First thing you should do is to put gutters on the house. I could tell someone enjoys symmetry and although I am not a fan of arbivorite, they might work for you unless you get an ice storm. I would rather see Heavenly Bamboo, I know they can be invasive but the green leaves and red berries against the house in winter will really set the house off and I'd like to see redbuds on the corner ends. Oh that euonymous "Emerald & Gold" would look great but how about some cotonester? Great lot for crapes and rhodys.
Enjoy!

Here is a link that might be useful: Propagating Perennials

Oh--I love the bamboo idea...I would have NEVER thought of that! Will have to run that past the hubby! I guess I should have mentioned that the gutters are being put on next week and a dumptruck load of mulch is being brought in. The grass will be done this week we hope.

I would rather see Heavenly Bamboo, I know they can be invasive but

Honestly, is there any quality that makes invasive "acceptable"? Jeez.

With SO much work to do, I'd focus on the "bones" this year - what trees (large for shade, flowering, evergreen) would meet your needs. Also, think about how you want to use some of the spaces. I'd really recommend investing in a landscape design. You'd be surprised how much it can save you in mistakes!

Please resist the "heavenly bamboo" it is anything but heavenly!! Not only does it escape into the wide it runs wild in the garden. I have a large clump of it (thanks to the builder) and my poor husband herniated a disk getting some of it out!
Please start smart and check the list of invasive plants from your local extension office.
Hardscape and big trees first. I second the recommendation to get a overall design - you will save both money and back.

Like the previous posters, I too would advocate creating an overall design first. Your lot is quite large and you face several challenges, both functional and aesthetic, some of which you have mentioned already. Thinking of plants could help you address these somewhat, but not as much as a general site design which organizes the spaces throughout your property.

Try thinking of the way that you want to use your property. Do you want block certain views? Do you want to have open lawn for kids to run and play on? What about entertaining; would you like to have spaces to socialize, cook, and eat outdoors? Maybe vegetable gardens? Any thoughts of a pool? What sort of access do you need for the horses, both for typical use and for maintenance? Also remember that aesthetics fall under functions: for example, a pleasing, welcoming entrance is just as legitimate as any other use of space!

Once you work out what you want, you can move onto how they will work together on your property. Some uses lend themselves to be placed in close proximity, such as entertaining spaces, or cooking spaces next to the kitchen indoors. Others are incongruous or incompatible, so may need a certain degree of separation. This is where issues can arise; you may want easy access to the compost from the kitchen, but you don't want it too close to the house or other outdoor living areas.

With the arrangement of spaces worked out, thinking of the form that they take is much easier, since you know how one space flows from another. What kind of materials will be used? What style of construction do you prefer? What forms of planting are desired?

The very last piece of the puzzle to fall into place are the specifics: the species of plants to be used, the model of furnishings used, the specific concrete paver or brick product you intend to use, etc. It is easy to think of these things first as they are directly tangible and easy to imagine within a space. However, by thinking first of what you really want in the big scheme of things, you help ensure that nothing (or less) gets sacrificed for the sake of something less important.

- Audric

If you have deer around, I'd stay away from the arborvitae. The deer will eat the arborvitae as high as they can reach, which results in a hedgerow of rather, um, phallic shrubs.

I'd consider following the advice to hire a designer. You have a lot of options available to you, plus we act as designers AND marriage counselors. I can tell you that even though you and your spouse believe you have opposite tastes, a pro can help you get to a happy middle ground you never imagined existed.

Very good suggestions, thank you. I am lucky enough to be friends with one of the verrryyy few landscape designers in this very..umm...ummm....redneck area. :) I say that with all love, but I still don't think cars on blocks or great grandpa's rusted tractor make good yard art. I went out and helped with a project and was able to ask lots of questions, but his designs use a lot of holly, boxwood, sweet olive, lariope and stella de'oros...it is fine for other people's houses, but I want something a bit more...us. We did map out where a future patio will go out back to the right of the steps a bit (would LOVE to have an arbor someday--must start playing the lottery!) and he suggested hydrangeas for either side of the back steps--which I love! Basicly my perrenials will wrap around the front and meander around to the edge of a pony run and sort of block the view of the fence (wood) without trying to hard to do so--also leaving a 4' path between the fence and the bed. That will all be a work in progress as we go. Where I am getting stuck is not wanting beauford holly up around the house. I wish I could bring up a designer from one of the cities a couple hours away, but just can't right now...so thought you guys might be good to bounce ideas off of. My designer friend was great in advising on an easy and affordable watering system as well--I was glad to put in a days work for that advice!

We don't have kids, have enough trees on the other side to block views (and a few crepes in front will help)...it is around the house--I want something warm, interesting, inviting and just...neat. For this year I am really thinking of getting some big pots to go along the front and putting some cheap color in them for this one summer. Basicly there is going to be a lot of lawn to cut in the front with some slowly building plants around it. I know what I want for the "around" part...just haven't yet hit "it" with the house itself. I know I want to accent the porch--make it stand out from the house as much as possible...I never thought this would be such a huge decision!

Your friend's plant palette may seem pedestrian, but I'm willing to bet he uses plants as deer-resistant as possible. You haven't said- are you doing any kind of fencing to keep the deer out, chemical controls, what? Hydrangea are right up there with hostas as deer delicacies, so I hope you'll have some way of safeguarding them. There's a pretty economical solution in Benner's (or is it Brenner's? Google will know) deer fencing. We've got that around several properties in areas that are overrun with deer, and it works great.

Definitely look for plants that excite you, but also check with your local extension agent- s/he may have some lists of plants that have been pretty deer-safe in your area.

I think you can get much more interesting than arborvitae, especially if you're looking for something upright. If it were my house I'd look at some of the upright hollies that can be held to a cylindrical shape, like dragon lady or emily brunner. But your front elevation has so much "vertical" happening- steep roof, tall skinny dormers, the 2x2s on the porch- that you may want to look at rounded and horizontal shapes. Otherwise, your house could end up looking like a funhouse mirror.

Getting a designer out from another area may not be as hard as you think, either. Some of us get bored doing the suburban thing.

Nice house. I have an idea, how about a nice trellis on the right and left side of the porch inside corner and plant a couple of climbing rose bushes. On the left and right outside side plant a pair of large tree's that flowers or a set of mature blue spruces so you can decorate them like a christmas tree each december.

Flower boxes on the downstairs outer windows would look good.

Maybe plant a trumpet vine on the telephone pole out front?

Compact bushes under the front porch and larger bushes under the outside windows. Then you can plant flowers in front of those bushes.

Now, I'm no expert, I'm just a pipefitter from New Jersey. :)

I would suggest reconsidering the vast lawn. Personally, I would be tempted to plant it up with natives and trees. If you're not going to be directly using the land, why create the chore of having to water, mow, and fertilize it? Consider doing something a little more ecologically-driven, instead of the same old lawn.

- Audric

Great opening post. You did a great job of describing what you want to do and where your head is at. You clearly have a good recognition of what is going on and what needs to be addressed.

"So--what I am trying to do is balance what he wants, what I want...and what will work with THIS house."

Merging formal with informal works very well if you address formal first and blend the informal into it. Again, another example of moving from general toward specific.

I'd suggest starting by planning the foundation planting as an organized symetric, or semi-symetric planting for at least the first layer in front of the house. Don't hesitate to use a different book end (your Emerald Arbs) on one end of the house than the other since the ground plane and background already alter the symetry of the overall symetry of the house. That foundation planting ties the symetry of the house to the ground - the "problem" of symetry has now been addressed. You can now get away with having a bigger deeper bed on one side or the other, or extend the planting more on one side or other. You no longer have to stick with the mirror image effect because the foundation planting is the strength of it. The stronger the foundation planting, the more you can get away with without your husband feeling that it is not formal enough.

The foundation planting in these types of compositions are often not noticed because of all of the other things happening around it. What starts out with a formal "foundation" can become very subtle and almost a background, but it is the thing that allows the funk to work.

Just like with funk music, lots of things are going on that on their own don't seem related, but that bass (which is the base) holds it all together and sometimes it goes un-noticed. Take away the bass and it is often a lot of noise that makes no sense.

Keep in mind that your house helps the planting in that it is a strong unifying element, so you can get away with a lot more variety in the foundation planting than you might with a less symetric house.

I think your initial post indicates that you won't have any trouble with this.

PS. I would not feel compelled to use the "Little Giant" arb to match up to the Emeralds. It is a junk plant in my opinion. Don't get too hung up on trying to match textures, it is one of the weakest ways to unite a planting in my opinion.

I love Audric's suggestion of using native plants and it is one that I encourage myself. It brings harmony to the area in that it sustains native insects which in turn sustains native birds. In these days of cookie cutter plans (and plants), using native plants is actually more unique!

Unfortunately, most people when they hear "use native plants" envision messy, sloppy, unattractive plants (not sure why, but they do). What they don't realize is that you can incorporate native plants into an organized design just as you might use euonymus and boxwood and the many other overused plants that everyone already has. The nursery trade has come up with an increasing selection of native plant cultivars, creating some very exciting choices.

And I certainly support the idea of less grass. Do you know that grass roots are the food of choice for japanese beetle grubs?

Good luck with your efforts, it's a beautiful house with a nice naturalistic setting. I'd encourage you to work with the look of the land rather than against it. As laag says, you can still achieve symmetry by plant placement even if they are not the exact same plants.

Laag, what an excellent explanation of symmetry issues and also of blending formal with informal. That is advice that should turn on light bulbs in many people's heads; it certainly does in mine. I also have a symmetrical house on a slightly sloped lot (about one nth the size of this one, mind you) and you have absolutely articulated what I have been trying to feel my way toward for 15 years.

I would maybe add only two bits of advice from several years spent reading these forums. The first is not to always think in terms of single plants but rather in terms of groupings. With a house and property this size, single plants will make little impact. The second is to think in terms of plant shapes rather than individual plants. It helps to focus your thinking on the overall impression rather than the details.

KarinL

Also wanting so say I really like Laag's post as well. I think this house perfectly suits itself to a combination of symmetry and cottage feel, esp. if you set up some strong bones to start out with. Since I am in a bit different zone, I won't even try to suggest specific plants, however, other than going off of what other people are saying grows well near you. I do have to admit, I am jealous that holly grows well for you - it is relatively unusual in my area, and I like it a lot better than the standard yews around here. If I were you, I'd probably use some holly for structure and winter interest, and maybe boxwood - it can really play off the formal/informal feeling well.

I will say, I'm not quite sure why you want to limit the size of your "bookends" considering how much space you have to work with. You actually have enough space to plant some trees that will get relatively large - though of course, if you create too much shade, you won't be able to plant as many of your favorite cottage-y plants.

Other thoughts - you have a lovely usable front porch, but are you considering any other outside living areas? That may help you define what you want to do with the back yard.

Of course, the other thing is, while it is great to have an overall plan, if you are doing much of the work yourself, it is good to plan it in phases so you can maintain it all as it gets established. (Plantings as opposed to hardscape, of course.) Personally, I'd focus on some of the big things, but also put in some of your favorite flowers to get some instant gratification, too. You can always rearrange them later!

Thank you all--you have given me great things to consider. I do want to keep some lawn up front since I have a whole acre of woods in the back already and I want to grow my sun-loving beauties in the front. The barn was put in on Friday (8x24)and sits right at the woods line...about 230 feet back from the road and offset to the left behind the house. I am going to have a corner fenced in and then have it open into one long pasture (70x200) running towards the front and then about 50' by 220' running accross the back from the woodsline--leaving about 50' behind the house before the fence starts. I will be able to alternate pastures at this point for the three minis. I will be fencing in the back acre of woods as we go as well, but have to think "now" first. This is a horse community, so there is a 15' easement for trails at the back of each property. The horses are the reason we bought here, but I still want the house to look good too. So--there isn't quite as much "lawn" by the time you take those chunks out. I do want some trees to soften things up and balance and my daylilies, butterfly bushes and other perrenials are all trades or gifts, with some treasured heirlooms passed down from my husbands great-grandmother. It is the balancing bones that I am trying to place. I have a soft color palate (with one red heirloom rose that sticks out like a sore thumb, hehe). I want the beds to arch around and frame the front lawn and let the house be the focal point. Man...I really need to scan some of the layout pics I have been working on to show the whole thing together.

I see what you mean about not having to have "bookends" and certainly don't want a funhouse mirror look. Hmm...this is a puzzle! I am also rethinking the hollies...I think my objection is that every fast food joint and gas station has them. hehe.

Ok...so balance doesn't need to be as uptight as I originally thought...avoid the bookends look...and think of going with softer more rounded shapes to unify...luckily the new place is only about 5 miles from the place we have rented for 12 years so I know basicly what works here. So...I have the horse areas marked off, would like to have an outside sitting area behind the house to watch the ponies and relax, want wide sweeping borders with my perrenials and would like a decent front yard with landscaping that makes the entry of the house the focal point...and maybe a nice little heirloom garden area to the right of the house. Tall order on a shoestring...but am looking long term. Man...I never thought this part of the decision making would be so tough! I know WHAT I want...just can't quite put the front part together.

Here is my little barn..still needs the ridge vent caps and will be painted to match the house (used the same shingles...the rain will wash the red footprints off). The water spout is about 10-12' off from the barn, not right on it as it appears.

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Again...grass is getting tilled and seeded tomorrow or the next day.

Amy

ookkaaayyyy....I think landscaping around a horse pasture that is part of the house area is out for most? LOL