Design ideas needed please

Jared77

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Ok so I thought to post this now so I can hopefully order things (if I need to) before the big rush.
So here's what I'm designing around

image.jpg


It's my well head cover. It's a pseudo-rock. High density polymer that's staked to the ground to cover up a big ugly PVC white well head.

I'm kicking around around putting something sort of behind it to up and over the pseudo-rock so it doesn't stand out so much. Not looking to cover it just soften that area a bit. Right now it's all grass and then the "rock". It really stands out.

The "rock" is 27" high I believe. I'd have to double check but it's around that.

Anyway the weeping cherry blooms pink and fairly close by but not in the picture is my flowering plum with it's very pale pink blossoms and burgundy leaves.

Thought about a rose as my backdrop plant but not 100% sure. It's VERY VERY tempting though. I had thought of doing a white Pope John Paul but I'm saving that for another location. We tend to plant in more pastels with yellow and purple mixed in than bold colors like red or orange.

I had planned on using Stella d'Oro around it somewhere because I have to divide some so they are available and free. I also have some patriot hostas to divide to add if I want.
Maybe some garden phlox mixed in or creeping phlox in front....I'm just not sure what to do with this.

It's obviously a blank canvas. The idea is to have a few "base perennials" to have as a foundation and work out from there.

What would you put around the pseudo-rock if you lived in zone 5b?
 

Smart Red

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Not the hostas. There doesn't seem to be much shade there. I like the idea of mini-day lilies like Stella D'oro or my little Grapette. They stay under the height of the rock, yet are thick enough to hide much of it.

You want to add color through flowers, but have the foliage growing through the whole season. Just a few early bulbs to give spring color, but not so many that the dying foliage looks bad.
 

thistlebloom

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I would use ornamental grasses. Karl Foerster for height, some Flame grasses, Northern Sea Oats, some Maiden grass...

Make it kind of a large bed, maybe include that tree in it, sort of a kidney shape bending around to the front of your deck. Plant the shorter grasses in front and towards the tree tapering down before you actually get to the tree.

You have a lot of open space out there so make it bigger than you think you might need. A small bed around the rock is going to look even tinier from a distance. Use a hose to practice outlines that are appealing and put boxes or something to mark where plants might be located, and look at it from every angle. But most especially from the area you will see it most often.

Using a hose to mark the shape probably isn't the best idea this time of year, unless you want a tight little circle! :lol:
 

Jared77

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The long term plan is to have a large sweeping bed that curves out from the side of the house, includes the "rock", my weeping cherry (which was why it was planted there) and goes across the front of the house. New walkway that comes out from the front porch with the bed on either side and extend those beds parallel to the walkway to the driveway. Kind of kidney shaped or an exaggerated letter J.

However a lack of resources prevents me from doing that all at once. It has to be done in steps. I'm trying to put something in that will fit in the long term and stop the island in a sea of green effect.

The hostas are what I had available as freebies so I thought to mention them. I knew it was awful sunny for them but if sheltered they could join the party.

The grasses are a good idea but I don't think they'd fit with the perennial bed my wife has in mind. Anytime I've mentioned them it get shot down so....:\
 

thistlebloom

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Oh, I think understand where your wife is coming from! :)
I used to dislike grasses. I think they might be an acquired taste, some of them are too weedy for my tastes, but I have really come to appreciate the more structural ones, and those with good color or pretty seed heads.

A few years back I planted some Karl Foerster in the "Kinda Wild" section on the far side of the lawn. It has matured nicely and I love the graceful movement as the wind blows through it.
 

journey11

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I think you need two more rocks, real or fake, that will match it. Groups of 3, 5 or 7 are more aesthetically pleasing. Size/shape should be a little different though for interest.

I would go ahead and do the kind of bed that you want to eventually adjoin to the house, just a little island of what materials/plants you'd eventually like to extend out from it. An odd flowing shape, done with the hose like Thistle mentioned. You could go ahead and de-sod the area or use grass killer if that works for you, or even just put down a thick layer of cardboard and mulch over it. Cut holes into it where you want your perennials. Edge it just as you plan to do the rest. When the time comes to expand, its just a matter of adding on.

A nice piece of yard art/sculpture/bird bath/or rustic type stuff would make a neat focal piece too, instead of making The Rock the focus of the whole thing.

I don't know much about well heads. Do you have any limitations to how deeply you can dig or what can be planted beside it?
 

canesisters

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I think you should move the picnic table up next to the rock - add a couple of little mini adorandac (sp???) chairs and a little grill.
 

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