Okay Gardeners- I need ideas!

[Izzie]

So our A/C was finally moved off of the patch of dirt on our patio this tuesday. :cheers: we are stoked!
Went off without a hitch- improving the airflow to my second floor bedroom has gotten really hairy though, but that's another story.

So now- we have a BONAFIDE PATCH OF DIRT!


What's left now is deciding what plants will be happy here.

Here's what we have to work with:
before

after!


Specifics:
- The unplanted area is roughly 4'x4'
- There will be a lovely trellis in that back half that goes between the honeysuckles- it will be 4' across, and 18" wide.
- I got some serious exercise shoveling out the existing clay and the layer of obnoxious humongo river rocks that I found underneath.
--Clay and such has since been replaced with 1:1 compost:moisture control MiracleGro.


Now here's where things get pretty spicy.
Joys of Gardening in CO:
-This area of the patio gets southern sun from about 11am to 3pm.
--There will be dappled shade over part of it once the trellis is up.
-Unless it's stormy and windy, we have an umbrella up that shades most of the concrete of the patio and keeps temperatures down, but does not shade this area.
- Temperatures: Anywhere from 70-90*F during the day, sometimes in mid 90's in the sun.


Honestly, my mother and I are great gardeners, and do a good job of keeping things watered according to their needs.


SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, after that lovely essay, here are the flowers we've thought might work here.

Ox-eye daisies, and/or taller Zinnias in the back.
Zinnias Zinnias Zinnias.
No Marigolds- we are susceptible to slugs.
No 4-o'clocks- pets will have access to this.
Gazanias.
Verbena.
Salvia.
Pinks! (Dianthus)
Alyssum.
Coreopsis.
Ground covers-
sedum, ice plants, moss rose (portulaca), thyme, lamb's ears.



Oh my gosh. I make way too super long posts.

ENDING INQUIRY!!! Any plants to add/remove?
Any design ideas?

[Triffid]

Can't go wrong with Chives. Attracts useful insects and helps to deter pests. Grows well and is easily dividable. Pretty when flowering and of course can be eaten

[Royal]

I'd pick a couple of things that would be interesting at different times. It's a pretty small space though. Whatever you decide, there's ALWAYS room for some bulbs. I'm not sure how rain lilies (my favorite) would do in CO, but you guys can grow some stuff that we can't down here with warmer winters. Pack them in there and you'll have something in bloom all season.

That could also be a pretty great spot for a terrestrial orchid.

[johnblagg]

A nice clematis would go well on the trellis you plan in the back ....and would be beautifull there.a nice climbing rose could also work well on the trellis in the back giving you some good bloom and if you chose well perhaps some fragrance.the bed under the rose could hold a large range of choices but a nice verbenia hybrida is one good one ....not reliably hardy but in this little protected area quite possibly it would be back for years.and is a very nice ground cover blooming all summer.or a homestead purple verbenia which would for sure...but that one is going to hog it all up ...but my goodness a mass of purple all year.

pinks would be great and really nice foilage all year and wow what scent when in bloom but short season of bloom .A few of the old fashioned garden phlox would be nice and could be a taller layer in front of the trellis to hide the lower part of whatever is on it.and then you could plant lower growing stuff in front of them ....

And you could get a small water fountain for a center piece and plant aroun it too that would be very veyr nice in that space one of the small self contained ones little girl with a watering can or such and petunias all around her.

My goodness it is such a nice spot now it has got way too much potentail to even list all the pessibilities ...and 4 hours of full sun is almost perfect nice a cool mornings to sit and enjoy it and then great sun and a nice cool evening spot again.Which makes me think nicotianna too for a backgrond plant evening scent is great from them too.

[Izzie]

Some splendid ideas! I'm so glad you replied!

I entirely forgot to say what we already have there!
We have our ever-faithful primroses on either side, as well as the two honey suckle that got chopped way off.

On the left:
Lilies of the Valley that we FINALLY got to bloom this spring (yay...3 spikes from 20 plants....)
Giant bleeding heart that is loving life.
Crocus bulbs
Catmint to deter pests and for Poshkitty to munch on.

On the right
Two massive columbine, one classic yellow, one doubled purple.

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by Triffid

Can't go wrong with Chives. Attracts useful insects and helps to deter pests. Grows well and is easily dividable. Pretty when flowering and of course can be eaten

Got some chives in a seedling planter as we speak- just waiting for it to take off.
They're a perennial here too!

Have some parsley, genovese basil, and winter thyme as well.
We got a really long bout of cold weather right after we planted our seeds, and even with keeping them in the garage and in the house for two months, they REALLY got held back- they're two 1/2 mos old, and only 4" high.

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by RoyalOrchids

I'd pick a couple of things that would be interesting at different times. It's a pretty small space though. Whatever you decide, there's ALWAYS room for some bulbs. I'm not sure how rain lilies (my favorite) would do in CO, but you guys can grow some stuff that we can't down here with warmer winters. Pack them in there and you'll have something in bloom all season.

That could also be a pretty great spot for a terrestrial orchid.

Bulbs! We entirely forgot about some bulbs!
The iris at the local iris farm just went into full bloom this week- so we're planning on looking at some dwarfs.

I'd love a terrestrial in there, but it would be hard to find one that won't take over- and that I could afford.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

You ever thought about Bletilla striata? Perhaps Bletilla ochracea...

Maybe Dactylorrhiza.

Or Anacamptis and Orchis?

I'm just saying if you're gonna go bulbs, why not some of the hardy orchids?

Even Calanthe reflexa from Japan would work.

Maybe some Calypso bulbosa?

Of these, my opinion is that the Bletillas and the Calypso are a cinch.

All of these plants I mentioned are frost hardy and terrestrial.

Cypripediums are not the only terrestrial orchids. And Cyps are a bit more specialized in their requirements for soil anyways.

The ones I mentioned should do well with what you've got.

I don't know if ice plants will do this to you where you are, but here, they set seed like no other and can spread very rapidly. They can pop up anywhere in the garden.

If you pass up the idea of terrestrial orchids or bulbs - what about Lavendars? I have a Lavendula multifida, and it's in bloom practically all the time. It should easily fit into that space. The environment suits it fine. Plus it's an herb.

[Izzie]

Philip friend! I was wondering when you would chime in!

I really have been thinking about the Bletillas. I need something that won't hog more than 1 1/2' of horizontal space.
Couldn't remember if they were hardy in my zone- the patio is protected from most weather except for hail. EVIL HAIL.
Would they do well in the dappled shade under the trellis?

I was thinking of getting one from Orchidsamore...


I'd love lavender, but the only kinds I can get would take over. And we have one growing somewhere in our complex that I can steal from anyways.


As far as the ice plants, them and moss roses are LOVE. They are just so happy!
And I am a very ruthless pruner. Never had a problem with things taking over unless they just are naturally humongo plants.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Partial sun is fine for Bletillas.

You could also try Pleiones.

Pleione formosana being the most widely available.

Pleione maculata is another one.