Garden

[Sweetbay magnolia]

Hello - if you choose to tuck a shrub or two in there, how about spirea, dwarf butterfly bush, or dwarf lilac?  All deciduous, so the winter snow and road treatment  may not be a problem.  And they're all pretty tough.  Just a thought.  Liriope?  Doesn't get tougher than that.  Liriope spicata "silver dragon" has crisp white-edged foliage and yes, is a creeper, not a clumper, but since the bed is bordered by hard surface, it could only go so far.  No expert here, though, on hardiness for your neck of the woods.  Have fun!  Making new beds is a delight!

[JustJazzmom]

@terrier3

I would not recommend the David Austin roses-- many of his varieties get blackspot and the only one I would recommend is his 'Queen of Sweden' There are Kordes roses-- many hybrid teas and shrub roses -- and some of the roses in the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden at the NY Botanical Garden in the Bronx that I would also recommend for disease resistance and beauty.  I'm trying to find Peter Kukielski's list from there on their site, but cannot find it. He has a book (its on Amazon) that lists and rates roses by several criteria-- its called Roses Without Chemicals I'm getting it for my birthday next month from one of my kids-- so save one for me please!

I suggest going mailorder from various companies online and order in January for (I am imagining in your area-- May planting) We are warmer here on LI so by the end of April is where we start planting roses here).

Reputable companies for roses online: Roses Unlimited Chamblee's Roses Heirloom Roses

All of these companies sell own root roses-- they are ungrafted roses and are stronger if you get a severe winter. You don't have to worry about burying the graft union on these. They arrive smaller than grafted roses but within 2-3 years are at the height they should be. There are a few other rose companies like Edmunds  (grafted roses) or Pickering (bareroot-- closed for 2015 season -- will they emerge back in 2016???)

List of roses from Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden

Daylilies are not bulbs like lilies are but are plants that contain tuber like structures on their root systems. They really can be planted anytime the ground is workable-- they are like the sun version of hostas-- can be planted at any specific time without causing problems to the plant. Recommended daylily companies: Gilbert H Wild

Roycroft Nursery

All of the linked companies I have used (roses/daylilies) or the Extension has used (roses).

Remember even though a company will say when they can safely ship to your hardiness zone, if you feel they can send it earlier to you or later (if its been a severe winter) you can mark that on the order form or tell them over the phone.

[mousiegirl]

How about the rose Iceberg, as it flowers constantly, really puts on a show, and looks great.  It is a floribunda.  I bought many this year for a driveway patch.

[Tigriss]

Well let me just say that my post about putting the kids in the bed as meant as funny HAHA...put the kids to bed...pun! Many people in the south talk about planting the kids outside for summer so they can play, get fresh air, and be all tuckered out for bed. You know, the old go outside and play thing. Oh well, some people don't have a sense of humor.

[ValuSkr]

Good one!  I would have left your post, it was a clever joke.

[Tigriss]

Thanks. Someone must not have appreciated putting tents and kids in those beds and adding a lemonade stand. Remember when parents thought TV was ruining the kids and they were couch potatoes and planted in their seats. That is all. Come on people.

My BIL took the kids camping in the basement. Come on---basement because of the 70" tv his ma has. Kids belong outside in the summer playing in the dirt, building their immune systems, picking berries, planting and picking veggies, all that good stuff.

BTW, a fragrant planting in those beds would be a nice way of leaving for work and arriving home. The house is wonderful with the ivy and what it has now. We don't have those wonderful old houses down here and small yards. I would love a small yard to tend, but instead I have 2 acres of grass to cut with trees and bushes. I would love a plain old push rotary mower to make my allergies happy! I don't know the Buffalo area planting needs, but fragrant and butterfly attracting plants are my favorite for neighborhoods where people walk dogs and kids and smell all the wonderful plants and see the butterflies. That's all.

[terrier3]

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@Tigriss wrote:
Well let me just say that my post about putting the kids in the bed as meant as funny HAHA...put the kids to bed...pun! Many people in the south talk about planting the kids outside for summer so they can play, get fresh air, and be all tuckered out for bed. You know, the old go outside and play thing. Oh well, some people don't have a sense of humor.

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I thought is was funny! And it was directed at me.

[Tigriss]

Oh, that is your house. It is lovely with all the ivy and the balcony with the plants. You have a wonderful place. I can just imagine the inside full of beautiful period characters. What time period is it? I wouldn't put anything high in those beds because it would block the front of the house. I would do some fragrant flowers so you can stop and smell the flowers in today's busy times!

I also can't imagine a flat roof with snow. Granny has always said not to buy a house with a flat roof; it will leak. But I always see the up north and ya'll get rain and snow. She had one in Colorado when pa was stationed at Norad. It leaked like a colander!! She wanted her little travel trailer back with the 4 kids instead of a house with a leaky roof they used when pa was on the road in the Army. She now has a steel roof with a high pitch.

[terrier3]

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@Tigriss wrote:
Oh, that is your house. It is lovely with all the ivy and the balcony with the plants. You have a wonderful place. I can just imagine the inside full of beautiful period characters. What time period is it? I wouldn't put anything high in those beds because it would block the front of the house. I would do some fragrant flowers so you can stop and smell the flowers in today's busy times!

I also can't imagine a flat roof with snow. Granny has always said not to buy a house with a flat roof; it will leak. But I always see the up north and ya'll get rain and snow. She had one in Colorado when pa was stationed atNorad. It leaked like a colander!! She wanted her little travel trailer back with the 4 kids instead of a house with a leaky roof they used when pa was on the road in the Army. She now has a steel roof with a high pitch.

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Thanks for the kind words. An architect well known in New York, E.B. Green, designed 3 row houses to look like New Orleans. They were built in 1912. He kept ownership of all 3...and rented out two. The apartments are each one and a half floors - I have the second floor for my main space - and the balcony. They feature large first floor foyers, with elaborate fireplaces. They were rented to people who lived in other places, but wanted Buffalo addresses. Their was one maid to handle both residences (my son now lives in the maid's quarters). The foyers were used for "receiving" guests and for them to drop off their calling cards. The apartments are actually quite long and large with lots of windows. - each one is over 2000 square feet on our main floor.

The flat roof is now a roof garden for my upstairs neighbor. There is decking over the roof, which has plenty of drainage spouts. She has never had a problem in 10 years with leaking - they don't make houses this solid anymore!

I have been trying to have foliage to reflect the age of the home...the exterior is actually on city historic tours. We have some hostas that are from the 1930s...they have been subdivided many times over!