Looking for the smallest possible "christmas tree" for backyard
B T
3 years ago
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B T
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Need ideas for sloping, shady backyard that won't harm tree
Comments (27)I put about 8 bags of topsoil down there, 5 inches deep at the most, directly on the existing soil/roots. I had dug a few areas kind of testing out the soil to seed if I wanted to plant directly in the existing soil but decided to to raise it up a bit. For me, ferns, pulmonarias and hellebores do quite well there plus Tiarella and spring ephemerals like bleeding heart and Virginia blue bell. Astilbes dry out way too much. The surrounding trees are all doing fine. I have mostly ash trees there. I think if you do not cover a significant area beneath the tree or do not sever the roots in a large circle around the tree, the tree will adapt. Normally that tree would hAve years of leaf litter accumulating above the roots--it looks as though you remove the leaves. I would not plan on putting down 5 inches of soil across the entire drip area of the tree though. I think either a curved section of raised bed in front of that edger you have or a couple of individual beds would work fine there and give you spaces to add a bit of variety to your back yard....See MoreSilly Advice Needed About My Backyard
Comments (64)Ok, neighbor (I live down by LAX), I'll throw in a couple more cents. First of all, no, you're not silly, you just shocked the heck out of us is all...I think it was the evening view toward the house that did it!!! Secondly, don't give up your questions because you do want to make *some* changes otherwise you wouldn't have asked. It sounds like the 'sterile' observation hit a chord, so work with that. I can't tell from just the two pics, but is this a fairly new property, because the landscaping seems small, either young or groomed that way. As someone with a passion for gardening and I would think the feeling you have being in the garden may be add odds with the straight, although beautiful, lines of the columns and house since you had the idea for the English garden. Sooo, take a deep breath, with any house, let alone a large one, it's a marathon, not a race, and there's always things that need changing. So, since you asked, here's some thoughts that come to my mind, in no order.... -For sure keep the view from the house to the ocean open, it looks nearly like an infinity pool, is stunning, and I would think very relaxing and good for the spirit. As mentioned, taking out the pool entirely is probably not the best thing if you move, and if you're not old enough for a jacuzzi yet but you will be eventually so that's a must keeper if they are the pools on the sides! ;-) Or, for that matter, if you re-arrange the pool a bit later, I'd keep the 'therapy' water in the design. Folks may not swim, but most everyone has a bad back, etc. and what better than enjoy the therapy looking out over the ocean??? -Is that a balcony in the middle of the house? What about some _modest_ sized, so as not to eliminate the lines of the house trailing plants or even roses? Bouganville would be monsters unless you could find a small variety, but would be drought tolerant and match the style of the house. -Urns would match the decor, but not soften the appearance if that's where you're going. Also, don't forget, unless you specifically drain water away from pots, they'll stain the concrete around the pool and it will look ghastly. -I have to agree about finding a professional for more guidance in the pool area. There must be a ton that work up there. There are so many landscape designs up there drive around at least for ideas, and if you're really brave, knock on the door on a weekend to see if they'll share. If nothing else, they should take the question as a compliment. -Knowing not what I know not, I wonder if there are pool people that could change the style of the pool to (it sounds like?) something elegant but more garden appropriate, more pond-like as mentioned above, ie, darker bottom, garden waterfall into it, etc. If it's chlorine you can have a gizmo put in that somehow makes chlorine for you, eliminating some of the maintanance, or go for salt water, some people like it, I don't know the pros and cons. -Weather. It gets chilly up there in the afternoon, let alone other than the summer season. And foggy. If you do make changes, do keep in mind some protected space if you don't have it elsewhere, if you want to sit outdoors and enjoy the view of your new garden design and the ocean. Ok, gotta get back to work, but do take to heart that although I'm sure you love your new house and the view is amazing, you wouldn't have posted if you were 'comfortable' in the pool area. Follow your instincts and see where you go. It's your space, keep asking questions until you're happy with it. Best wishes!...See MorePacific Coast and overgrown backyard. Can't tackle the returning weeds
Comments (32)I too bought the old untended house on an acre full of thick weeds, in SoCal. All of the advice you are getting is right, you'll probably want a mix of tactics. Our weed load includes some Oxalis which seems hard to eradicate, and numerous mustards and other weeds, but mostly Stinging Nettle, which seems to spread both under and above ground. Right now we have a Nettle bonanza with all the rain, many areas came back much more so than past few years. I've put cardboard down for paths through it until it grows enough to be easier to remove, and will mulch over the cardboard when I have a chance. We have tried many things and ended up solarizing some areas with black plastic, which worked pretty well to help diminish the amazing density we inherited. That was in my raised bed garden where I now use old carpet scraps to manage paths and work areas without weeds/nettle (carpet lets the water through but is tidier and less work than mulch in those areas) but 6+ years post-solarization the nettle comes back thick and lush so I don't think the solarization did lasting damage. For areas where we had large amounts of mustard weeds, a few years of pulling them out before they could set seed has diminished it considerably. Now the annual mostly-nettle weed work is a mix of tactics - putting cardboard or wood down during spring growing season, pulling plants ideally when they are 15" high and the ground is still soft so they pull right out, some areas get hit with a scuffle (hula) hoe, and then least favorite, weed whacking some of it when the scuffle hoe exhausts us. It helps to sharpen the scuffle hoe once in a while. Nettle infestation is an especially lovely weed experience, no walking around parts of the yard wearing shorts or flip flops or clogs without socks, and to pull it have to use the long rose gloves over canvas shirt sleeves. And I still get burned. And the dog always has an itchy nose. We do sometimes have nettle greens with dinner, but it's a hassle and in my opinion not very flavorful. Welcome to home ownership, Plumber Dave....See MoreCreative ideas for backyard area
Comments (31)Sorry about the confusion. The "+" sign is a symbol representing the center of a plant. The circle represents its perimeter. In this case, it represents a small tree. The "." symbol is the same thing. In this case it represents a shrub form. The shapes in between the patio and house are generic plants ... there only to give the plan a vague sense that plants in that space are possible. When looking down from above (as in a PLAN) all individual plants are going to look like a circle with a center. The scalloped edge thing is a plant MASS .... where smaller plants are amassed together such that you do not see the individual, but only the perimeter of the group. Here, it's all generic and doesn't yet matter about the plants. I'm only showing them to say that "some plants can fit in this space." At this point, all you need to care about is the patio. The hardscape (patio) comes first. The plantings are subordinate and will comply with whatever way the patio ends up being. Since you don't want a deck, whatever steps you have will come fairly near the door. You'll still need a landing at the door (rather than immediately stepping down as that would be cheap looking and feeling, such as what one would expect to see in a mobile home situation) which is why I suggest make it and steps full width of the wall face. It will work and look much better than if you try to make it only one door width, as it is now. You only need 4 risers for the set of steps. You want a small patio. There is no need or reason to make a contrived or convoluted set of steps with this small, simple need. Keep them spacious and simple and you will have a nice finished package. Get cute or clever and you might like it for a while, but others will wonder why you bothered or the next owner may dislike it. Simple, well functioning steps will work best. You can glamourize them in the construction details, if that suits your taste. If you want something other than straightforward, it would be best if you sketch it out in plan view, and then I'd be happy to react to what you've proposed, giving the pros and cons. I think I mentioned before but did not see your answer .... you'll need to figure out the total square footage that you want for patio space. It doesn't need to be to the square inch. You just need to get into the ballpark on it. While I'm not working to scale -- just proportion -- I estimate the patio in the sketch to be about 170 s.f., which does not count the pure walking space in front of the steps. Including that, it might be around 200 s.f. Keep in mind that in order to do the same functions (cook and eat) requires a little more room outdoors than it does indoors. Outdoors, people move about faster and flail their arms more :-)....See MoreB T
3 years agoB T
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoB T
3 years agoAddison in VT z4a
3 years ago
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