AI says to add boulders, rocks, and some ferns etc. I want a Japanese zen look with a maple, but space limited.
Last year planted jasmine and they are waking up after pruning.
Want something nice as the spa hot tub has this view. Frost killed one of my pygmi palm’s trunk, unfortunately.
by dmvevguy
1 Comment
Get rid of those crispy palms immediately because they are ruining your hot tub view and fighting the Zen vibe you want. Pull them out entirely roots and all. The AI is actually right about adding boulders and ferns but you have to install them correctly. Get three decent sized boulders and bury the bottom third of them in the dirt so they look like natural outcroppings instead of heavy things dropped from space. You also have white gravel bleeding into your black mulch which looks sloppy. Sink a clean steel edge between them to hold the line and give the space some actual structure.
For the plants a dwarf Japanese maple like a Tamukeyama will fit that space perfectly as your main focal point. Just make sure this area gets a little afternoon shade so the delicate leaves do not scorch. Underplant the maple with sweeping masses of Japanese painted ferns and Hakone grass to soften the stone and tie the ground layer together into one cohesive texture instead of scattering isolated plants around. Before you buy anything run a photo of the cleared dirt through the GardenDream web app. It is a great safety net to visualize exactly where that expensive tree and those heavy boulders should go so you do not break your back or waste money putting things in the wrong spot.