Need help with a landscape design / plan
sunbum
13 years ago
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ideasshare
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoideasshare
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Landscape design and planning, plant help!
Comments (3)My sister and I and our DH's have been working on the landscaping and plants at both of our houses. Their style and ours are very different. My sister and I started walking in the mornings for a 1/2 hour 2 or 3 times a week, right after the kids go to school. One of the things we do is look at all the hardscaping and plantings in the yards we pass by and talk about what we like and don't like. Gives you lots of ideas to determine what you want and what grows well in our area. The next thing I would do is to interview your kids! Ask THEM if they could design and create that space, what would it be? What activities would they do there, what kind of plants do they like? What kind of furniture or decorations for it? You may get some very interesting answers! There are some good childrens' garden books and children's gardening books out there with lots of ideas. We did this when we started to plan, design and "imagine" the side yard "Secret Garden" we're creating with and for our two children. Our 10 yo son wants a pond and a rainbow flower garden, our 12 yo daughter wants a vegetable garden. They both want a place to read (they are both avid readers, we have no cable and no video games or nintendo here), and a space to play games like checkers, cards or chess.And a table and chairs so they can enjoy a snack outside in their garden and invite friends over to play in the garden. Both children said they wanted fragrant plants. We put in an arch and a birdbath to also further encourage and attract hummingbirds and butterflies. They want two ducks or a chicken too- we'll see! We already have a dwarf rabbit and a outdoor cat. I want a corgi, so like I said, we'll see! To see some pics of their Secret Garden in progress, check out my Picture Trail: careytearose Here is a link that might be useful: look in the Landscaping Projects 2007 album...See Morelandscape designer, missing loot law suit need help
Comments (3)First, I'm very sorry for your experience - not a great introduction to working with a landscape professional :-( I assume you do not have the plans? Or even any preliminary sketches? It is very possible to develop a cottage style garden or at least an informal, naturalistic planting in a fair amount of shade. I am not sure why folks vere away from shade gardening as such a design challenge - it's ony a matter of becoming familiar with plants that prefer those conditions and there are lots. bboy points you in the right direction - include some smallish understory trees and shrubs and fill in with woodland plants and shade or part shade lovers - hostas, astilbe, brunnera, ferns, hellebores, columbine, bleeding heart....the list goes on! In sunnier areas, you can include more sun tolerant plantings typical to a cottage garden, including peonies, iris, delphiniums, etc. Try your local library for a book, "The Complete Shade Garden" by George Schenck. Should provide some inspiration as well as introduce you to a long list of shade tolerant plants. It's a bit of closing the barn door after the horse has escaped now, but should you embark on a professional landscaping adventure again, be sure to protect yourself as best you can by insisting on a contract with the professional that outlines their participation in detail as well as your responsibilities and never pay more than a modest deposit towards work that has not been completed. Personally, I'd have to think a designer was up to no good from the outset if they asked for $10 grand before any plans were completed and delivered and to "reserve" an installation crew and plants for spring. An ethical professional just doesn't work that way....See MoreNeed help finding a reasonably priced landscape designer on Long
Comments (2)There are many nice designers here.you could check out their designing,pics,comments.if you like some,touch them.many designing,ideas are shared here....See MoreLandscape design plan and complimentary plant ideas needed
Comments (13)I would plant it diagonally off the corner of the house if possible, and if you don't own enough space, then plant if straight toward the street from the house corner, expanding the bed to accommodate it. It will help break up that large wall next door as well as not blocking the low front window. I would keep the plants in the area of walkway low and far enough from the edge so visitors don't feel like they have to avoid the walk edges. I agree with the previous poster who suggested adding mulch over the pine straw instead of removing it. Just use a brown mulch so it isn't the main feature. For specific plant suggestions (for which I will be no help since I am3- 4 zones colder than you), you want to add the amount of sun this part of the garden receives and your USDA zone - you have already given us your general location. One of the issues I see with your current plants is that they are all fine-textured and of a similar color, so having a bit more variety in general plant appearance will make it look better while still having multiples of each type for visibility from the street. You might want to take photos of your current plants and get them IDed on the Name that Plant forum here on the Garden Web part of Houzz. [Name-that-plant forum[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/name-that-plant-dsbr0-bd~t_29966) It may be that at least some of the plants will be a good choice for that spot if used in combo with some replacement plants. You haven't really explained why you are planning to move all of them....See Moreideasshare
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