skip to main content

Alabama Gardening

Native vines/shrubs for front of house bed

12 years ago

Hi everyone,

I'm new to these forums, but I've been lurking for the past few weeks. My husband and I just bought an older house in the Birmingham area, and I'm excited to try some actual landscaping/gardening after living in apartments for the past five years.

The front bed is a mismash of various bushes in various states of disrepair - some of which are coming out, and I'd like to add some (preferably) native, relatively low maintenance plants. There are staples in the brickwork I could use to train vines, and I've got space for a couple medium shrubs and some smaller ones. I don't mind pruning, but I'd prefer plants that didn't need constant watering. I've also got good western exposure, so sun shouldn't be a problem. Some sort of 4-season interest would also be a plus since this is right smack dab at the front of the house :)

I was thinking maybe Carolina Moonseed, but I've heard horror stories of the stuff spreading underground and becoming impossible to control. Could I keep it in a container and train it against the wall?

Thanks!

Comments (4)

ala8south
12 years ago
Don't know about that one. Tho I do know that Sweet Autumn Clematis, while lovel is HIGHLY invasive! The native trumpet honeysuckle, which has a red bloom, is not invasive. But it can get huge. It's gorgeous and hummingbirds love it. We whack ours back by 2/3 each year and beyond that ignore it. I love it. Ours right now is a good 10 feet tall by 8 feet wide and extremely lush. It is evergreen.

There are native clematis that you Might want to check into. The blooms are bell shaped and hang down. Ane there is supposed to be a wisteria that is not invasive. But the native one you see everywhere should be avoided like the plague unless you want to spend every week trimming it back. We let one sprig grow at our old house one spring. By the time we moved several years latere it had spread 200 feet down a fence row and we were seeing sprigs starting 50 feet around a third side of the house not to mention it having covered an old barn. I was SO glad to move away from that problem!
Dell
ala8south
12 years ago
If you are interested in a rose, the Peggy Martin rose is supposed to be an excellent choice for a climber.
Related Discussions
Selecting shrubs for my new front bed
Q
Comments (5)
I suggest considering the shapes of the plants, and overall foliage colors as part of your process. Most of ones you listed are more mounded in shape or looser shape. Include some plants with contrasting foliage or more upright, such as 'Bluepoint' juniper. Consider fine foliage again larger leaf for max impact. Pyracantha is known to have some disease issues in the PNW so check on the variety prior to buying. The cotinus has great fall color, agreed. If there is not too much reflected sun, a Japanese maple will give you great fall color. Lots of choices in terms of size/ shapes in this species. Best, Joanna
...See More
Ideas for flowers and shrubs in front of my house
Q
Comments (13)
For specific plants, you might check the garden forum for your area. I'm in Texas and an eastern exposure with morning sun is a primo gardening spot, but plants that I would use here wouldn't work for you. The Great Lakes Gardening forum is fairly slow, but maybe they just need someone to ask a question. http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/grtlks Here's the Midwest Gardening forum http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/mwgard Here's the Minnesota Gardening forum http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/mngard I hope that you can get some good solid plant suggestions from those who garden in a similar climate. Ooops, I confused your post with someone from Michigan. Maybe these are helpful or maybe the wrong locale. At the left top area of the landing page for this forum, you can click 'Garden Forums' to see the complete list of Garden Web forums dedicated to gardening.
...See More
Need help with front yard shrub/flower bed idea
Q
Comments (2)
Azeleas are pretty easy to care for. They need partial shade and regular watering. If you just want green plants, Ligustrum and Viburnum are easy to grow.
...See More
Shrub or very small tree for front of house.
Q
Comments (11)
if you move out into the middle of the lawn.. then the tree will not block the window .... the base problem with the prior planting ... besides the fact that a builder did it ... is that it was planted 10 to 20 feet too close to the house ...they are trees ... not interior design plastic plants ... they will always get bigger than you want .. they never stop growing ... its just a matter of time and siting.. that gets you in better shape ... but if you place it out in the lawn ... then is multiple decades before there is a problem.. rather than 5 or 15 years ... just move your spot out in the lawn .. and then restudy your options ... ken
...See More
jcalhoun
12 years ago
My favorite vines are coral honeysuckle and Carolina jessamine. Both of which are native.

Blueberry bushes are native.
tedevore
12 years ago
I grow dutchman's pipe vine (a native) and a few climbing hydrangeas and
schizophragma (which kind of resemble climbing hydrangea-non native and slow to establish but VERY beautiful after a few years).

Although there hasn't been much posted about it this spring, you may want to keep an eye out for a plant swap some of who post here have each fall and spring. People at swaps have given me many of my favorite plants I would never have tried otherwise, and meeting other nice gardeners is fun.

Sign Up to Comment

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES 8 Native Shrubs for Year-Round Bird Feeding

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

It’s not just about berries. These plants provide insects for birds and seasonal interest for gardeners

INSPIRING GARDENS Native Plants Bring 10 Southern California Front-Yard Gardens to Life

By Annie Thornton

Rare plants, rain gardens and wildlife habitats are just a few of the features showcased on the 2016 Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden Tour

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Top Native Plants for the U.S. Southeast

By Falon Mihalic

For a low-maintenance and wildlife-friendly landscape, use Southern natives that withstand heat and humidity

GROUND COVERS Native Alternatives to English Ivy, Japanese Pachysandra and Periwinkle

By Curtis Adams

These shade-loving ground covers are good for the environment and say something about where you are

GARDENING GUIDES How to Avoid Overcrowded, Overpruned Shrubs

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Go for a more natural look that’s easier and less expensive to maintain by giving your plants the right amount of growing room

PLANTING IDEAS 5 Reasons to Bring Shrubs Into the Flower Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Mix up the garden experience and let the flowers and shrubs play together

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES 3 Ways Native Plants Make Gardening So Much Better

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

You probably know about the lower maintenance. But native plants' other benefits go far beyond a little less watering and weeding

LANDSCAPE DESIGN See 5 Unexpected Ways to Use Vines

By Falon Mihalic

Vines can grow over slopes, trail off pergolas and add seasonal color to the garden

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Cold- and Heat-Tolerant Perennials and Shrubs for the Arid West

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

These flowering native plants shrug off the cold of winter and heat of summer while adding beauty to the drought-tolerant landscape

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Drought-Tolerant Shrubs That Thrive in Full Sun and Reflected Heat

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Got a hot spot in your garden where plants often die? Try these tough shrubs that add beauty while shrugging off the heat

Sponsored

Landscape Management Group

27 Reviews

High Quality Landscaping Services in Columbus