front landscape plan- need suggestions- pics included

12 years ago

Here is a picture of the front of the house straight on, followed by a picture a bit more from the side to show where new bed will go. Hope the text on the photo is clear, but if not, here is a summary.

Looking for overall impression of plan and these specifics:

1) What can I put at the end of the new bed in front of neighbors fence (landscaper suggested spruce, but I think it will grow too large for the area. Looking for large tall shrub or tree. Need to keep it contained so doesnÃ¯Â¿Â½t go into neighbors yard

2) Landscaper suggested coral bells for miscellaneous placement. Would rather go with another perennial in addition to the astilbe and blue fescue grass suggested. Considered purple heuchera but concerned as is over used in my subdivision- may still consider this though- any other suggestions?

3) Torn between Pink Diamond Hydragenea or Limelight Hydragenea. Any experiences with either?

Here is a summary of plan:

Remove existing 3 rugosa rose buses from front of path to house and relocate to backyard

Remove existing birch tree and move to backyard

Remove juniper around crab tree on right of photo

Expand planting bed to create island on right side of photo by neighborÃ¯Â¿Â½s split rail fence to sidewalk.

Move existing globe arborvitae closer together (5 under windows on right side of photo, 3 under windows left side of photo).

Add either Pink Diamond Hydragenea or Limelight Hydragenea to bed in front of windows on left side of photo in front of 3 globe arborvitae.

Add 3 new pink knockout rose bushes to replace 3 current rugosa rose bushes

Add 5 new pink knockout rose bushes to new planting bed in front of neighborÃ¯Â¿Â½s fence.

Add spruce tree in new planting bed (right side of photo) probably near sidewalk which I think will grow too large for the area so weÃ¯Â¿Â½d like a large bush here or small tree (needs to be narrowish to keep it from overlapping neighborÃ¯Â¿Â½s property.

Ground cover by existing lilac buses flanking entrance, by crab tree, by Spruce on new island (or replacement suggestion of large bush or small tree)

5 large hosta by crab tree

7 astilbe

18 coral bells (I prefer another perennial- concerned about purple heuchera as is over used in my subdivision- may still consider this though)- grouped by hydregena, by and by porch area

11 blue fescue grasses- 3 by hydregenia and by coral bells (or other perennial we decide to use)

Thanks for any advice!

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Comments (11)

lowjo1
Original Author
12 years ago
URG! Posted wrong second pic. Hope this one has easier to read text. Sorry about that.

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designoline6
12 years ago
Some plants what you selected work.
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Curvy or straight? The main point is to give beds depth. Rule of thumb for a border or foundation would be a minimum depth of 6 ft, but most look better if deeper than that. Narrow beds and borders, I think, are one of the things that leads some people to plant in the dreaded soldier rows. Also, although I sometimes think some people get a little anal about the "rule", it's kind of a common mantra in gardening books and on garden forums to hear that plant material should be planted in odd numbers. Three is the favorite number. For smaller plants, or for greater impact, try 5 or 7. If a plant has presence enough to be a specimen or accent on its own, then plant just one. Consider that most dwarf shrubs are about 2 ft at maturity. You need to keep an access space along the house, so you don't plant them write up against it. And, you just read this rule of 3 thing, so you have 3 little shrubs that you won't plant in a row. How much depth will your irregular planting of a trio of the same shrub or perennial need? Then you figure that ... hmmm ... a 2 ft shrub doesn't have a lot of presence by itself. What if it were to have a grouping of evergreens here ... and, say, here ... Oh, and the evergreens are something slow growing that will eventually reach 4 to 5 ft. Pretty soon you realize the border depth needs to be 8 ft to accommodate the shrub groupings. And, because I think it's how many of us think, I'm starting from smaller plants and working from there. Of course, the other common scenario is trying to plant something that matures at 6 to 10 ft with a similar spread into a bed that isn't deep enough. So, my recommendation would be that you get a working idea of the shape and especially the depth of the beds. Incorporate the raised bed idea if you like ... But for now, just play with the ideas on paper, keeping foremost in your mind the way these beds will enhance your home. Once you've got a paper plan that you like, you don't necessarily have to pull the whole thing off all at once. You have a plan. Execute it slowly. Given that you are trying to learn design and learn plants and "do" the garden all at once, give yourself permission to work at a reasonable pace. Maybe the shadier side first, and focus next year on the sunnier side. Give strong consideration to checking out if a local nursery provides design services. Often you can pay a reasonable fee (about $300) for a reasonable plan. If they seem to be going in a too cookie cutter direction, call them on it and indicate the preferences you are already developing. Mainly what you want is something to guide your process. And, there are designers out there who work specifically with clients who intend to put the plan in place themselves. Anyway, whether you sketch it out entirely yourself or get professional input, once you've got a plan, implement it in stages. Don't do what I've done ... rush out to look at all the pretty plants and come home with babies that need to go into the ground ... now! Give your future plantlings the courtesy of beautifully prepared beds with wonderfully prepped soil. You won't regret it. Focus on getting a particular section of the project done well. Maybe it won't look finished, but you have a plan and you know what you will be doing next to fulfill it. Hope that makes sense ... It's just often the case that we get an idea, and think we can execute it and then it turns out to be way more work than we realized when we were just playing with it on paper. Get the big picture on paper ... But, if you are doing the work, stage the execution in manageable phases.
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Hi Homebound, replied to your post over in windows and followed your link over here. A lot of wonderful ideas here! Your original idea of what to do in the front sounds real good. I would keep the trees too, it is so rare to have two large trees nowadays. I cannot see where they are relative to the edge of your yard and sidewalk but if they are far enough to the middle of the yard, I would build a nice wood covered patio designed around the trees. In other words, when it is done, it will look like you trucked in the trees to complement the structure. A nice low picket fence or rod-iron or ranch style along the front marks a nice boundary and also provides security. If you need the grass for children, I would then plant low brush along fence line to prevent people from being able to just hop over. An alternative will be to convert some of the lawn into flower beds and install secluded seating areas. It is nice to have a place like this where you can just do as you please from scratch! Have fun!
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Just some thoughts on your plant choices... Loropetalum and Lavandula stoechas are at opposite ends of the water requirement spectrum, and Loropetalum wants to get 5 feet tall by across or more at maturity, you'll be pruning this a lot and losing the natural form to keep it in check. I never use Loropetalum chinense rubrum selections unless they have at least 6 feet of space to grow. Purple Fountain Grass is really more of a warm season annual than a reliable year round good appearance perennial in SF Bay Area conditions, and I only use it in my designs as an annual to be yanked when it starts looking bad by late December/early January. It seems to take forever to look good after winter is over, while it arrives early in the season from southern California greenhouses each spring, it may be mid June before one in the ground looks full again. I'd suggest sticking with plants that are more water compatible if it is all on the same valve. My personal bias would be to lose the Pennisetum rubrum and substitute with more of the Lavender or maybe some Tulbaghia violaceae 'Silver Lace' for a similar grassy foliage look and long bloom season/deer resistance. Adding something like a spilling Erigeron x moerheimerii would also relate to the Lavender. If you like purple foliage, I might suggest seeking out Eucomis comosa 'Sparkling Burgundy' as an accent,(but this isn't a Home Depot type of plant), or maybe Sea Lavender/Limonium perezii for the long spring to fall deep purple blooms and low water needs. If you wouldn't mind adding some magenta/fuchsia flower color to the mix, Salvia chiapensis is another one that spills and drapes and has a nearly year round bloom period, or the newer hybrid Salvia 'Wendy's Wish' is quite nice as well. Some bulbs such as Scilla peruviana could also be an interesting addition to the mix, with bold color in March/April, and survives on rainfall alone.
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designoline6
12 years ago
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designoline6
12 years ago
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designoline6
11 years ago
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designoline6
11 years ago
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karinl
11 years ago
Too bad you didn't get much response. Your original query was likely too concerned with details of plant selection and the presentation was so complicated that it looked like a half-hour assignment just to get up to speed. I hope you are finding your way through your questions. A local nursery might be a better resource for individual plant selection than a forum of design enthusiasts.

Karin L
designoline6
11 years ago
Bad,there aren't any answers except me.We should not ignore any a poster.
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reyesuela
11 years ago
I gave it a look. It did seem complicated--sorry. :-)

I'd ditch the miniglobe arbs there--they grow too slowly.

>2) Landscaper suggested coral bells for miscellaneous placement. Would rather go with another perennial in addition to the astilbe and blue fescue grass suggested. Considered purple heuchera but concerned as is over used in my subdivision- may still consider this though- any other suggestions?

There are TONS of heuchera choices. Why limit yourself? Get something else if you don't want purple.

>3) Torn between Pink Diamond Hydragenea or Limelight Hydragenea. Any experiences with either?

Adore limelight.

The plan now is nicely low maintenance.
dianne0712
11 years ago
You have a big house and your current plan seems too small to carry it. The beds as they are now are too small too. Knockout roses and flower carpet roses are wonderful. Add as many as you can - low maintenence, all season colour, what more could you ask? They look great set against dark evergreens. Try yew as it's slow growing, easily kept in check, a beautiful green not prickly like other evergreens. You may also want to add a baby blue spruce which will stay small. I have a lot of limelight in the back because they work in shade and were on sale for $7 and they're great space fillers but not very showy. I think since your house is so large and neutral you should pick something like endless summer. I know a lot of people like hostas and if you do too go for it, but to me they are overused and shouldn't be planted unless you are dealing with an are where nothing else grows. As a ground cover try red nancy lamium which is easily kept in control and will bloom profusely in spring and periodically through the rest of the summer. It has lovely variegated foliage too, so it always looks good and really keeps down the weeds.
molie
11 years ago
I like the contrast between Limelight Hydrangea (which gets tall) and the Knockouts. I have several Knockouts and they are great plants requiring no care plus they bloom their heads off. I'd just suggest being careful of the Limelight in front of that window. How far out from the foundation will you plant it?

Judging by the color of your car in front, your house is more grey than tan, right? So, in my opinion, you need more color contrast in the overall design. You might want to look at shrubs with different stem color or leaf color to stand out against the house. I wouldn't suggest specific plants unless I knew what kind of sun your front yard gets.

Did I read your plan correctly --- there are lilacs on each side of the front entrance? Do you know what kind they are and how tall they grow? Lilacs are wonderful but can become huge. I know there are smaller, longer blooming varieties and wonder if these are what you have.

I agree with the poster who said the beds need to be more substantial --- deeper.The peak on the left is quite tall and would be 'balanced' with larger planting bed in front of it.

FInally, please don't plant a tree where it will block the view of the front door or the windows on the left. I think the inviting front entrance and porch are two of the nicest features of your lovely home!

Molie

front landscape plan- need suggestions- pics included

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lowjo1
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front landscape plan- need suggestions- pics included

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lowjo1Original Author

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lowjo1
Original Author