New to Gardening and really need advice on flower bed design..?

I have a new bricked in flower bed that is about 15 feet wide and 3 feet deep. I am in zone 6b and the garden is in mostly full sun for the day.



So far I have two Emerald Isle Leyland Cypress (small spirals)and two Golden Euonymus to the rear of the bed. In front I have Hostas and some colorful annuals - petunias, celosia and coleus.



I still have a space to the rear (in the center) which I would like to fill in with something really eye-catching that will bring color in the spring and summer, and not die in the winter... I was thinking a Hydrangea, but I don't think it will do well in the full sun - and the winter frost may finish it off...



Any and all suggestions will be much appreciated. And if I am on the wrong track with my mix of plants - please let me know while I still have the pots and the receipt! :-) Thanks all...
New to Gardening and really need advice on flower bed design..?
A Nandina bush might be just the thing. It has pretty white flowers in spring/summer and bright red berries in the fall/winter. The leaves are soft, not sharp like Holly, and the bush can be trimmed and prunned if needed or left alone. Landscapers use it quite a bit in flower beds around the house. Check it out at your local nursery.
Reply:Hi:

I am a landscaper and designer. There are many evergreen shrubs you could incorporate along the back of your garden. Here are a few suggestions:



Chinese Pizazz or Loropetalum - evergreen shrub with green and purple leaves year around. Pinkish flowers appear in spring and summer.



Lemon Thread or Mop Cypress - evergreen variegated yellow and green leaves year around. Great compliment to the Emerald Green and Euonymus.



If you have some shade, consider some Camellias or Pieris Japonica. One goal you may have is to try and get color year around, with different plants blooming at different times.



I will link you to the gallery of plants section of my website as well as the variety of more plants. There are many photos, descriptions and zones that may give you some ideas for the back of you garden. If you need more suggestions, feel free to contact me and I would be happy to help you. Good luck and have a great day!

Kimberly



http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.c...



http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.c...
Reply:You might have found a variety of Hosta that will tolerate full sun, but they're rare. Hostas are shade loving plants.

You are in a warmer zone than me, so have more options. For your remaining space, how about a mixture of daylilies. They are tall enough and very pretty, with lots of colors to choose from. You might be able to get selections that bloom successively in slightly different times, to extend the flowering season. The leaves are quite attractive when blooming is over. Another option is roses. I have a patio rose tree that blooms nonstop all summer. Or the standard bush type. It is a bit tricky for me to overwinter, but you should be OK.

stila