were planting these together, I'd work with more of the dark tones- maybe Heuchera 'Palace Purple' which has a similar leaf shape but more of the red/purple foliage. Barberries can have those sorts of colors, but some have wicked thorns, so you have to be careful about what variety you plant and where you plant it. I like white/silver foliage and flowers in most situations - white goes with just about anything, and brings a bright, fresh look that lets the bolder colors speak without getting noisy. I don't know how you feel about Lamium as a ground cover, but it's a thought.

Another possibility might be planter boxes on the porch. you can plant things that cascade out of the planter, getting color without a lot of height.

The previous house I lived in had Azaleas completely covering the front of the house, completely overgrown. I took them out, all of them, completely, root, line and sinker, nothing left and then proceeded to get a smaller version which I liked and put it back in. They wouldn't live past a year. I gave up on them.
The bold print is why I never succeeded in my ardent quest of becoming a trend setter with clothing Seriously though, that I why I'm very appreciative of everyone taking the time to respond. There can be so much learning done and so much beauty brought about if people keep their minds open but focused on what they want. Two people melding different ideas can come out to be a masterpiece....or a sloppy mess but I'm going to be optimistic here

Do research on Rhododendron ponticum. and mad honey
You will not like what you find.

(you have a very nice looking front yard just as it is)

NOT MY BEES!!! YOU MESS WITH MY HONEY AND YOU'VE STRUCK THE WRONG CORD!!!! I don't think I could function without the honey from my beautiful bees. That breaks my heart because those are very pretty plants. If it had just been specific to the Rhododendron ponticum then I just wouldn't get that variety (it was too big anyway) but it seems to be Rhododendron in general. Also, thank you for the compliment My yard means a lot to me and I haven't even been able to mow it yet this year

I have attached a beautiful rendition of what the house would look like with the aforementioned plants. Please remember that they are not exactly size appropriate. I am also inserting what plants I am using along with what they look like. It might help to zoom in? I hope this helps to give you all a picture of what I'm trying to envision in my head.

So in the picture the Japanese Painted Fern is going to be closest to the porch with the Carmel Coral Bell in front of it since it grows taller and wider than the Carmel Coral Bell. I was thinking of the Hostas flanking the sides of them and a couple different varieties of Day Lillies in between these two sets. Two of these sets (the Fern, Bell, Hosta) would be on one side of the steps with 2 on the other side of the steps. That leaves an empty spot next to the steps which I'm hoping to be able to find that special shrub to tie everything together. On the corner of the porch and house next to the swing I am going to have the Miss Kim Lilac with a few Hostas around it too. I'm open to other smaller plants going around that area in the future such as Iris' or even the small evergreen shrubs (1-2' tall) On the opposite side of the porch, in the corner next to the house will go my Dwarf Japanese Maple surrounded by Hostas. (They left a lot of Hostas here...) Again, open to something else going there in the future.

I welcome all ideas and questions.