This little area between the sidewalk and fence needs a new style. I'm not 100% sure what the previous owners had planted in it, but most things don't seem to be doing great. I think there are some mini roses that are dead. The heucheras (i think that's what they are) seem to be doing OK, but they don't really do anything for me. There are two hostas that really aren't doing well so I'll dig those up and move them to the backyard.

I'm looking for something that can handle the hot and humid weather we have in NW Ohio without too much care. I'd prefer something low to the ground that is pretty most of the summer and fall. I'm thinking of doing tulips for spring color. Maybe some ornamental peppers or something like that.

I prefer perennials, but wouldn't mind mixing in some annuals to change it up yearly, or to use until any sort of mass planting takes over.

Nepeta is a good one. Some sedums, salvias, certain monarda cultivars.

Here are some cultivar examples for some ideas. There are lots more out there that could work for you but this is just a sampling to give you some ideas.

Nepeta: Walker's Low, Snowflake

Echinacea purpurea: Pow Wow Wildberry, Pow Wow White

Coreopsis: Galaxy, Sweet Dreams

Sedum: Moonlight Serenade, Autumn Joy

Veronica: Icicle, Red Fox

Monarda: Grand Mum, Cranberry Lace

Thank you pepper23!

Some vines here and there, like climbing roses or clematis would also add some height to the bed and draw the eye upwards without swallowing the fence. Low growing sedums will make great choices along with either creeping phlox or some other groundcover to spill over the wall also.

I do have creeping phlox on my list of something to put along the edge of the wall. I'm not terribly concerned about drawing the eyes upwards past the fence because I think the house does a pretty good job of doing that for me because it is a large, brick victorian. One of the things I'm trying to do with the garden is to soften the look of such a stern, serious house. I need to snap a picture of the house from across the road to show you want it looks like with the fence. But it's big, and brick

Here is the garden from the front.


I also want add an herb garden along this walk way.

I like the idea of flox.

Stella de oro day Lilly is a tough ever bloomer.

Ornamental sweet potato vines would look awesome also.

TaStahl said:Here is the garden from the front.


I also want add an herb garden along this walk way.

What a beautiful home!!! ❤️❤️❤️

Would you consider putting in a row of weeping snow fountain cherry on both sides all the way up and then planting the herbs between and underneath them?

Topiary or weeping Norwegians would look great also in place of the weeping cherry.

Wow!!!

Thanks SpringGreenThumb! We were lucky to get it and even more lucky that the previous owners took great care of the house.

I do love weeping cherry trees and weeping Norwegians are so cool looking. They always remind me of Old English Sheepdogs or Komadors, or some other breed of dog with shaggy hair covering the eyes. But do you see what I mean when I say it's a very serious house and needs a little whimsy to lighten it up? For the holidays, I think it will be fairly easy to add decorations, but in the spring and summer...just not sure

Gorgeous home, Terri! A tough and pretty perennial I would highly recommend is Liriope muscari, especially the non-variegated cultivars. The cultivar 'Big Blue' is especially pretty, with taller, darker flowers. It is low to the ground, evergreen, and produces lovely purple flowers in August. It is happy in sun or shade and is drought-resistant. It might be nice interspersed with other plants such as the ones suggested by Amanda and Betsy.

Maybe something like Veronicastrum virginicum, for vertical accent to enhance the front of the house and the fence. White Lupines, possible even Karl Forrester grass. Mix with low growing perennials or annuals. Smaller contained hydrangea like Bobo would work. Nice mix of bulbs for spring interest.

thanks everyone! I do have some tulip bulbs that I brought with me from NY that I want to plant out there for spring color. If I remember right, there are also some daffodils in one of the gardens up by the house, maybe I'll split those next year and move some down to that garden.

A row of gorgeous Annabelle or Limelight hydrangea would look amazing here and really soften the look of the house. You can cut them back yearly to keep them from getting too large but I think the old world look the the Annabelle's would be like a walk back in time with this gorgeous home in the background!! You could even plant the hydrangea behind the gate which will help hold them up and then use something clean and simple like a row of short boxwoods or Japanese spurge in front of the gate. The hydrangea will flourish in Ohio. I have a property in Youngstown and the hydrangea grow beautifully there. Good luck!!

How about lavender. An old fashioned plant, in keeping with the theme of your beautiful home. You could even create a hedge of lavender. I use an electric hedge trimmer on my lavender after the first bloom fades. It looks wonderful all season. Oh...and that scent !

TaStahl said:Thanks SpringGreenThumb! We were lucky to get it and even more lucky that the previous owners took great care of the house.

I do love weeping cherry trees and weeping Norwegians are so cool looking. They always remind me of Old English Sheepdogs or Komadors, or some other breed of dog with shaggy hair covering the eyes. But do you see what I mean when I say it's a very serious house and needs a little whimsy to lighten it up? For the holidays, I think it will be fairly easy to add decorations, but in the spring and summer...just not sure

For whimsical consider topiary?

Hi, Ta Stahl, If you get ixoras in your place, get the short type pink ixora plant. You may plant several in a row. It remains short and easy to keep control of throughout the year. The result would keep you thrilled and neighbours would envy you. They never dies down. You may have to water it. But the sight is wonderful.