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oops!

Also- the side driveway has been removed, and there is a 5' wide slate walk straight from the curb to the front porch-Mark

It's a beautiful home Mark.

Two things that really stick out are it's front symmetry and the American Gothic starkness. I really like that. It's so completely different from where I live (most residences are the pseudo-Mediterranean look here).

I think if you go too strong with a symmetrical look it will only be emphasized and look kind of awkward. I like the birch idea but not necessarily centered. I think you are right also in trying for a semi-formal look...but not too formal.

I love slate and use it a fair amount myself...but I think it's a little too informal and 'modern' for your place...maybe brick or something. Focus on the front this year and then after you get the 'look' you want, it will help dictate what the back will look like next year.

I wish I knew more about what kind of plants to recommend for your area but others on here will know.

Good luck and keep us posted.

-Ron-

I do appreciate you figuring out how to post the photos, but Ouch - too many photos and a little too much information, but you've left out two bits that matter. Which way does the house face, and do either or both of you like to garden? In other words, to whom will the maintenance fall? The ideas you're tossing around here will create A LOT of garden work. I'm also assuming DIY installation?

I think you're quite right in saying that fear is keeping you inactive; these conflicts between you seem quite easy to solve to me, and perhaps you are letting them hold you back because you are afraid of making a decision.

I say this because most of what you are discussing, like most landscaping, is entirely reversible. Put the tree where one of you wants it, or the other, or inbetween - if it doesn't work, MOVE IT!

In terms of a cohesive plan, if it has plant names in it, I'd guess you're off track in that regard. The plan need only consist of a general idea; of bed outlines, focal points, sightlines. Then you start with one area (pick one you agree on!) and start DOING it. Lay it in, build the edge, buy the plants, plant them, weed, prune, and water.

In short: way too much planning, way too few shovels in the dirt.

KarinL

Thanks very much Ron. For better or worse we tried to make the house look like it was built like that. If I can find a before pic soon I will post it up. Karin- sorry about the photos. The front porch faces east, corner side is south, fence side is west, pond is north. Yes the install is mostly going to be my me. I will be in the yard much more- probably after my first planting ( I think we were too depressed to actually spend time in the yard so far). You are right about getting the shovel going- I ordered a truck load of top soil for tomorrow. Thanks so much!

My $.02...

While you do have a bit of symmetry, it isn't quite symmetrical due to the garage. I think you could easily get away with a bit of "wild and crazy" without it looking odd for the house. Maybe add to it bit by bit, and see how you like it? For some reason, the idea of a white birch really appeals to me - it would bring out the white trim on the house a lot. I also really like the stone walkway, btw.

Yikes! That's quick.

Some thoughts about wild and crazy vs. formal... I think the key to balancing a combination of both styles is to contain and frame the wild and crazy. This does argue for doing hardscaping before topsoil, which is also a good gardening moral, but given the time of year it probably is best to get on with planting, if that is your idea.

It also seems that you are using "formal" and "symmetrical" interchangeably... it ain't necessarily so. Formal equals more groomed, and more static, I think; it can be totally asymmetrical though.

By the way, I wasn't noticing your geographical area until Ron mentioned it, and then it looks like you took it out of your byline... but your location does matter for people discussing your landscaping!

KarinL

Hi Karin and Irene- a grew up with a pair behind my folks house and have a soft spot for them. Sweetie is a tough sell tho. She also thinks they belong at the beach (we're not). Karin- I am in Fairfield- a coastal town on Long Island Sound in Connecticut. The soil/dirt/ rocks look really bad for growing. But- when we bought the property it was overgrown with large 50 year old shrubs and trees. We do have deer in the area. And I just saw this qt a few minutes ago- thanks very much-Mark

Here is a link that might be useful: I scared the woodchuck

Nice job so far. I think you need to address the walk to the front door first?

Birches might be nice, but pulled forward and off the to left so they "frame" the house instead of conceal it. You might want to look into Heritage River Birch, which has attractive peeling pinkish-creamish bark, and is resistant to birch borers.

A bit of front lawn will look a bit more traditional and blend better with the neighborhood, but if you want to do away with it, read the current thread here about removing grass for some insights into a front yard garden. Depending on what you put there, you can create a lot of maintenance chores, which is OK if you want to garden. If you don't, it can get messy pretty quick.

Mark - I also have a soft spot for white birches, even though they tend not to be very long lived. I know river birches are more practical, but they don't have the same effect on me. And since I grew up seeing them here in Illinois, I have never associated them with beaches! They are also pretty see-through for trees, so I don't think they'd hide the house too much. Otoh, there's much to be said for marital harmony....

Btw, Karin had a good point about symmetry vs formal. Your house has the potential for a lot of different looks, imo. It has a lot of good lines and proportions with simple detailing. I've never spent any time on Long Island, so not sure if it feels "New England" in your area, but that is what it is evoking to me, though it could easily be more Country, if you wanted. I think the slate work you've already done has that combination between formal/informal that you seem to be seeking, btw. It isn't Versailles formal, but it still has form and cohesiveness. Maybe Shaker is what I'm thinking of?

Saypoint- I was being lazy about the walk (and am embarrassed that I didn't clean the "beach" off of it. Off to the left is also where the landscape designer also thought a tall bush or tree should go. But I am afraid the tree on the corner, as well as the water pipe coming in the house on that corner were good reasons not to place something large there.

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Can you tell where I used two different masons?
Irene- we all along have been calling it cottage style- but I guess it's more of a colonial style ranch (if there is such an animal). Karin's contrast of formal vs. informal- I picture it as coiffured (?) vs. unkempt. Thanks again-m

To amplify - Mark is in the state of Connecticut on Long Island Sound. Can't get too much more New England than that.
Beautiful fall colors in the photos.

I'll add my fondness for birches - lots of native paper birch around here.

I would address the front first. How are you going to treat a walkway to the front door - a straight line out to the mailbox? If so, that adds one more straight line which could be softened by some of the more dwarf variety of evergreens, and a mix of perennials and/or annuals to satisfy the desire for a cottage-y look. How about the void under the porch - just enough of a screen so you can still get back there? Instead of tall evergreens, how about something fun like the old fashioned white blooming hydrangeas (as opposed to the Endless Summer types) along the front of the porch?

In truth, I've never tackled a blank slate so I can definitely appreciate the challenge. I inherited fully engaged gardens suffering from a smothering of space. I've spent the last five years trying to organize and restore things back to the original plan.

Okay, the front walk is in. Now comes the fun part - plants!

Hi Elvis-

I was looking at your pictures thinking the area/style looked familiar to me. I grew up in Fairfield County and now live a tad west of you..with the real "American Gothic" thing going on.

IMO, the simpliest thing to do now would to create a bed for the left of those front steps, one wavy and deep enough for the height of the house and extend it to the left of the house and that downspout (don't know your drainage..) You could have a Pieris in that general corner--white flowers extend and repeat the white trim. To the right of the Pieris a double or staggered layer of Korean boxwoods and if you want more, you could plant some staggered Huchera in front of those.

You have another downspount right by your front stairs so unless you are planting some water-loving plant there, you should think about a french-drain etc. Whatever you do though, please don't plant Alberta Spruces there! I have seen them used ad nauseum in newer landscapes in Westchester and it's really unattractive.

BTW the deer won't browse the Pieris, boxwoods or the Huchera.

Good Luck.

Hi Duluthinbloomz4- the void was suppose to be covered by white lattice- still haven't dealt with the footings for the porch at the bottom. Miss Lucinda- our greater New York areas certainly have their positives and negatives. I asked dw this morning- we'll probably border the left bed with cobblestone. I am a big fan of a deep bed- sweetie pie wants it narrow-me this morning "look at all the houses with the shrubs pressed against it". The downspouts are tied to the rain collector in the street. I am not familiar with Pieris or Huchera; but you did give me something to think about with the spruce. Thanks all-Mark

Update- I killed all the weeds- and there is an 18 yard pile of topsoil calling me outside.

Oops - missed the CT and Long Island *Sound* part! But, that's another area I've never visited. :) (I think I'm down to about 10 states I've missed over the years.) I did visit Cape Cod last summer, and that's the last time I've been anywhere in the northeast in a very looong time.

I was thinking cottage style a bit, too, btw. But, since you were talking about trees and shrubs mainly, I hadn't mentioned it, since cottage style tends to be dominated by perennials. Tho of course, you can have trees and shrubs, too.

Btw, by the driveway I'm thinking is probably the area you need to deal with first, since it is currently bare dirt if I understand correctly. You'll want a good way to pass between the driveway and front steps at some point. Also, it looks like the sidewalk dead-ends at the walkway right now - I'm assuming you'll need to have some way for passersby to continue walking. Plus, you'll want visibility for cars backing up, both for the street and any pedestrians (esp. little kids on the sidewalk.) So, I'd be careful about putting anything too tall along that area, and while you at least have a decent width to work with, I doubt you have space for any trees unless they are really, really small.

Just to keep the "drive by" alive- follow up. I spread 4 trucks of topsoil (or screened fill) with a skid-steer. Very scary, yet very fun- if a bit "shaken". I didn't finish spreading on the hill slope. But I did get seed down (and some stuff called "mainely mulch") around a week ago. There is some green coming up! I will hold off on any pics till we come back from a trip in 2 weeks. Irene- sorry I did not follow up earlier to your last post. We actually are stopping the sidewalk where it is- the neighbor with the pond does not have sidewalk. The town is letting us stop it there. Before the bluestone it was concrete sidewalk to the driveway- but during heavy rains it was a water highway to the garage. Last summer we had 2' of water in the garage. Thanks all-Mark

Just wanted to stop by for an update- I did get some (grass and weeds) going. I put the "chopped mulch" down a bit clumpy and have some spot issues because of it. The topsoil I used was clayish- I am about to try the homebrew nitron-35 soon. As I really wanted to get some plantings in- most of the places I have shopped at (depot, lowes, three nurseries)- seem to have pretty droopy product. Thanks again to everyone- I will update with any forward progress. Btw- although I wasn't in a buying mood when I went- broken arrow did seem to have some pretty neato stuff (even if I didn't know what they were). Yesterday- I had a cute little turtle running across the patio away from the neighbor's pond- I helped it find its way home.

Great place--get planting!! Droopy stuff this time of year can be a great buy--just apply water--take your photos to real nurseries where the sales are on (or almost), ask advise, show pictures--the nursery sales people, who are really plant people, will practically beg you to rescue deserving specimens and will help you, the novice, find those that will perk up with just a bit of care.

Karin's advise about symmetry and formal vs informal is very good--you can take a shrub that is normally considered formal (boxwood) and use it in an informal way--I wish I could find the shelter mag that had an excellent example of this recently--but someone took boxwoods that had been formally pruned (established in a yard where she just purchased) and, rather than yanking them, let them grow into a beautiful sweeping design--and all she did (aside from imagining) was to let them grow...this one simple act of "neglect" changed the whole feel of her front yard and allowed her to create her own landscape.

my $.02 too

first thing i always tell anybody who asks me about what to do in their yard (i'm not a pro ) is:

1. live with it until you decide how you are going to use it and start making a list of what you wnat to do.

2. live with it some more until you know how it works- where is the sun/shade,wet/dry etc.
3. draw a map of your yard/house,
circle and itentify what you want to do where-- will it work in that area.

examples. i live on a city lot 50x125. the house was built in the 20's, it's 25 feet from the street. the drive runs
from the street to the rear of the back yard, but there is no garage.
we had twin 2 year old when we moved in. #1 need was a fence to contain them. thats what we put up as we moved in.

after living there for a year we knew we wanted an area to dry clothes on the line. an area for the kids to play in -- including a swing set/sandbox and fort. we wanted an area to grill in/eat out. an area to relax in that wasn't in the sun. all this we wanted to do in the back yard. in the front yard we wanted to use as an entry way that welcomed people. I was willing to spend 1-2 hrs per week doing yard work as well as a spring and fall clean-up. in reality i' only willing to spend about 1 hour perweek. This means i need to rely on perinneials and tough plants that don't need lots of care.
our 3 major problems with the yard were too many trees,
the back third of the back yard was low, slow draining, and never got sun (think mud for 6 months of the year or more)
and heavy clay soil.`
year one we cut down 42 trees from the lot -- most were over 8" in diameter. We kept an ancient hickory (58" diameter), a young hickory (14" diameter) a maple(12" diameter) and three pin oaks (all about 14" in diameter).

we ran a clothes line along one side of the back yard.

since the back third of the yard was in heavy shade and only mud. we topped it with 18 tons of pea gravel-- put in the swingset, fort in the maple tree and a large sandbox.
also we made a sitting area and put the wading pool there.
no sunburns while the kids played, no more mud, cool and shady. we use the drive as a patio.

but all this took us three years to achieve-- time to observe etc. nowe that the kids are 18, i can replace the fort/swingset with a shed for storage. the sand box is used for forcing winter publs and as a temporary holding bed.
the lay out of the clothes line is being changed so i can increase the area where i have flower bed and so that it isn't so obvious now that we can entertain. also i'm finally able to start putting in plants i truly want as the soil has been built up over the years with many applications of compost, mulch, topsoil, sand and peat.

i'm losing my big hickory-- maybe 10-15 more years, but i started a replacement for it in a better spot that a future owner will appreciate.

but what you need to do lis figure out what you will do in the yard, what you want to see from the house, what you whant to see from the road.

where do you always go into the house from?
where do you want guest to go when they arrrive?
where do you needx a shovel in the winter.

then you need to read read read about plants and ask questions. as some one said you can always move the plant--
i'm ready to rip out my front flower beds for the 5th time
because i finally think i have a plan that will work right for me-- i have homes for all the plants in these beds
in other areas of my yard.

so cut rake compost plant annuals stick in bulbs find plants you like and learn for a year or so then satart putting in the 'bones' of your garden and then start filling in the gaps.

diggerb