Re: plant suggestion for west facing bed needed

Your alkaline soil may have a lot to do with your success (or lack thereof)
in that flower bed.  Most plants are fairly pH tolerant, but more are more
tolerant of acid soils than very alkaline ones.  I don't think the pfitzers
having grown there would make any difference, other than, perhaps,
depleting the soil and leaving it full of roots.

Have you dug in copious quantities of organic material?  That usually helps
most soils.  

Seems to me that leaving the caryopteris and adding to them would give more
interest than a long bed of only one genus or species of plant.  

West facing beds against house foundations can be tough on a lot of plants,
particularly broad-leafed evergreens, so I'd say try for deciduous shrubs. 
Knee high...hmmm...well, decided to try out ArborQuest's search by criteria
function for zone 5 small deciduous shrub alkaline soil....long list came
up, including several trees, but here are a few from it that you might
consider:

Abeliophyllum distichum - white forsythia
http://www.arborquest.com/SPdetail.cfm?sp=ABDIAA

Amorpha canescens - Lead plant amorpha
http://www.arborquest.com/SPdetail.cfm?sp=AMCNAA

Caragana pygmaea - Pygmy pea shrub
http://www.arborquest.com/SPdetail.cfm?sp=CAPYAA

Cotoneaster apiculatus - Cranberry cotoneaster
http://www.arborquest.com/SPdetail.cfm?sp=COAPAA

Cotoneaster horizontalis - Rockspray, rock cotoneaster
http://www.arborquest.com/SPdetail.cfm?sp=COHOAA

This one is especially nice if you train it to grow up on a wall as the
pattern of the branches is quite decorative.  I have one...nice Cotoneaster
IMO.

Deutzia gracilis - Slender deutzia
http://www.arborquest.com/SPdetail.cfm?sp=DEGRAA

I have the cultivar 'Nikko'  draping over a low stone wall - very nice. 
Stays very short, would make a nice edging; will root where branches touch
ground.

Hypericum kalmianum - Kalm St. Johnswort
http://www.arborquest.com/SPdetail.cfm?sp=HYKAAA

There are other Hypericums that might work, too...check out their link at
top of page to more about St. Johnsworts...

Potentilla fruticosa 'Katherine Dykes' - Bush cinquefoil
http://www.arborquest.com/SPdetail.cfm?sp=POFRKA

There are tons of Potentillas that would be good.  I just picked 'Katherine
Dykes' because she is one I had for a while - but they do not like my hot,
humid nights.  Again, check out the more about at the top of the page for a
huge list.  Where they like the climate, they are lovely shrubs.

Symphoricarpos x chenaultii 'Hancock' - Chenault coral berry
http://www.arborquest.com/SPdetail.cfm?sp=SYCEHA

There are also other Symphoricarpos.  I have  S. x 'Magic Berry'.  Was not
initially charmed by the form, but after a few years, it does make a very
interesting plant.  They tend to root down where branches touch soil, so
you either need to prune them or you will have a thicket.  Berries are
quite neat...flowers very inconspicuous.  

Well, that should give you some food for thought:-)  Personally, I think
that border would be a lot more interesting with at least 5 different kinds
of shrubs in it.  Try for different leaf shapes and sizes for textural
contrast.  Get 3 of each of 5 and mass the like ones together, keeping form
in mind.  You might want to add something vertical so you don't end up with
nothing but mounds.  Juniper 'Sky Rocket' might do...something like that.

You don't turn into an idiot in the garden...it's just a media you're not
as familiar with as interior design....same design principles apply, tho'. 
Form, balance, color and texture....and of course, using plants that will
do well in the soil and position you have to offer.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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----------
> From: Carol L Cramer <cramer@pld.com>
> Date: Sunday, October 03, 1999 6:09 PM
> 
> need advice...
> 
> i have a flower bed  (facing west) approx. 3'X24' long.  Have spent more
> time and money than i like to think about trying to develop a flower bed
> -- and it has not become the oasis of beauty I envisioned!!    Took me
> more than two years to finally remember that we had pfitzer juniper
> shrubs growing there for years --  and altho our soil is very
> alkaline,   these pfitzers have probably really acidified the soil or
> they did something that makes it very difficult to plant other
> things..   This bed fronts an "old fashioned" porch w/white railing -
> the house is antique brick.  I have about given up on flowers -- but
> want shrubs that will be thick and about "knee high" or that can easily
> be pruned to that.   I have an euonymous shrub in my back yard  (and I
> don't know what variety).  It has shiny green leaves,  grows in a loose,
> but attractive upright way  (never have noticed a flower or berry)...
> i really like it and it looks like it can be easily pruned to keep its'
> height in bounds....
> 
> do you think a row of these would grow in this bed?     Also have three
> Black Knight (?) caryopteris growing in this front bed right now -- and
> they are doing ok?   Should I remove them or  could I intersperse them
> with the euonymous?   would this be attractive or junky?
> 
> it amazes me that i feel i have an unerring sense of taste and style for
> the interior of my home -- but i step out in the yard and turn into an
> idio!!
> 
> we live in zone 5a....                          thanks
> 
> Carol
> 
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