need help redoing island bed

16 years ago

I posted this on a couple forums because I need to make a decision soon. I need some help from all of you smart & creative people! I have this island bed that I made many years ago. The left side of the island I had originally planted 3 dwarf burning bushes, which got way over grown no matter how hard I tried to keep them in check. I had planted a flowering almond bush in the middle, which started off looking very beautiful but slowly deteriorated for probably combinations of reasons. One thing I didnÂt like it that there was originally a focal point in the island but it disappeared along the way as everything started to become the same height. Now I have the 3 burning bushes & flowering almond removed & need a new plan, hopefully one I can keep. I live in Michigan, zone 5 & the tree in the island is a Norwegian weeping pine about 5 feet tall, which I do not want to move. Please help give me some ideas & direction. I would really love this island to pop & be a focal point in my yard. Thanks, Terri Island as it is now={{gwi:29782}}Here is the island in about 2002 when I first put it there={{gwi:29783}}

Comments (6)

jkunkel
16 years ago
I just redid the island in my front yard last year, and made it bigger this year. My suggestion for your focal point would be a dappled willow. Here is a pic of mine
{{gwi:58402}} Its not a great pic, but I LOVE this tree. Acutally its more like a bush. It dosen't get too big and the leaves are white and green, and the new growth on the top is pink. It looks really pretty swaying in the breeze. when mature it kind of hangs over like your evergreen bush in the pic. I have mostly daylilies in my island. They like the full sun, and would definitly makeyour garden "POP". Heres some clump pics of Daylilies that I have found. If you pick dormant varieties, they will do well in your zone. they are reliable performers, and come back fuller and prettier every year. I do have these in my garden, but mine haven't bloomed yet, so I don't have any pics of them yet. (Just for example)
{{gwi:58403}}
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I probably have about 50 different ones, and never get tired of them. Ok, here's one more pic I love from my garden of my siberians and dianthus next to my willow.
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Hope you pick some nice things for your island. I had fun with mine! -Jessica
sassy270380
16 years ago
first of all your flowers are gorgeous....actually i have a question,is that a house or mobile home you have in your pictures??? the reason for asking is my home looks almost identical to yours and i love how your home looks..
bencjedi
16 years ago
I don't know why, but the first thing I thought of looked like this:

{{gwi:58407}}

I'm sure the other folks on this board will give much, much better creative ideas. No one wants a monster on their front lawn.
puddle_of_mud
16 years ago
I think I would put a garden bench in there with stepping stones to it, maybe include a water feature with it, and just finish filling it in with my favorite perennials.
jenn729
16 years ago
Ok, I know this thread is a bit old, but it's almost midnight, I'm exhausted, slightly sun burned, and a bum knee from yard work/ planting all day...and I have to tell you that monster in the garden made me laugh out loud.
Quite the sense of humor!
Thanks for the much needed giggle.
WendyB 5A/MA
16 years ago
how about a conifer collection with an assortment of texture and shapes and colors and heights? Looks like with full sun they will be happy there. And the bench idea is good. It will give a horizontal line to mimic the horizontal lines of your house.