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Landscape Design

Small, sloped, north facing front yard.

11 years ago

I have struggled for a while about what to do with my front yard. I really want to get rid of the grass and just have plants, but I am no designer! We use our porch regularly so it would be nice to have a good looking yard. I would really appreciate suggestions. Thank you.

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Comments (8)

adriennemb2
11 years ago
Hee, you just know that someone is going to say to limb up that boulevard tree...
PRO
Yardvaark
11 years ago
When sitting on your porch, do you wish to have a feeling of privacy such that the view of the street life and activity seems disconnected?
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To expand, our house is not very pretty, others on the block are. Landscape is the lowest hanging fruit at the moment as far as improvements. Starting from the left, on the left of the slope going down the slope along the blurred image which is the property line... I thinking of a low hedge, maybe a spirea with flowers that would compliment the Japanese Maple at the top of the hill on the left. Back at the top left in front of the Japanese Maple we would like an evergreen, hinoki. In that same area I have an enkianthus. So, perhaps pulling those two together??? Maybe we will need another Hinoki up there and other plants to bring it together. Then, as mentioned in the first message, across the top of the slope a row of Highbush. On the top corner, maybe another hinoki dwarf (3-4 ft tall). Down the right slope bordering the driveway... I have no ideas. Just behind the retaining wall there is a row of small boxwoods, but I dont love it. Maybe a creeping evergreen? Not Sure. On the street level next to the truck there is a small patch with some type of Ilex Crenata shrub. I am thinking of keeping and having a mized perennial garden there of tame showy perennials. Behind that is another retaining wall and two large Yews. I want to remove them and possibly insert an herb or small veg. garden in between some hydrangeas. All the way at the top, at the right corner of the house, not sure what would go there but I think we need something with height in that corner. Now that I write it out, it seems like too much for such a small area...:-/
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Check out this video by Rosalin Creasy, the queen of edible landscaping. She also has a Web site. Then follow any links from there. You'll find a lot of inspirational photos and resources online. Yaardvark's basic design can be followed, you just need to figure out edible plants with the shapes he has drawn that thrive in your zone. I'm not that up on edible weeping plants, but lots of big shrub-shaped edible fruits and there are also fruit trees that have a columnar shape (column shape) such as sentinel apple trees. Raspberries and blackberry tend to get droopy and weepy-ish shaped (fountain shaped). There are edible easy to maintain groundcovers too, like lingonberry, although they need acid soil to thrive so you may have to amend. I grew bearberry which also goes by the name kinnikinnick as a groundcover. It is not really "edible" so much as medicinal, where it goes by the name Uva ursi. Lots of herb ground covers like thyme and chamomile and some low growing mints. There's also wintergreen but that needs shade and can be fussy. Not too much in the way of edible evergreens although you can grow balsam or fraser fir in some zones and collect the needles for their scent and oil. With juniper you can harvest the berries and make gin. Some junipers are columnar. Some make good groundcover, a fairly common low maintenance option for small yards. Edited to add that you're going to have to be thoughtful about planting your front yard since most edible plants like sun or partial sun, and your sun is going to be filtered at best. Try not to plant things in the shade of other things, so watch where the shadows fall during a whole day at different times.
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PRO
Yardvaark
11 years ago
Adrienne, what on earth makes you think that...??

:-)
Tamarash
Original Author
11 years ago
We are not looking for privacy. We often sit on our porch and talk to our neighbors. We have a very social block.
Tamarash
Original Author
11 years ago
We know we will have to cut back the tree but have hesitated as our city can fine you for doing a bad job. It is definitely on the "to do" list. Thanks for the reminder!

Here is a side view if it helps. Thanks for taking time to look at my yard. I really appreciate it.
PRO
Yardvaark
11 years ago
OK then, I'm suggesting that you seriously begin forming that tree into the one you wish to have in the future. Allowing it to have it's own way while young does not produce the finest adult trees. I can already see the sneaky little s#*+ trying to get one over on you. In your mind, what do you wish it to be like twenty years from now? Maybe you could offer a photo of a mature tree in a similar setting that appeals to you. ? It will be, after all, a major element in your landscape scheme.

(I haven't said it yet! Trying to build suspense.)
Tamarash
Original Author
11 years ago
The tree is about 10 years old. It is a Maple of some sort. When we first bought the house (8 years ago) we thought it was dead, but it revived after we removed a mound of dirt from its base.

I think the initial neglect stunted its overall growth. This year it only grew a couple of inches. I don't know if it will grow much more. It hasn't grown much for the past few years, so I don't know if it will get much bigger.

We don't want our house to hide behind the tree, but I have no idea how large or wide it will grow to. It is a little frustrating for us that we just don't know what this tree is going to end up looking like.

Should we pull it out and start over with a new, healthy tree?
PRO
Yardvaark
11 years ago
"...we just don't know what this tree is going to end up looking like." That's what I'm trying to get at. A great deal of what it will look like has to do with how you mold it into shape... or how you don't. Trees left to their own devices often misbehave later in life. I'm getting around to suggesting that if you aren't trying to create separation from the street life, then limb up the tree for starters. For one thing, removing foliage will stimulate the tree to grow elsewhere, especially at the top where you want it to grow. And you probably don't want limbs to be dragging on the heads of people who pass by on the sidewalk. If fertilizer hasn't been applied, you might try that for encouraging more growth, too. And don't put the fertilizer around the trunk. Tree roots spread out in all directions. Basically, just fertilize your entire lawn and the tree will be included. Chances are, you'd prefer a mature tree with a single straight trunk that offers shade from overhead, not screening of the street.

If you think the tree may be unhealthy and in need of replacement, you might want to explore that issue on the tree forum (or locally) and return here with a conclusion. You should get it identified, too.

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