KWard18
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What would you do with this...?

Hi all,

I'm completely new to landscape gardening but after my lawn deteriorated into a giant mound of weeks I've cut it up and am starting again. I was going to go straight for turf but now am not so convinced. If I could add a bit more interest other than an L shape of lawn and a flower bed that, let's face it, will be much too narrow to do much good, then that would be great. All ideas appreciated, especially those within the scope of a newbie!
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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Well, strawberries will happily take over the space up to the patio.... or maybe symmetry mirror of the herb garden on the other side of the walkway (I’m assuming you are going to set in a straight walkway from the doors to the patio) from the double doors?

Then you would have a narrow rectangular space that I would only leave a flagstone walk to the red fence for access to the clothes line and to that butterfly? house... and plant with annual or well-behaved perennial vines trellised to or along the wall for height, and lower shrubs and ornamental or wildlife plants (birds and butterflies) along the fence. I would continue to plant edibles on the house side of the walk where you would have more control.

ETA — I just noticed the curved sidewalk to the right of the lavender — hm that’s a sharp turn from the double doors... but maybe I’m just not seeing the whole picture.

KWard18
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Hi applestar,

Thanks for replying! Yes, it needs a walkway to the patio so that will be going in. I like the idea of mirroring the lavender and heathers, I hadn't thought if that and it will help to break up the space because, as you correctly spotted, it is a sharp turn out of the doors.

What would you use for filling in between the paving stones? Gravel, turf, bark or something else?

Would you have a straight bed along the fences or add curves? I was contemplating a low wall just to give the garden a bit of height. A reasonable or foolish idea?

In terms of the vines, I have always fancied wisteria but know very little about how well it grows. If you could would you please share some ideas of plants that will grow well along the fence where there is some sun, and in the corner where there is very little?

Thanks for your help!

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applestar
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I enjoy brainstorming for ideas :D

...but not wisteria, OK? You might want to look through rest of that thread for ideas. I’m thinking clematis in the shadier corner — you Could find wisteria-colored ones. Where do you live? Depending on location, clematis vines will winter-kill so they grow new every spring from the crown/roots — that Limits how big they can get. Or if you live in an area that supports them, passionflower vines maybe? Still thinking butterflies and hummingbirds.... In my area, volunteer cypress vines grow from seed every year, then die off — so behaves very nicely as self seeding annuals — but in the south, they are disaster. Hummingbirds love them though. As same kind of annual vine though more vigorous, various flower colored runner beans and Purple Podded Pole beans are great, even if you don’t harvest the beans for your own food.
applestar wrote:Subject: Vine For Chain Link Fence
applestar wrote:Here's one that ate half of a barn and the attached silo....
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Here's my mom standing next to it for scale comparison:
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It's been torn down but it was quite a sight and gorgeous in flower each spring.
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...I noticed earlier this year when I looked where the barn used to be — gone for a long time now — that they kept the silo ...still covered with wisteria.

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applestar
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Also, if that’s not your fence, you should probably avoid vines that might damage it, and especially suckering kind. You could opt for taller perennials near the fence, and shorter ones in the front... all the way down to “steppables” — short dense groundcover that are tolerant of being occasionally stepped on. I’m growing a patch of mother-of-thyme lawn in the front yard.
Subject: Applestar’s 2018 Garden
applestar wrote: My mother-of-thyme lawn area which has *almost* reached the walkway from driveway to the front porch and is practically fully spread between the driveway and the Japanese Maples Island bed:

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- the thyme will be in full bloom soon
- DH was funny the other day when he said “You are ruining my mowing with this area.” “Why, what do you mean?” “These things are too short for the mower blades to cut.” “That’s the whole point, Silly!”
- It’s fantastic to walk on them — every Step wafts the sharp, clean thyme scent around you. I told my DD’s — “you know those commercials that say “fresh scent of —?” “That’s not fresh. THIS is FRESH!” :()

KWard18
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Wow!! Definitely not wisteria then! Just been to have a look at some clematis at the garden centre and it is very beautiful. I live in the north of England, fairly mild year round really apart from about 6 weeks over winter.

Just made a start on the patch outside the patio doors. Stone chippings and stepping stones on top of a weed membrane with some lavender and thyime to separate it from the rest of the garden.



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