The first thing that I would do is put a nice sharp edge on the bed along the grass side. A good edge makes a bed look neat and carefully planned. Next, I would seriously think about edging the whole bed with a low hedge. It's a box - play that up. As the hedge grows and fills in it also covers/hides/detracts attention from a lot of problems. Since height is the basic issue, I would use a perennial that can be sheared, something like Santolina, Teucrium, Germander, Iberis (Candytuft), or Aurinia (Basket of Gold). I have had good luck in my zone 5 garden with Santolina (only marginally hardy for me) on the outside edges of raised beds with the corners done in Candytuft and Aurinia. If your garden conditions are right, short sedums might be an inexpensive edging/hedging choice, since almost any stem would root for you and shearing would not be necessary. You could check out ones like the blue/grey Sedum sieboldii (6-12in), reddish Vera Jamison (1 foot, but sometimes flops open), or the warm yellow variegated Sedum alboroseum Mediovariegatum (listed as a 2 footer, but only growing about a foot in my clay, forms a nice rounded upright plant for me). There are lots of taller sedums, but my Autumn Joys and the newer Maestro (a sport of Matrona) get really tall in good garden soil. Also, it's just a guess, but I think that a shorter edge will make the other plants look taller than they are, somewhat hiding your height restriction problem. This sedum idea really depends on how much you like sedum and how much sedum you like. You might try mixing and matching some of the shearing plants up with some sedums at your local nursery and see if you get a combo you like, then using the sedums in shorter runs or for structural impact in certain areas. I would stick with just a few types of edging plants to make the area more unified. If you wanted to, expecially since it's a large area, you could also divide the inside of your garden into sections or shapes. Lots of Parterre ideas are available online and in books. Remember though, that even relatively informal hedges, such as I have suggested, are WORK. You could start with a perennial hedge on just the grass side towards the center and see if you like the effect, before spending a lot of time, effort and money on the idea. You can then divide or take cuttings from you existing plants and spread them across and down the sides over several seasons. Also you could easily incorporate the Dianthus that you mentioned into this garden. They are nice low plants that like good drainage. I am especially fond of the Chedder Pinks like Firewitch which form dense mats of bluish foliage. There are lots of other varieties, but the matting forms (versus the grassy ones) also plays into that guess/idea of mine that you need layers. A caution though - keep the Dianthus away from your grass - I have a really bad infestation of grass in some of mine along my grass path, which I just can't seem to eliminate. In fact I would keep your entire edging/hedging planting at least a foot away from the grass edge and keep that area heavily mulched. Some of the sedum groundcover ones such as Dragon's Blood or Angelina are pretty short( 4-6 inches), very colorful in bloom, and spread easily. They could be used to carpet the interior of the bed, lessening the too much mulch look. Another possibility are Thymes. I'm especially fond of wooly thyme, a very low blue-green mat forming thyme. This can take some moderate amount of stepping on which might be nice along a driveway. Lots of other steppables out there in the marketplace, even one using the term as a brandname. When I want to plant a larger-growing new plant in my garden I do not hesitate to simply dig a somewhat larger than usual hole (to give the new plant some breathing room)in the middle of my thyme or tear out a bunch of Dragon's Blood sedum and plant directly into these groundcovers. The removed bits can be patted into the ground somewhere else and usually take well with no extra care. A good edge and some strategically placed pots of creepers might give your garden a finished look and play well with your hot color scheme.

Well gosh, thisisme. Sorry you missed out on the Oro Blanco! Maybe you can leave your name with Costco, Home Depot or Lowe's to be called if they get a new shipment. I find my limes to be slower to get going out here in Vista, Calif for some odd reason. You'd think they'd grow like lemons (which grow like mad out here.) But not so much. For me, it has been my grapefruits first, which are going nuts, then any lemon tree (even the one that was completely unrecognizable it was in such bad shape when I moved in), then some of my mandarins, with my limes & Moro pulling up the rear. I am mad for grapefruit, so I can't imagine not having at least one in my yard. Plus, there are absoultely gorgeous ornamental trees and can become THE specimen tree for you. They have a very lovely growth habit, and, since all their fruit are born at the ends of their branches, when in blossom, they look like they're covered with popcorn, and when the fruit develops, it is all very beautifully on display. I am crossing my fingers for a nice grapefruit for you - an Oro Blanco, Melogold or Cocktail! Patty S.

Oh!!!! I understand. Thanks Hazelnut! These swaps are fun huh? *****Laurie's List****** I LOVE fairies...my garden theme is fairies. Oh heck...I have them everywhere...I admit it. Unicorns Windchimes Scented candles or fragrance oils I love all plants but I like growing bulbs. And plants with "Fairy" in the name. :o) I collect sharpies and pens I have 2 dogs and 2 cats I like heart stickers scrapbook stuff My favorite color is "Autumn" I like fruity bath stuff, body sprays, lip gloss, fingernail polish, fingernail stickers, etc. I also like garden stakes It's hard picking my brain at the spur of the moment. :oP Rosie, I will send you my address soon. Thanks! This is a neat idea!!! Laurie

While I think this is a definite improvement, the path seems too narrow between the hibiscus and the colorful flowers where the bed edge now bends back in a backwards S. I would flatten the S a bit to make that part of the path a bit wider. I also wouldn’t want something particularly tall blocking sight lines to the front door unless it will be tall enough to limb up. Doors that are blocked visually by plant matter bother me and feel unwelcoming. Either keep that plant shorter than the hibiscus and have the mass provide the balance, or choose one that can be limbed up and the door seen below the branches. I like the idea of balancing the hibiscus, but the house itself cannot be ignored in the process.