{"id":2753,"date":"2019-11-21T00:04:41","date_gmt":"2019-11-21T08:04:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/depts.washington.edu\/hortlib\/pal\/pal-question-550\/"},"modified":"2023-08-08T14:21:03","modified_gmt":"2023-08-08T21:21:03","slug":"plants-for-narrow-planting-areas","status":"publish","type":"pal","link":"https:\/\/depts.washington.edu\/hortlib\/pal\/plants-for-narrow-planting-areas\/","title":{"rendered":"plants for narrow planting areas"},"content":{"rendered":"

I am redoing the narrow planting areas (2-3′ wide) on either<\/strong>
\nside of our 20′ long entry. Garages from next door townhouses butt up<\/strong>
\nagainst the outer edge on each side, causing morning sun and afternoon shade on one<\/strong>
\nside, and vice versa on the other side. I have picked out some<\/strong>
\neuphorbias, heucheras, and carexes which should do well. I’m wondering<\/strong>
\nif I should have some taller, more dramatic plants to offset these and if<\/strong>
\nyou have any suggestions of ones which might work. Also, any bulb ideas<\/strong>
\nwould be appreciated.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Have you considered putting up trellises on one or both sides? Then you
\ncould grow vines which require little width, but still have the
\nadvantage of height. You could also grow taller plants (maybe some
\ngrasses like Miscanthus<\/i> or even a well-restricted–using root
\nbarrier–Bamboo) in containers, and keep them shaped to suit the narrow
\nspace. Some shrubs and trees are naturally narrow or fastigiate in growth
\nhabit.<\/p>\n

Here is a list of narrow plants compiled by local garden designer Chris
\nPfeiffer, c2005. Some will be too wide for your planting area, but you
\nmight want to research those that fit the site.<\/p>\n

American arborvitae ‘Rheingold’ (Thuja occidentalis<\/i> ‘Rheingold’) 5’h x
\n3′ w<\/p>\n

Barberry ‘Helmond Pillar’ (Berberis thunbergii<\/i> f. atropurpurea ‘Helmond
\nPillar’) 6’h x 2’w<\/p>\n

Boxwood ‘Graham Blandy’ (Buxus sempervirens<\/i> ‘Graham Blandy’) 8’h x 1-1\/2’w<\/p>\n

English yew ‘Standishii’ (Taxus baccata<\/i> ‘Standishii’) 4’h x 1-1\/2’w<\/p>\n

Irish yew (Taxus baccata<\/i> ‘Fastigiata’) 20’h x 4’w<\/p>\n

Japanese holly Jersey pinnacle (Ilex crenata<\/i> ‘Jersey Pinnacle’) 6’h x
\n4’w<\/p>\n

Japanese holly Mariesii (Ilex crenata<\/i> ‘Mariesii) 3’h x 1-1\/2’w<\/p>\n

Dwarf yeddo rhaphiolepis (Rhaphiolepis umbellata<\/i> ‘Gulf Green’) 3-4’h x
\n2’w<\/p>\n

Heavenly bamboo ‘Gulf Stream’ (Nandina domestica<\/i> ‘Gulf Stream’) 4’h x 2’w<\/p>\n

Japanese euonymus ‘Green Spire’ (Euonymus japonicus<\/i> ‘Green Spire’) 15’h x
\n6’w<\/p>\n

There are also a good number of tall perennials you might try, such as
\n(for your afternoon sunny side) Helenium<\/i>, Verbascum<\/i>, Baptisia<\/i>,
\nEupatorium<\/i>, and bulbous plants like Allium<\/i> and Eremurus<\/i>, and for your
\nshadier morning sun side, Macleaya<\/i>, Digitalis<\/i>, Filipendula ulmaria<\/i>,
\nAnemone<\/i> x hybrida<\/i>, Actaea<\/i> (formerly called Cimicifuga<\/i>), Lilium martagon<\/i>, Thalictrum<\/i>, and Veronicastrum<\/i>.<\/p>\n

There are many excellent gardening books you could consult for ideas.
\nSince you have a small, narrow space, I highly recommend local garden
\nwriter Marty Wingate’s book, Big Ideas for Northwest Small Gardens<\/em>
\n(Sasquatch Books, 2003). You are welcome to visit the Miller Library,
\nwhere you can do further research and also borrow books.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I am redoing the narrow planting areas (2-3′ wide) on either side of our 20′ long entry. Garages from next door townhouses butt up against the outer edge on each side, causing morning sun and afternoon shade on one side, and vice versa on the other side. I have picked out some euphorbias, heucheras, and carexes which should do well. I’m wondering if I should have some taller, more dramatic plants to offset these and if you have any suggestions…<\/p>\n

Continue reading plants for narrow planting areas<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","keyword":[690,194,689,442,451,688,446,687,686,299,408,685,684,528,199,683],"class_list":["post-2753","pal","type-pal","status-publish","hentry","keyword-actaea","keyword-anemone","keyword-baptisia","keyword-berberis","keyword-buxus","keyword-digitalis","keyword-euonymus","keyword-eupatorium","keyword-filipendula","keyword-helenium","keyword-ilex","keyword-taxus-baccata","keyword-thalictrum","keyword-thuja","keyword-verbascum","keyword-veronicastrum"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/depts.washington.edu\/hortlib\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pal\/2753"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/depts.washington.edu\/hortlib\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pal"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/depts.washington.edu\/hortlib\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/pal"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/depts.washington.edu\/hortlib\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/depts.washington.edu\/hortlib\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2753"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"keyword","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/depts.washington.edu\/hortlib\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/keyword?post=2753"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}