Front of house needs a lot of work! HELP

13 years ago

Well now that I've got the back yard under control, I'd like to start making my front yard pretty! I have a big oak tree in the front so most of my front "garden" is under shade. I'd love some color. I don't know if you can see it in the photo but we've got a very cool piece of wood that I'm training ivy to gro up. There are two robelini (sp?) palms on either side. But other than that, it's pretty much empty with a few things here and there that I don't have any emotional interest in so those can be pulled up.

In the corner of the front yard is a triangle with a sago palm and underneath needs some work. So can you all give me some suggestions?

{{gwi:10159}}

Front of house

{{gwi:10158}}

Close up of front

{{gwi:10157}}

Other side of front

{{gwi:10160}}

Triangle (sorry it's so dark!)

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

KaraLynn
13 years ago
You have a nice start on setting up your garden with the edging and that big oak tree. For color you could plant hydrangeas, caladiums (the big red ones would look great), coleus, barbados ginger, variegated ginger, dancing lady ginger, purple queen, impatients...there are just so many possibilities!

If I can get photobucket to work I'll post some pictures.

Kara
suddensam
13 years ago
A few things ive done.
{{gwi:13201}}
{{gwi:13195}}
There hard to see but theres mammoth and small purple cabbages, in the mix, they were pretty till the impatients took over.

Strawberry, and pineapple guavas, and some pineapple plants.
{{gwi:13198}}

Brown pine mulch looks nice against the grass.
Plant em if you got em.
Sam
Related Discussions
New house with horrible lawn. Need lots of help!
Q
Comments (6)
Im in fort myers and just went with an empire turf lawn and love it. Here are questions to ask. Are you going to be running irrigation, if not, do not grow bermuda or St aug. Bahia will grow very well with no irrigation, you need to seed Bahia by June. Soon as the rainy season starts. Are you going to have a dog or lots of traffic on the lawn? If you have this, St aug is out, cant handle traffic. Bermuda, Empire or Bahia will do good, bermuda being the best for traffic. Are you going to fertilize and use herbicide. If not, go with Empire or Bahia, they need little fertilizer to none. Like I said, I went with Empire turf (zoysia). Its bread to thrive it wet hot summers. I have irrigation for the dry months. You only need to fertilize 3 times a year. The thing I do not like about St Aug (also called flortam down here) its very course and rough. You can only use one weed killer and if that does not work then your stuck with weeds to pull by hand. Empire can handle almost all weed killers, even low concentration of roundup. Long post, I know. I would spray the entire yard with round up (get a generic online, 30 bucks for a gallon of concentrated, 41%, Ill post a link). Get a dial sprayer for 10 bucks at a store, and apply. This will kill all grass and weeds so your left with sand. Now, wait two weeks and either seed or sod the yard with your choice of grass. Done. Thats my 2c.
...See More
What's UP with the Car Lot in front of your House-Use Your Garage!
Q
Comments (98)
Everyone has such a different take on this subject. I'm one of 8 children. When Dad was alive, we'd make an effort to get as many of us as possible together at his house a couple of times a year--he loved this. This would result in multiple cars at his house for a few days--two in the garage, three in the driveway, 2-4 more out on the street in front of his property (he had a double lot, so there was room enough). Some neighbors would comment to us that Dad must be happy we were all visiting. Some neighbors would nervously inquire if Dad was okay--all the cars made them think he must be dying or something. And the guy who parked all his cars in front of Dad's empty lot most days would complain that we were taking up all the street parking. Cars are part of day to day life. It strikes me as odd that seeing a car on a residental street could be seen as wrecking a "view." People have cars; they need a place to park them. If seeing a neighbor's cars really bothers you that much, then probably best you move someplace where that is regulated.
...See More
What do you suggest? House sideways on lot, "Front" door on side.
Q
Comments (26)
If you want a forward facing gable over your entry: remove the existing roof of your front porch. It can be replaced with a shed/half roof sloping away from the right exterior side of the house after you create your front porch with a forward facing gable. Enlarge and enclose the walls and flooring of your existing porch so the exterior wall on the side closest to the road is made even with the rest of the front exterior wall of the home. Beginning halfway between the downstairs right front window and the right front corner of the house, create a forward facing gable with a ridge point halfway between that beginning point and a point on the right that is as far right as needed to be even with the far right edge of the existing front porch. Your new front exterior wall of your new wall will be a continuation of your existing front exterior wall and the forward facing gable you create will cover your new 6' deep front porch. Your new entry door will be on the right half of that new front porch. Alternately, remove only the half of your existing porch roof that slopes away from the road and enlarge the walls of your existing porch as before -- to have the wall closest to the road be even with the exterior wall of the home now closest to the road. Then extend it the roof slope on the back upward to a new ridge point that will enable the slope that is on the road side of the house (of even length) to extend over your new front porch -- that will have a shed roof toward the road. Again, put your front entry door in the right side of the new front exterior wall of your new entry and create your gable roof facing the right side of your home. Then create your new sidewalk leading to your new front door. If there is room for a 4' - 6' front stoop between the front exterior wall of your home and the tree w/o harming the tree roots, the tree needn't be cut. Toward that end, you might use a treated deck board floor for your porch rather than dig a footing. As an alternative, you could use a flat roof for your new entry and create a deck that wraps a few feet around your right front corner. Edited to address tree issue and deck issue.
...See More
New Home - Need lots of help!!!!!
Q
Comments (6)
Contemporary and wainscoting and crown molding are not compatible. I am not sure how much help you really want or your budget. IMO that fireplace needs to go it is in the stupidest place ever. Are those pillars all needed for support they really make the space awkward.Wall color is decided after all the furniture is decided .The lighting should be the first thing you address LED bulbs in 4000K range to mimic daylight this will make choosing colors much easier. Pictures of the space taken properly not the realtors distorted ones are a good idea.I would also suggest you get to work with some idea books for the LR and kitchen along with more for the DR.
...See More
gatormomx2
13 years ago
John- enlarge the stone edged areas especially the area near the front of the house.
You will want plenty of room for the suggested plants to grow.
Just ask gardencpa!

What kind of look do you want?
Butterfly plants, edibles, formal, structured, cottagey?
Tour the Plant Faire April 2 or Preview Day April 1 out at the
Volusia County Ag Center for ideas on plants that will grow in your zone.

Look up everything on the web before you purchase and plant.
Saves you from planting something that wants to be 55 feet tall in the front!

Check out Pels Nursery on Doyle Road near Osteen.
They have 10 acres of landscape plants for you to investigate.
amberroses
13 years ago
There's your answer. Shade + impatiens = a colorful yard
jwahlton
Original Author
13 years ago
Hmmmmmm I didn't realize impatiens would grow in the shade. I like that!

gatormom - I started thinking after Tom's post about cottage gardens. That looked really cool. I liked some of the long spikey look plants. I have no idea where Osteen is, and I don't think there's a nursery in Kissimmee where I live.

Sam, so you've got edibles in your front yard? I've got a few pineapple in that area, but nothing has sprouted from them like yours, and they've been there a few years. They look strong and healthy, but no pineapples yet.

Kara, thanks for the ideas.

I guess because it's such a big empty area I'm daunted. I don't want to cram it full with things, just for it to look nice. It gets full of oak leaves (DUH) so my husband just blows it out. So I'm not sure if mulch would be a good thing there. But I do like the look of mulch.

So under the sago in the corner triangle I may just go crazy with impatiens. But I have to do that each year right?

Front of house needs a lot of work! HELP

Comments (5)

KaraLynn

suddensam

Related Discussions

gatormomx2

amberroses

jwahlton
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Front of house needs a lot of work! HELP

Comments (5)

KaraLynn

suddensam

Related Discussions

gatormomx2

amberroses

jwahltonOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

jwahlton
Original Author