Landscape Design Question…?
How do I create visual depth with only a 2′ wide planting area?
More Information:
The wall is 50′ long and runs a long my pond. The top of the wall is chainlink fence the bottom is grey block. I want to block out my neighbor’s house which is big, close by and orange :s.
I am creating a Japanese inspired garden. So I would be using plants like podocarpus, hydrangea vine and evergreen wisteria vine. I am open to any plant suggestions as well.
If I plant a few different things along the wall (different colors/textures) would it help to break it up? I only have 2 feet of planting area between the pond and wall. I am hoping to make it look like the edge of a forest.
Bluish foliage and blue or purple flowers give an illusion of more space and distance than you really have. You also need fine textured foliage. No broad bold leaves for this part of the garden. Hydrangea and wisteria are too course. A fine-textured ivy would be good. It cound attach itself to the grey block and then eventually twine itself between the chainlink fence. Fine ivies comes in various shapes and variegations which might provide some variation. To avoid drawing too much attention to the fence, do not plant them in any distinguishable pattern. A cool annual vine that can be bought on the internet is called Butterfly Pea. It has beautiful blue flowers. Another very fine-textured and attractive annual vine is Cypress Vine, but it has 1/2 inch red flowers, which may be too bold a color for this area. Carolina and Swamp Jessamine are American Native vines that have a medium to fine texture and yellow flowers. Swamp Jessamine blooms in spring and fall, and Carolina only in spring, but Carolina Jessamine is fragrant. One other scrambling plant that might work is the Climbing Aster, Aster carolinianus. It has a fine texture, and it is covered with excellent soft lavender 1″ daisy-like flowers every fall.
If you’re looking for a zen inspiration and your climate is one that will support it, I would go with a clumping bamboo. Fills in nice, blocks the neighbors and the clumping varieties aren’t too hard to keep under control. You can incorporate other things into the area to break it up. Be careful of where you plant the podocarpus. They are tremendous small leaf shedders and they can muck up a pond in no time at all.
You might look at Junipers. You can get some climbing varieties, depending on what zone you’re in, and a mass planting of them, or maybe a variety of different ones, could produce the effect you’re looking for.
I would use some simple trellis work to support vines. Each trellis could be 6′ wide- space 6 of them evenly along the wall. Some fast growing vines (honeysuckle or autumn clematis) can be planted to cling to the trellises. Don’t use diamond trellis- the openings should be square- about 4-6″. This will help keep your Japanese design going. In between each trellis you will need something that grows upright. With only 2 feet you will have to start with small plants in order to fit the root ball in place. Juniper, Privet and Arborvitae can be used, but they will eventually overhang the pond (it will look good!) Don’t plant too wide a variety of plants- keep it simple and use rhythm and balance in your planting. All of the plants will need maintenance, so make sure you have foot access to the area for pruning and fertilizing.