In the first years I added a planting strip, put some dwarf forsythias 'Golden Peep' in a straight line to hide the foundation, and moved the builder's two lilacs from smack in front of the house (where they would have been too tall and rangy) to the side of the porch on the east side.
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| 2006 |
In 2006 I added a tiny stewartia psuedovcamellia tree near the front door and a hedge of redtwig dogwoods by the open porch. By 2009 they had filled in and offered some enclosure by the porch and the promise of some height along the blank wall.
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| 2009 |
But the forsythias did not thrive, and looked silly as a straight unbroken line along the foundation. The lilacs got diseased, and even though the flowers were pretty, they were too sweet near the house and we couldn't stand them when blooming.
By 2011 most of the forsythias and both of the lilacs came out. We had added brickwork to hide the tallest part of the cement foundation under the porch, which helped visually. I added a Rose of Sharon, a dwarf white pine, and and a small arching dwarf deutzia 'Nikko' that would eventually spread. A small pieris was pretty but was taken out after a year -- it didn't thrive.
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| 2011 |
Over the next years I kept changing the plants in this strip, I tried widening it a bit, and I fussed endlessly.
The dwarf deutzias did spread and were nice. I tried a fuzzy-leaved groundcover alpine willow to replace the row of forsythias, but they had to come out when they did not do well. I added boxwoods for some density and structure.
In 2013 I added a 'Dawn' viburnum right against the house, with the promise it would be narrow, upright, and elegant. And early pink flowers, heavenly scented right outside the dining room window would be a plus.
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| 5/26/11 |
By 2013 the remaining single forsythia was a nice accent, and the Rose of Sharon had some height. The painting strop was taking on some complexity.
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| 4/25/13 |
But the 'Dawn' viburnum was becoming alarming -- yikes. Not graceful or narrow or elegant at all.
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| 9/28/13 |
I had fussed with creating a low stone wall to edge this strip, and it looked okay but the whole area still looked under development.
In 2015 I finally hired a stonemason to build a proper edging wall, and it came out great.
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| 7/19/15 |
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| 7/19/15 |
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| 7/19/15 |
But the 'Dawn' viburnum was even wilder looking, and getting bigger. Not at all what I planned for this narrow strip against the wall of the house! I added a Japanese plum yew (the little tiny stick at the left) for some eventual bulk and height against the wall as well, but the whole area might just get overtaken by the viburnum.
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| 7/19/15 |
