Anyone a gardener? MINOR UPDATE

[crl]

UPDATE

The old hedge came out this morning and my three year old and I just planted three dwarf rosemary plants (blue boy), two dwarf lavenders (Miss Katherine) and four creeping thyme plants (pink chintz). The stepping stones are in dh's car so I will have to set them in tomorrow. I think we need some more creeping thyme, so I am debating more of the same or doing a different one.

Looks pretty empty right now, but mulch will come on Friday and that will help. And I am trying to get the right sizes for when they are full size so I'm not constantly having to prune so trying to be patient. I wonder about filling in with some annuals this summer? Would that inhibit growth in the permanent plants I just put in?

Thanks!
Catherine


I haven't gardened in years and this is a new climate for me anyway.

Our new-to-us house has a small unattractive hedge in a small uneven U shaped area between the sidewalk, house and driveway that needs to be taken out as it gives me a rash when I work around it (I have had this problem with pine relatives before). We are in zone 10a with sandy soil and the spot gets sun in the afternoon.

I am thinking of replacing it with a dwarf upright rosemary variety, a small lavender variety at the back and some stepping stones and thyme at the front. Does this sound like a good plan? Like it will work aesthetically and practically? I thought I might add some small spring bulbs in the fall to the thyme area?

Thanks for any feedback!
Catherine

[Pepper]

Well, I'm jealous of your zone 10 as I sit here shivering in 6b (it got COLD again and the wind is howling).

Rosemary, lavendar and thyme sounds lovely and aromatic. COuld you put in a rugosa or other tough rosebush for some color and additional fragrance? I have one of those "Fairy" roses in my garden, small pink blooms but it flowers all summer long. Only gets to 4-5 ft big so not too high, might be able to work one into your new hedgerow.

[crl]

Well, I'm jealous of your zone 10 as I sit here shivering in 6b (it got COLD again and the wind is howling).

Rosemary, lavendar and thyme sounds lovely and aromatic. COuld you put in a rugosa or other tough rosebush for some color and additional fragrance? I have one of those "Fairy" roses in my garden, small pink blooms but it flowers all summer long. Only gets to 4-5 ft big so not too high, might be able to work one into your new hedgerow.

I will have to figure out the exact dimensions to see if I can get anything else in there. The space is pretty small. I was also thinking maybe asiatic lilies behind the "hedge". Not sure if they grow here? I will have to check the zone. But I thought that would be some seasonal flowering and height without taking much horizontal space. There is also a built in window box above this space and I plan to keep it filled with annuals, so flowers pretty much year around here.

Thank you!
Catherine

[Pepper]

Can you post a pic of the space? I'm having trouble visualizing it...I lived in SoCal many years ago, trying to think of the plants I saw then (we were in apts at the time). Bouganevilla, maybe? (I'm sure I spelled that wrong)

I always loved Sunset magazine for foods/recipes and gardening advice, I know they have good gardening books for the warmer zones. Maybe something's available at the local bookstore or Home Depot?

[crl]

I am so lame I haven't figured out pictures yet. Not sure if this will help.

As you face my house to the right of the front door, there is a window with a built in window box. Below that is the small area of hedge. To the right of that area is the driveway. In front of that area is the paved walkway that connects the driveway to the front door. I think at its widest point along the house, under the window it is five feet and the longest point (from the house to the walkway is also about five feet). So it is a small area.

Bougainville is gorgeous. It's a vine. I'd have to think a little about how to make that work.

Thanks!
Catherine

[Pepper]

That does help, I get it now! Probably not enough space for a rosebush. Is there room for a trellis to hold the bouganevilla? I assume that you don't want to block the view from the window with shrubbery.

[ahisma]

Check on the Rosemary. I've found it to be very temperamental, both indoor and outdoors. I'm not in CA though, you may be well suited for it. Are you sure that doesn't trigger your allergies? I thought it was I. The pine family, but could be wrong.

[crl]

Rosemary grows well here. Or at least it is everywhere and looks healthy, even in somewhat neglected yards. I have had rosemary before (inherited one in the yard of our first house in NVA that amazingly survived winters there) and no problems with my allergies. Oddly it is part of the mint family rather than the pine family.

Catherine

[crl]

That does help, I get it now! Probably not enough space for a rosebush. Is there room for a trellis to hold the bouganevilla? I assume that you don't want to block the view from the window with shrubbery.

I went and stared at the space and a trellis would be tough there. Most of the space is occupied by the window. I need to figure out if I can grow it in a pot and have it climb around my kitchen window--it looks out across our driveway, neighbir's drive way and to their windows. Would be nice to soften that view with flowers.

Catherine

[crl]

Bump for update in OP.