dinajean
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Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2005 1:11 pm
Location: Pickens County, South Carolina

Ideas for What to Plant Around a Trellis

Here is a picture of my trellis (actually 2 of them back to back) which I have let a small portion of wisteria grow over because I DO love wisteria even though it is ruthless!

Since the pix was taken, we have cleared a clump of sweet gums behind it, now leaving it standing in the middle of an area which will eventually be grass. I don't want to move it because of the size of the vine, instead I want to plant a bed around it so it wont look so funny in the middle of the yard. I will border the bed with either old firebricks or red bricks or maybe rocks.

Does anyone have any ideas on shapes and what to plant in the bed. I was thinking of a bush on either side, maybe some vinca, maybe some mulch? My wish list of plants that I have yet to acquire and may want to incorporate into this garden bed is as follows: lilac bush, kerria japonica, flowering quince, lantana, elizabeth magnolia, saucer magnolia, eastern redbud, gibraltar azalea (yellow and orange, 1 of each), alium, purple rhododendron, and red cloud dogwood. I also have a forsythia that I have propagated and is doing very well.

Thanks for ANY suggestions

[img]https://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j182/cmc2dina/070518_South_Carolina017-pb.jpg[/img]

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Jess
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Location: England

Hi Dinajean. :D

It is difficult to come up with suggestions just from the one picture. Any chance of showing some more of the garden in relation to this area?

As far as your wish list goes The Kerria and Vinca can both be quite invasive so would need careful siting and the Rhode and Azalea would of course need acid soil. Do you have acidic soil?

Newt
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Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

Hi DinaJean!!

What a lovely scene. :) I do have some concerns though. That wisteria is going to get huge over time and will collapse that arbor. Wisteria needs to be on a pergola or arbor made from 6x6 lumber. Do a google with terms like:
wisteria + arbor
and click on 'Images'. You'll see very sturdy wood used in most cases. Here's a picture of a mix of plants around such an arbor.
https://utgardens.tennessee.edu/images/Wisteria%20at%20Herb%20Gdn%205.JPG

Newt

schleng
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Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2007 8:15 am
Location: New Jersey

Hi Dinajean,

I think this could be a wonderful garden area. Even though it looks empty, I don't think it would be too difficult to enhance it.

I love many of the plants that are on your wish list. What would be nice would be to have the arbor create a special entry into the woods. You could bring the wood edge up to the sides of the arbor with a sweeping curve. Then you might consider planting masses of Lilacs on either side. This would provide "anchors" on either side of the arbor. You want the arbor and what is beyond it to be the focal point.

So at this point, the arbor starts to look like a special entry. I would clear out the woods that you view through the arbor. You could then create a winding path so that when one looks there, they are not sure where it leads. Or another way to go is to add an important bird bath or sculpture to view in the distance through the arbor which will take your eye way into the woods.

You could also plant a Redbud or Dogwood in front of the Lilacs on one side. In addition, add some Rhododendron along the path once you pass through the arbor.

I hope this was helpful.

Susan

handyman
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Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2007 3:07 am
Location: Orem, UT

Does anyone have any ideas on shapes and what to plant in the bed.
For shapes, I think you have an extended for at least 15 feet in both directions. The final shape would look more like a fat pancake, as opposed to a circle or oval. Why? Because I think the path has to be there for a reason. If planter area were circular, the path could look out of place because it would be just as easy to walk around the planter. In other words, it has to be believable.

What do you want to do on the other side of the path way. I'm thinking that there should be some focal point that draws your attention like a small patio table, or statue...something that's special to you personally. You could then add a little mystery by enclosing that space, making it your own "secret garden."

As for plants, I'm building a plant database where people can add plants to their wish list. You can find it at [url]https://www.MyGardenPlans.com/plants[/url]. I invite you to stop by and add a few of your favorite plants to this growing collection. By next Spring, people will be able to design and share garden plans with others online.[/url]

opabinia51
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Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
Location: Victoria, BC

I'm thinking for shapes of a bed in that area that you should dig out the area around your arbour to make a bed that borders the trees in the background.

I would recommend having the bed flow in more of an S shaped curve along the border of the trees.

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JPlovesflowers
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Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 10:36 pm
Location: Northwest Arkansas

You've gotten some great advice already, especially about the wisteria. It will eventually destroy your pretty arbor. I have had some success with double planting vines. I have planted roses with moonflower on top and then different varieties of clematis side by side that had different blooming times. I have also grown annual vines with perennial vines with much success...just an idea. You may want to consider the wild shape that lilacs get after a couple of years before planting. They are actually quite lovely next to woods such as you have, but if you like clean structure, you might want to start with some azaleas (which usually do very well in SC) around the base and go with your lilacs and rhodos back towards your woodland area.



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