What should I do? Need help in garden redesign..

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Tue, Apr 8, 08 at 18:55

Dear Friends,

My back perennial garden is in need of something...
I am too close to the situation and cannot seem to decide what it needs. Please take a look at the photos and give me your opinions.
I can move things, change anything..what ever.. just give me your brainstorming ideas! I live in Minnesota and this faces west..
Lynn

Here is a link that might be useful: Back Perennial Garden

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RE: What should I do? Need help in garden redesign..

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Posted by hurlee 6 (My Page) on
Fri, Apr 11, 08 at 20:34

Hi Lynn, I would love to comment but I can't see your picture clearly. I tried to enlarge it be couldn't. YOur border looks very colorfull, I just can't see the individual plants...

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Posted by tuscanseed (My Page) on
Mon, Apr 14, 08 at 17:09

Same as above. Things look a bit crowded. Is this on a slope? It looks as though there are shorter plants in the back of taller ones, but the photo is too small to make things out.

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Posted by chary68 z5 MI (My Page) on
Mon, Apr 14, 08 at 23:28

I'd add some height to it. Foxglove, hollyhocks, delphinium...

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Posted by tepelus 5/6 Ohio (My Page) on
Tue, Apr 22, 08 at 18:38

Maybe some taller grasses for the back.

Karen

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Posted by sue_in_nova_scotia 5b (My Page) on
Wed, Apr 23, 08 at 7:33

I actually like your garden...I like it crowded..if anything I would plant a few clematis on the fence to draw the attention to the back and break up the expense.

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Posted by prettypetals GA 7 (My Page) on
Fri, Apr 25, 08 at 22:13

I like it too!! Nice and lush. You did good with that one so I would move on and start another one. Judy

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Posted by ginger57 z3 (My Page) on
Fri, May 2, 08 at 15:57

Very pretty! I would add some taller shrubs, to add more height. Maybe experiment with some colored foliage

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Posted by alicate SW Michigan, zone 5 (My Page) on
Tue, Jul 29, 08 at 17:23

If this were mine, I would have less variety but more individual plants. Instead of one or two of something, I would plant five or seven of it and in mass. Basically, you would end up with drifts of color. I'd repeat colors.

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Posted by garnet69 6b S. Ont. (My Page) on
Wed, Aug 13, 08 at 21:20

Your garden looks great, lots of beautiful colour. I only dream of having that much room to garden. Athough the pic is a bit blurry when enlarged, my opinion would be the same as what others have said:

plant in drifts groups of 3, 5 or 7 - if you have a specimen plant, put it among multiple groups. When you do this, take into account when things are blooming so you can spread the colour around the whole garden.

height at the back - shrubs, tall grasses (which also add winter interest), clematis or other vines. Also plant in groups with a specimen thrown in. Add a climbing vine on an obelisk to the centre or an arbour along a meadering path with two different clematis on either side. I see you have birdhouses, you can plant shrubs that will attract birds. With grasses you can plant three different varieties of tall grasses in a group towards the back and a specimen grass (such a Blue Oat Grass) in the centre.

At the corner of the yard where the chain-link fence and wood fence meet, I would put in a birch clump. It would look great and be a real focal point of the garden in every season.

Good luck and can't wait to see the completed garden renovation!

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