Why do we do 'foundation' plantings? What elements are pleasing?

17 years ago

So why is it that we plant those shrubs all around the foundation of our home? In theory isn't it to blend the line between the hardscape of the home with the landscape of the yard?

And when we plant those foundation shrubs, what makes for good design, or at least decent design?

Following the instruction of many knowledgeable posters here, I've been looking around our established neighborhood at foundation plantings and I really find very few that I consider to be good looking. Either shrubs were planted too close to the house and/or are overgrown and misplaced, or one or more shrubs died at some point and were never replaced, leaving an obvious gap, or occasionally homes have little planted between the yard and home, leaving it bare. Then there's the solid contour of shrubby hedge lining the house or the ubiquitous "lawn muffins" groomed and sheared.

What are the elements that make for good foundation plantings design?

Adding quote from recent landscape ideas and tips thread....

DON"T think you necessarily need wall to wall shrubs around the foundation of your house.

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Comments (6)

Saypoint zone 6 CT
17 years ago
Victorian-era homes were often built with large expanses of high foundations exposed. It was during this period that foundation plantings became common, to conceal an unattractive foundation. It became a habit, and continues today because people think they're necessary, but don't know why.

A well designed foundation planting will have a reason for being. You might need to cover or camouflage an unattractive architectural element or hide the gas meter. You might need to add plantings that will visually reduce the height of a very tall house, or reduce the squattiness of a short one. You might need to add color or interest to a plain house, or just for fun.

A good foundation planting will complement the style of the house, either by being sensitive to the architectural period, or by considering color, texture, and forms that enhance or repeat architectural forms, whatever the period.

A foundation planting should not outgrow the space it is alloted, requiring butchery of the plants to allow people to use an adjacent walk or keep the plants off the siding. It will not obscure the view of the front entrance, unless there is a reason to do so, such as privacy concerns or a design that incorporates an entry courtyard with screening plantings.

A good foundation planting will allow first time visitors to be immediately aware of where they are supposed to go. Wandering back and forth in the yard looking for way in is a sign of bad design.

A well planned planting will enhance the appearance of the house from the street, and will have something interesting happening in it year round.

A well designed front planting will not have a foundation planting at all if it's not necessary or doesn't do anything for the house, and will instead have plantings sited away from the foundation where they can fulfill any of the above functions.

I'm sure there's more.
Jo
gw:mid_tnnaturenut
17 years ago
I see houses that desperately need SOMETHING to hide unattractive foundations, but have nothing. I want to knock on the door and offer landscaping ideas or give them some plants. Then I see a house with a nice brown brick foundation that needed no hiding, but the house is being devoured by shrubs grown to trees. You almost don't realize there is even a house there unless you're paying attention. I know people have different tastes, but you can't help but wonder if they don't look at it sometimes and say "Gee, the house needs something but I can't quite figure out what it is." I hated the junipers that came with my house. You couldn't really prune them because that just showed all the old dead stuff inside. My foundation wasn't that bad to look at so I chopped them off at the ground, sowed grass, and bought three huge planters. I set them on three nice big square pavers and planted pampas grass in them. They really accent the house rather than hide anything. You could always paint the foundation with a color that complements the siding or trim, and plant something that accents the color, rather than hide the whole thing.
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Another purpose of a foundation planting could be to welcome yourself and visitors to your home. Pretty flowers and attractive shrubs are nice to look at, and it's easier to mow around them if they are up against the house than done as an island with more sides out in the middle of the lawn. If you have a porch, foundation plantings can give you things to look at and smell, like a rose growing up a trellis or a lilac bush or a small flowering tree to peer out at the world through. I walk a lot around my neighborhood, and nice foundation plantings are a wonderful gift to give your neighbors. One year I planted a bright, colorful annual bed out in front of my porch and my neighbor from across the street came over to thank me and tell me how much she enjoyed looking at it. On the flip side, I love it every year when her crape myrtle goes into bloom.
Brent_In_NoVA
17 years ago
Maybe it is because we have grass. If a grass covered front lawn was not the standard, would the concept of a foundation planting go away? Wouldn't we then just have a "front yard planting"? I am not ready to get rid of all the grass in my front yard, but it is something to think about?

Personally I am trying to figure out a plan for my "foundation" plantings. No foundation to speak of on the front of my house but the previous owners planted a Japanese holly hedge in front of the ground level porch. My previous house did not have a foundation, but it had a foundation planting and in general I am pretty happy with how it looks.

I also find very few examples of foundation plantings and front yard gardens that are inspiring. I guess it is like the time before I starting drinking good beer. I can remember splurging in college for Busch in bottles because I thought it was the good stuff. These days I expect more from my beers...and my landscapes.

- Brent
gw:golly_g_whiz
17 years ago
I think in most cases, foundation plantings are necessary. Most of the newer houses with immature plantings look "naked". I can only imagine that being magnified if there were no plantings at all. The trick is to have an interesting foundation planting scheme. I have to admit, I'm a little unsure of what that would be exactly, but the straight row of japanese hollies can get a little boring.
haringfan
17 years ago
After reading some of the other threads on foundation plantings, I've become convinced that they're not always necessary, and that you should only plant them when they are. But I agree with golly.g.whiz that most new homes really seem to call for them. I think it's because most new homes are in desperate need of something that will ease the transition from outdoors to indoors. They are just so massive: they are so big (in sq. ft.), they are so tall because they all have to have 9' or 10' ceilings and are 2-3 stories tall, homes are generally sited higher these days to solve drainage problems, and new homes have no mature trees to provide some scale. Are new homes out of proportion with the landscape? If they weren't, would they so desperately call for foundation plantings?

Why do we do 'foundation' plantings? What elements are pleasing?

Comments (6)

Saypoint zone 6 CT

gw:mid_tnnaturenut

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