Hi Ronda carnations are bienniel which means they only live for 2 years. The first year they are all foliage and the second year they bloom and reseed so you would need to direct sow two years running in order to get a good clump going that would continue through the years. I found transplanting them to be really difficult. Of the package of
seeds I planted last year I have one
plant that survived. So I'm not very happy with them. I'm
zone 7 and have a heavy clay content in my garden area. Amending the soil I'm sure would have improved my result.
Daylilies are great but do have a short bloom time so you would probably need to get a variety in order to have something blooming at all times.
I think primroses are going to require more shade than your spot has to offer.
Here are some suggestions for along a side walk. First of all I would keep the
flowers relatively short so they don't interfer with anyone using the path.
Ophiopogon p. 'Nigrescens' (Mondo Grass, Black)
This has a max height of 6 inches and has a nice contrast between the dark foliage and the pink
flowers You could put these right near the walkway and then
plant slightly taller
flowers that bloom at different times of the year behind it. For example the next row might be one of these.
Agapanthus 'Africanus' (
lily-of-the-Nile) or
Agapanthus 'Snow Pixie' (
lily-of-the-Nile)
These are both shorter types of
lily of the nile the first is a lovely blue and the second a white depending on the colors you want you could use one or the other or even both in the next row since they get between 12 and 24 inches in height.
behind that if you have the room you may want to try for some of the ornamental onions. I just love these but you may like something with more of a bushy shape and there are certainly a number of options in that area too. I have some of the burgandy colored barberry in one of my containers that is really a nice
plant and the thorns can keep people on the path if that is a problem. It also comes in a light green that is nice.
Or I've had really good luck with the miniature
roses as long as I
plant them outside as soon as I get them.
Now about spacing lol. When you research a
plant you can find the
plant spacing requirements for that
plant. Then for me it's just a matter of starting at one end and measuring from the center of one
plant to the center of the next. Knowing that as they slower
growing plants get larger I can always move them. Which I will definitely be doing next year with my
roses. I have four of them that are red and right now I have them together to form one clump. But next year I hope to have added enough other colors to my collection that I'll be separating them out to make a multicolored row of miniature
roses. They are great
flowers.