I need HELP planning my new garden

Okay friends - here I am again wanting more help! A couple of weeks ago I posted asking for help on how to remove the lawn so I could start a garden. I got that all done - with LOTS of help from hubby! Now I need more help please.

I have pumpkins growing in my garden now and they are doing great. I am trying to "plan & design" my real garden now for the Fall. I am trying to add the architectural elements right now while it is too HOT to plant, but I needed to grow something in there for right now. Gary would never have understood all of that work in this heat to have it sit empty for months! I know the "feel" of what I want my garden to be like but I have NO IDEA how to go about doing the actual planning and designing! I checked out some books from the library, but it seems that all of the books do not help with my zone (9) - they are all for more friendly climates.

I want mostly perenials and bulbs in my garden. I want lots of layers and color. I do not want any desert landscape or roses at all. I do want more of a cottage look. My garden gets FULL sun! I drew a sketch of the actual space so that I could design placement on that - but I just can't seem to figure out where to start. I have never planned a garden before - I just buy plants that I like and plant them where they will fit. This time around I have almost a totally blank canvas to work with!

In my new space I have two existing cape honeysuckles growing against the south wall that hubby would not let me pull out, they have a deep green leaf and bright red/orange flower. I just put in a great faux rusty metal arch that will be my entrance into the garden and I am thinking I need some sort of red flowering vine to grow up the arch? The arch mimics the "arch" in the honeysuckles (I need to clean out the dead wood on these too) - I want to add a statue there as the focal point but until then I just have a sundial there (I know - stupid place for a sundial since there is no sun there - but I already had it). I also want to add a sandstone paver path from the arch back to the statue and would love to have some sort of plant material growing between the stone pavers.

I also have a small raised 2 tiered corner that I added on the south-east corner that I would like to do something "wonderful" with, maybe a lilac bush in the top tier? My evil neighbor that shares the fence with me says he doesn't want me planting anything that will climb the fence or blow leaves into his backyard and pool so I have to be careful I guess?

So does anyone have any suggestions on planning and designing a new garden from scratch? I need help! Thanks for taking the time to read and consider my questions. I am adding a couple of photos of the space and the dimensions - maybe that will help?
(16' 8" x 20' 6")
Thanks again,
Marta

 

Hi Marta,

My mother lives in Phoenix and I'm not all that familiar with the plant material there. I do remember when your hubby removed all the grass. Here's some sites for you to look through for plants and ideas.
http://www.gardeninginarizona.com/
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/azgard/
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/azgard/

Do you also want sites about garden design?
Newt

 

Thanks Newt!!!! You are always so helpful on this MB!
I would love some on design. I have been busy with teh graph paper the past few days trying to design my space - it is slow going.
Thanks again
Marta

 

Marta, some of these may not apply, but I tried to 'weed' through the ones I have for you.

When it comes to the books, you might consider if they are in the library.
http://phoenix.about.com/cs/toppicks/tp/desgarden01.htm

Keep in mind that xeriscaping doesn't always mean a bare landscape and cactus. There are many plants that will tolerate, and even thrive in dry conditions, that fit the defination of xeriscape.
http://www.gardendesigner.com/exp-fir.htm
http://www.gardeners.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Gardeners-Site/default/Link-Page?id=5165&SC=
http://www.garden.org/articles/articles.php?q=show&id=1362
http://www.garden.org/articles/articles.php?q=show&id=1364
http://landscaping.about.com/cs/landscapeplans/a/drought_plan.htm
http://landscaping.about.com/cs/cheaplandscaping1/a/xeriscaping.htm
http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/fg_feat_garddes.asp
http://www.411homerepair.com/garden/Ideas/Save_Water_by_Using_Drip_Irrigation.shtml
http://landscaping.about.com/od/designexamples1/tp/do_it_yourself.htm
http://www.411homerepair.com/garden/Ideas/CreatingYourPlantingAreas.shtml
http://www.411homerepair.com/garden/Ideas/avoidCommonDesignMistakes.shtml
http://www.411homerepair.com/garden/Ideas/CreatingYourLandscapeSitePlan.shtml
http://www.411homerepair.com/garden/Ideas/CreatingtheDesign.shtml
http://www.411homerepair.com/garden/Ideas/Xeriscaping.shtml
http://www.411homerepair.com/garden/Ideas/balance_landscape_design.shtml
http://www.411homerepair.com/garden/Ideas/line_form.shtml
http://ww5.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?...ardenhome_03022002.xml&ordersrc=g1landscaping
http://www.thewisegardener.com/Desert_Design.htm
http://www.cactuscenter.com/index.html

Some plant ideas. This first one is my favorite Sedum - Sedum 'Autumn Joy'. Do be sure to double check the zones on these.
http://landscaping.about.com/od/plantsforsunnydryareas/p/autumn_joy.htm
http://havasumagazine.com/Havasu_Landscape.htm
http://landscaping.about.com/od/flowersherbsgroundcover1/a/flower_photos.htm
http://www.gardengatemagazine.com/extras/70droughttolerant.php
http://www.lewisgardens.com/plantable.htm
http://www.gardengatemagazine.com/extras/46curbside.php

This might be useful.
http://www.gardengatemagazine.com/extras/47movingrocks.php
http://www.michaelholigan.com/Departments/TVShow/seg_index.asp?ts_id=5745
http://www.stadlergardencenters.com/journals/journal.php?article=30

Now don't stay up all night reading!!
Newt

 

Thanks again Newt - as always you are a HUGE help!!!!
M

 

You are so very welcome! Have fun with those. I can't wait to see your finished landscape!

Newt

 

Marta, I just noticed that HGTV has a program on today about desert gardening and shows some gorgeous plants. It's on at 11:30 am Eastern today called Gardening by the Yard. Hope you get to read this in time.

They mention a golden Aquilegia - columbine that is a native desert plant.
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/shows_gby/episode/0,1806,HGTV_3842_33803,00.html
http://www.highcountrygardens.com/20815.html

Here's another native desert columbine.
http://www.highcountrygardens.com/20816.html

Here's the segment info.
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_seasonal_zones/article/0,1785,HGTV_3631_3156882,00.html

They also mention The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.
http://www.dbg.org

Newt