A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Plants and Flowers Forum ideas for very narrow bed?

I have a very narrow bed along the wall of our church that I take care of. I have pictures from last spring below.


I usually put annuals in for summer color, but I don't really love it. Around the corner in a wider bed I have perennials mostly and reseeding annuals. The whole thing is now edged in a low black edger fence to keep birds from making a mess. I have a black trellis with purple morning glories that seed themselves like crazy in the other section, along with daylilies, bearded purple iris, coreopsis, purple salvia, dwarf iris, red and yellow lilies, gaillardia, Cal. poppies and nasturtium, also johnny jump ups.
I would like to figure out a way to continue that purple, red, gold theme in the narrow strip with perennials. They cannot flop onto the sidewalk for safety. I want to add another black trellis in there if possible. My ideas are more morning glories, mini daylilies, coreopsis and poppies. How do I make it work in the normal sort of perennial border way being it is so long and narrow? How do I group them and arrange them?

You might do a series of different lengths of trellis along the wall. Four might nicely fill the entire wall with color. That would soften the look of the wall. Since I am not a good judge of measure by looking at a photo, would you have room to put plants for each trellis in a clay pot and bury the pot in the ground just below the top of its rim? That way the plants can be trained up the trellis and kept off the ground. Allow a bit of space between the trellises and the wall so the plants have some breathing room. I find a good item to use is pieces of sponge attached to the back of the trellis. Planting in pots would also prevent plant roots from growing under the foundation and inbetween the sidewalk spacers.

Is that area in full shade? I ask as the tulips at both ends seem to really be leaning forward. An indication they are stretching for light. If the area is in shade other posters might have suggestions for shade plants.

Thank you for your ideas. That sounds great.
I don't know why the tulips are leaning so much. It faces west and is surrounded by parking lot so there is no shade. Although the end ones that are leaning are the most north. Around the corner in my wider bed it is full south.