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Posted by Susanne - Herndon, VA
on November 2, 2009, 5:17 pm, in reply to "Recommendations on a plant"
96.255.42.93
Hi Dave,
I dearly love Loropetalum ... what a pretty plant and really, no pruning needed. Either that or camellia would be pretty for evergreen leaves and flowers.
And, too, you have that pipe there, which someone might need to get to, which suggests using a soft, friendly foliage instead of something thorny.
My only concerns with either one of those is that they could fry out there in that much summer sun, and with little water, ... and that if they were happy, they might outgrow the palm (which does look really good!)!
I was trying to think of lower, wider plants for you ... Now, after making the thorny comment, I know it's contradictory to suggest prickly pear cactus, but that could be fun. You have a nice little demonstration bed there and it sounds like good cactus conditions. A cactus here and there, throw in a few rocks, and it would be really neat!
I keep trying to grow Bergenia, which is evergreen and low and a pretty neat plant ... all the labels always say "sun and shade" but in reality I think that plant wants more shade than nurserymen admit. It would be great at the front of the bed and has a nice wide leaf. Has a more herbaceous look and wouldn't blend with the cactus so well, I guess, but it's a different option.
I'm also trying a plant called Rhodea this year (just got it this summer). It's also evergreen and looks a little like snake plant (the houseplant). It's supposed to like dry shade but I think it truly can handle more sun - not sure if it can handle 10-3, but I'm just throwing it out there as a tropical-looking but fully hardy plant.
Sedums would be fabulous in there, too. There is a new one out (or at least new to me) called "Jaws" which has sawtooth edges to its leaves and blooms a hot pink-red. Would be cheap to add there, too, because you could root cuttings.
How's that for a stream of ideas?!? I have a bunch of different sedum and you're welcome to pieces of any of them come spring!
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