I Am Removing Two Overgrown Large Boxwood Shrubs That Have…
Pamela Asked
I am removing two overgrown large boxwood shrubs that have gotten too tall in front of my house. I would like to replace with low-growing perennials. The space is 9 feet long and I don’t want anything over 18 inches tall. Do you have any suggestions?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, Pamela: There are a few things to consider when it comes to choosing your new plants. Most important is the amount of sunlight that space receives. Six hours of direct sun is considered full sun. Less than three is considered shade, and anything in between is part sun. Not knowing how much light your space gets I will give you options for both. Sun-loving perennials that do not get more than 18” tall would be dianthus, geraniums, creeping phlox, and Veronica ‘Georgia Blue.’ These all have different bloom colors so if you have specific requests let me know and I can give you more details. Shade-loving options would be ferns, heuchera, tiarella, Hakone grass, hosta, and rumex. Some varieties of ferns and hosta will grow larger but for the most part they are lower growing perennials. You may just want to wander around your favorite garden center to see what catches your eye. Let me know if you need further suggestions.
