I am in the thought development stages for a new garden and I thought it might be fun to have you help me design it. It will be placed beside a driveway, be round and measure 12 to 15 feet across. It can be viewed from all sides and will be surrounded by grass. It will get full sun for almost the entire day.
How would you design it? Would it be viewed from one direction or have a 360 degree focus? Would you add a water feature or perhaps some other type of structure.
Height in center or around one edge?
And finally what and how would you plant?

Have some fun, give me some ideas, include pictures of your garden.
Chuck

Chuck, sounds like a fun project! I would love to see a bird bath in the center, or a dwarf Japanese maple..... since iris is my favorite flower, I would have clumps of Siberian and tall bearded near the center...... Asiatic lilies, & daylilies, Cone flowers next, along with Shasta daisies....short summer phlox, like Red Riding Hood....perennial geraniums......some annuals for the outside edging......All those plants are hardy in your area, & will give you color all growing season....My gardens are all raised beds surrounded by stone walls...the front ones are backed by a white board fence......

Marilyn,
Some very good suggestions. I like the idea of the Japanese maple. I have always wanted one but found them rather pricey. We planted an iris last year that bloomed this year, ghost train. It is one of the darkest purple,I've seen. Another winner when it comes to the daisy family is Banana Cream. It's a beautiful cream yellow tuning to white as it ages. Cone flowers are also found here. I love watching the butterflies on them. Yesterday was the Red Admirals turn. It spent several hours on the flowers allowing me ample time for pictures. When we lived in Mass. I had a fountain in one of the gardens. The sound of trickling water is hard to beat for relaxation.
Thanks for your input,
Chuck

photos of Banana Cream

Irises of course from the small to the tall. Dogwood tree for my center & a pink flowering almond bush (set of 2). Daylily 'pumpkin time. for Aug. & a trellis with sweet autumn clemites for a grand finish.

I like the Banana Cream! I ordered daisy Old Court variety....lots of crazy petals.....it's budded again, so I can get a photo when it blooms......Sometimes there are good sales on the JMs.....especially if you buy a small one.

of course I would do a hummingbird butterfly garden.. trellis with a coral honeysuckle in the middle.. agastache, salvia, a plenty in there