I plan to mass a few Hydrangea paniculata Bombshell behind this Ginkgo. There will be a few dwarf speciman confiers mixed in as well.

But for the three in front I can't decide between Weigela Spilled Wine or Rosa Coral Drift.

I'm open for any other suggestions for a short (12-18" x 2-4') plant, including perennials.

The small white containers will either be a small daylilly or salvia and behind that a few Fothergilla gardenii.

Thanks!

For perennials, peonies would be nice because after blooming the foliage stays good for the season which is good in a front location like that.

However, for ALL the selections, will the tree create too much shade in the log term? It seems to have an upright form, but in 5 to 10 years, you will probably have quite a bit of shade.

This area is exposed to south and west sun...all day sun.

Good point on the "tie in". Same reason I'm using the hydrangeas. I have Litte Lime closer to the foundation.

My only concern with the Weigela is that they don't offer much "interest" beyond the spring bloom. Sure they have the color but that might get boring, however the hydrangeas may do the work.

Hopefully you all can keep the ideas coming! I'm a big fan of late season blooming plants.

ken

for example

and this .. well .. the cat surprised me on the preview.. lol ...

and this ... the whirligig is up to you .. lol

and finally.. this .. though forget you saw the tall thin one.. too many problems ... i will even refuse to tell you its name

Hmm, this must be a dull request. "Talking at plants" and "Laughing at catalogs" got more hits within hours compared to my post from days ago!lol!

For example, a few low spreading blue junipers near the tree trunk might be a possibility. They would play off the blue spruce next to the porch. In addition, I think you need the front planting near the tree to be evergreen(whether it be the suggested blue, or something else entirely) because you are planning a deciduous hydrangea planting behind the tree. You don't want twig shape on twig shape for your winter look.

You also need some green colored evergeens for winter color and contrast with other plantings. I think you have plenty of room for a few mid-height green evergreen shrubs, possibly a truly dwarf Mugo pine like "Mops" (3 feet tall and wide after 10 years in my garden) or a low kept hedge of box or yew. These could match/mirror the slow growth of the Ginkgo. A semi-circle yew hedge would make a nice fronting or backing for either of your deciduous choices. Try to get away from the "circle the whole bed" with a continuous row of shrubs as you have the black tubs placed. Think clusters, groupings, or triangles of 3 plants.

I am not familiar with Spilled Wine (I use Crimson Pygmy Barberries for red color near my blue evergreens, also coppiced purple smokebush, sand cherry, etc.), just pick something you like the look of that stays relatively small.

Since you indicated that your wife wants massed color I think the small shrub roses that work for your climate would be great. The coral color you mentioned should look great with your brick color and will play off well against both blue evergreens and reddish leaves.

Here is another vantage point. I put a red mark to hightlight dwarf conifers. Will be a mix of greens and blues...pines, spruce and fir.

usually one week in late spring ...

ken

Not having to do with color - here are some other comments:

Be sure to keep height in mind when planting them out. Ken does a really masterful job (see his third picture) of keeping things low in the center so you can look out into garden from the patio and framing the whole with taller statuesque evergreens. Add in all his color and texture contrasts & you have an absolutely gorgeous view. In your case you have to deal with two direction points - looking out to the street from the house AND from the street towards the house.

Examples: Are the hydrangeas the tallest shrub? if so where do you want them? do you want to see past them looking out of the house? can you? or maybe coming into the house? or providing privacy? or hiding some of the rest of the garden so people find a surprise going around them? do you want their greenery fronting other earlier blooming things? Also where do you & your wife want to see the massed flowers of roses & hydrangeas? as you drive up to the house, or from your picture window in the house?

I like to use a lot of height contrast in my gardens, with surprises here & there (see Ken's picture of the tall skinny shrub with the tiny low shrubs), not all graduated rows of stuff - but you can get dizzy if you plant so your eyes go up, down, up down all over the place (my tendancy). So don't dot all your real dwarf plants in and out of more normal sized plantings.

Also keep in mind that a truly dwarf conifer that grows an inch a season can easily be outpaced and hidden by a small shrub rose which starts at 10 inches high, goes to 18 inches in one season, and 2 feet plus high and wide by the second year.

I have also found that even carefree roses need some fertilizer to keep blooming heavily year after year. Sometimes it is good to keep things with the same cultural requirements together, water, fert, pruning, dead-heading, etc.

Have fun! You're doing a great job (and of course it is much easier to tweak a design when most things are small in stature, so don't worry if something outgrows it's space, just move it next year).

Here is a pic from my last house. Its an out of season pic so as you can tell I' starting to favor conifers and late blooming perennials and shrubs to extend the season as much as possible (especially that late Aug to Sept time frame).