On 4/29/2008 12:47 PM, Victoria wrote:
It's me again!

My garden is not huge - about 60 foot by 20 perhaps with a fence either
side of around 6 foot. I'll be digging borders wither side but not the
entire length of the garden.

I've been researching shrubs/plants etc and have a shortlist but am
still looking for ideas.

I am doing a "themed" garden around the purple-pink-lilac palette with
a white fence, backdrop of dark ivy. Am looking to find shrubs that do
not grow too tall (ie not overs 5 foot) nor too bushy (ie not wider
than 2 foot ) else they will protrude too much from the borders, which
wont be much wider than around 3 to 3.5 feet. I'd like the shrubs to
have a purple-pink tinge (very dark hues OR very light hues of these
colours is fine) and when in their "greener" stage to be that silvery
green colour like lavender stems rather than green like grass. Or deep
mossy green would be ok.
If the shrub flowers, I'd like it to be a pink/lilac/purple/mauve or
similar or white.

Is there anything that I can buy from an online nursery that will be a
good 18-24 inches tall at purchase time and grow RAPIDLY ...if you know
of anything, can you tell me how many inches it would grow in a year. I
don't really want to buy mature specimen plants at £30-£40 a pop!! But
want something I can plant now and see good results with by the end of
the year

All these online nurseries fail to mention how TALL their shrubs are
when you buy them, which isn't very helpful. They simply tell you it
comes in a 1.5L or 2L pot or whatever.

I specifically want to know about tall shrubs or plants that come back
year after year, NOT vines (which I've already decided upon)

any suggestions would be very welcome, I've been sat here for 3 full
days and nights running researching ideas and my brain is now maxed out
with it all !

many thanks........
Victoria

Rhaphiolepis indica has pink juvenile foliage that eventually turns
green. It is hardy to about 0F (-18C).

Mine flower profusely in the spring, with large clusters of pale pink
flowers. I have a compact variety growing next to my front porch; it
grows about 2 ft high and slightly wider. I have a larger variety
growing next to the public sidewalk; it grows about 3-4 ft high and
equally wide. I bought both in 1 gallon (~4 liter) cans. (While
perennials might come in smaller containers (even 1 liter), 1 gallon is
the smallest in which shrubs are sold here.)

Some varieties have white flowers. Some have dark pink. You have to
research the varieties and pick the one that is close to what your theme
requires.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/