I think you're wrong to start with that area.

If you're naked, and have to go answer the door in a hurry, do you throw on one shoe? No - you choose a large garment that will provide maximum impact with minimum effort. Same should apply to choosing the first step in landscaping.

I think people who are shy of design start at the foundation because they feel safest close to the house. Here your area is safely defined by boundaries and you feel able to control it, so you think it's a good place to start. It's not as easy as you think. Most end up creating a weed patch - I did! First you go from blank slate to eyesore. Then you have a problem to solve. Spare yourself.

The best thing to do is the exact opposite from working at the foundation. Step back and get the big picture, and draw in a couple of rough strokes - a tree here, a shrub there, maybe an outlying group of shrubs or grasses or mixed bed. I see one bit of foliage hanging into the picture so maybe you have some treescape already, but even if you do there is a lot more space out there that I would work with before looking at the foundation. And I'm not even convinced this house needs a lot of foundation planting.

I'm sure you'll end up planting up that little square, but give it a context first so you can figure out what it should look like.

KarinL

Karin,

I appreciate your comments and you're probably right. However, the front grass area of my house is very small - it's a pie-shaped lot in a cul-de-sac. I have a tree in the middle of the front lawn and there's not much more room.

At some point, I'm sure I'll try to be creative and add in some plantings along the driveway or sidewalk to my front door, but I think that has to wait. Every other house in my development has front foundation plantings, a tree in the middle of the lawn, and not much else yet.

I'd still appreciate recommendations about the area I mentioned. If you think it'll look terrible due to its small size unless I simultaneously do something on the right side of the steps, I'd like to know that too.

Thanks.

Let me preface my feedback by saying that i'm a novice myself, and there are folks here (KarinL among them) who will likely offer really brilliant long term design solutions.

Having said that, i really think your home is lovely, with nice architectural features you could easily enhance right now in a "no risk, minimal investment" kind of way. What about some potted plants on the steps beneath the pillars? Something floral and cheerful, perhaps. How about some potted evergreen shapes under the lights on both sides? Something more structured.

Granted, this really doesn't address your "deeper" issues, but it would give a more "finished" look to things while you ruminate over the broader vision.

You're actually in a better position than my husband and i were when we moved into our place. I guess i just assumed the builder would put some kind of similar character into the landscaping that they'd done to the home's interior. Boy, was i naive. They basically put little more than two squares of grass (not even done properly) on both sides of the drive, leaving the sides and rear of the home totally "construction raw." And as you mentioned, professional landscaping can be costly and there's often nothing left in the budget once a home is purchased.

But in any case, i digress ...

You have a lovely space there. I'd say start with the little, non-permanent touches just to give you that initial softening and "beauty rush." Then go over time from there ...

Hi crouch - I usually lurk on this forum because I'm not a landscape designer, but I have a few comments for you. First, if you build up the level of that bed between the garage and the house with a wall, I'm afraid the dirt and mulch will be too close to your siding and encourage termites. You could put a couple of stepping stones from the walk to the faucet so you don't have to worry about stepping on the plants. How big is that area? It looks like there is only room for a couple of medium sized or small shrubs, because you don't want to cover your windows. What direction does your house face - is that area in sun or shade? Do you know what kind of soil you have (clay, sand, acidic)? A photo of the house from the street would be useful to see the context. And in general, the grass doesn't look bad for now - you have time to develop an overall plan, which might make you happier in the long run.

Juliet

P.S. Here's a link to an earlier thread that has some questions to think about when designing a landscape.

Here is a link that might be useful: Landscape design considerations

I agree, to some extent, with Karin. That small area doesn't really need your attention now, nor would planting it make much of a difference in how your home looks.

I can't tell from the pictures, but I don't think that the slope on the other side will require anything as costly as a retaining wall. Some well placed stone, shrubs and ground cover may do the trick.

At any rate, that is the side on which I would begin planting, somewhat beyond the corner of the house, sweeping back toward the entrance.

Rather than posting here for advice, you should be looking at your neighbor's landscaping, going to nurseries, reading tags on plants/shrubs, thinking about what you like, talking to people, looking at gardens/foundation planting elsewhere in your town, talking to people (I meant to put that in again)--asking questions about care and maintenance of specific plants/shrubs, deciding what will work best for your interest, life style and visual preferences.

If you know nothing about gardening, you are best going to a nursery, rather than a big box, and picking their brains. It's also worth it to spend more on a healthy nursery shrub of a good size, than to buy 2 tiny ones at the big box for the same money.

I love the internet, but sometimes you need to talk to people and do the prep work yourself--what you get will mean more to you (and you will be more apt to take care of it), if you put yourself into it.

estreya,

I like the potted plants and evergreens on the steps idea and plan on doing that ASAP to get something going in the front of the house. Thanks.

juliet,

Good point about the termite issue, and the stepping stones make sense. FYI, the area is probably about 8-10 feet wide and 3 1/2 feet deep, gets some sun but mostly shade, the house faces to the southeast, the soil is acidic, and my personal taste is "natural and green, not too styled, easy to care for."

busy,

I've been doing all that you suggest. The internet is one more resource, and this site in particular is very helpful for a novice like me.

Aren't there major garden centers in your area? Here, you can go to any one of several, pay a fairly small consultation fee, they will help with your design. Be honest with them and tell them you want, say a 3 year plan, something you can install gradually over the next few years. It will be well worth the investment since it can save you costly mistakes, as well as you will own the plan, and then be able to shop for a landscaper to do specific areas.

Most of the garden centers here also offer discounts on plants for people who have used their design service.

I don't know that you will necessarily need a retaining wall on the right side of your house. Depends on what you want to retain. Is there some kind of erosion problem going on there? Even then, you can handle a hill with hard or soft landscaping elements depending on your needs. Unless you are addicted to gardening like me and can't stop yourself, if it aint broke, don't fix it. At my wonderful local nursery they often have potted shrubs arranged in pleasing patterns to suggest little garden layout designs for potential buyers. If you find the right nursery they will be very helpful to you for deciding what to do with that little area. I also agree, check your neighbors, you can often get good ideas from seeing what others have done. You can try this: print out a picture of your front of the house and then draw in various shapes of plants and see how it looks. That will give you ideas on what kinds of plants to look for.

I have a little walkway to my hose made of pavers. The plants around it are so lush and thick you can't see the pavers until you get right up next to them.