Rip out the sidewalk, leave the ditch, kill the lawn ... think stream-bed landscape.

Go wander around the botanical gardens and parks and see what is growing in similar exposures. A selection of low and medium shrubs with a small tree or two - dwarf crepe myrtle varieties? Magnolias (the small ones)? Will Lousiana Iris or other swamp iris stand the sun?

I don't know the first thing about growing in your climate, but here's what strikes me about your post: you sound totally confident about how you would landscape this if you could rip out the sidewalk and cover the ditch. So why not pretend that's all done, draft a plan, and then see if it can be amended to accommodate the sidewalk and the ditch?

If it can't, then perhaps take out the sidewalk first, then ditch if you have to. It seems to me you can do this is phases either on paper or in real life. If it's still early enough to plant this year, for instance, you could get your plants in this year, and remove the sidewalk next year or in the fall. You can also grow succulents and actually a remarkable variety of plants directly on concrete - I think the book is by George Schenk, too rushed to go look at the moment. Or you could put a dry stream bed on that - border it with a curved line of big rocks and you might forget the straight line is there.

If I were to landscape this, my style would probably drive me to a totally different plant selection than you say you like, but I think the first choice I would make is irrespective of plant selection, namely, do I emphasize the circle and go kind of formal/symmetrical, or do I work to overcome the idea of the circle and use it as a frame for a more free-form installation? The latter would include some big rocks to really challenge the circle shape.

KarinL

Dear carolina8bn

I live in Myrtle Beach and understand what you mean about the brutal heat! Your home is adorable and Charleston is a lovely place to live. I like the circle drive and to me, the center sidewalk is inviting. You could install pipes as youâd mentioned and build up the ground area but you can get plenty of privacy from plants and trees too. Here are plants that Iâve had success with in Myrtle Beach.

You could add a dogwood tree and a dwarf magnolia. Both flowers are very pretty. Fill in the other areas with a few large rocks and add a couple gardenias and some hibiscus both of which will spread out a little and grow to be over 3ft tall. My hibiscuses are huge and seem to like the sun, the gardenia prefers a little afternoon shading but they smell so good.

Add a couple Crape Myrtles, and an azalea too. The azalea is really popular here as they mark the arrival of springtime but after they bloom, their flowers turn brown and are ugly, pluck the dead blooms and the shrub will stay green. You could also add a Camellia which grows well here in the south and their flowers bloom in the colder months, this shrub is slow growing but beautiful, especially after a frost.

All of these should be small enough to grow under your power lines. To save money, you could try ArborDayFoundation.org. I was able to buy something like 12 to 16 trees and shrubs for under $90. I planted them in pots until I had my area prepared. They were small but grew very well and this worked for me because I like to watch things grow. Also, the crape myrtle is super easy to root. If you take some clippings and place them in water, they will almost always grow. Ask a neighbor if you can clip some, we southerners love to share our plant clippings.

You had mentioned the color of the gray driveway not being desirable and I see that you have retaining edgerâs near the ditch. I would add edging around your entire driveway on both sides to really define your drive. It looks like your driveway is gravel, if it is, then you can refresh the drive with a gravel that has natural colors. To me, defining your drive will add great curb appeal.

The sidewalk through your new lush flowers will be nice and inviting to walk through once everything starts to grow. I donât know about your HOA but perhaps adding a small arbor on the sidewalk near the house and then adding some clematis vines to grow over would be nice.

Happy planting!

Have you checked with your city or county to see if you can put pipe in the bar ditch? I have that in my front yard too and we're not allowed to cover it.

I like Yaardvark's suggestion of taking out the sidewalk and building up the native stream look.

Being this thread is slightly over 3 years old and the OP never came back after the initial posting, the dilemma could have been solved by now.

Oh good grief. I hate it when old threads pop up like that. You're right, it's probably done by now.

I would tear up the whole half circle. plant ornamental grasses along the edges. Put rocks around the grasses. Either tear up the concrete walk or concrete flat rock on the walk. Put an arbor over the walk way and into the flower beds on each side. Have a large climbing plant of Purple, Blue or Red grow over the arbor. Add hostas or Salvia along the walk. But Salvia is beautiful with bees. Add color Knock Out Roses on each side. add a garden feature like a bird house or a tall metal feature that wind makes go around. Fill the remaining area with beautiful flowers. Put ornamental grasses or hostas in front of the circle by the house. Put rock around the circle, too. or you could put day lilies along the circle in front of your house. Add large flower beds along the walk and around your house all curved edged by rocks. Window boxes under all the windows. Rail flower boxes on your rails. With hanging flowers of every color. Make your entry more inviting with a larger fan shape step area with no hand rail. but with potted plants on the edges blooming. with a little seating area.