New home with large yard on Long Island

12 years ago

Hi!

I am new to the forum, as well as new to being a homeowner - I am just about 30 days away from closing on my first house on the south shore of LI, Nassau County. Please note, when I say "large" yard, I mean large for Nassau's south shore - the property is about 60x200 sq.

While I have had small vegetable/herb gardens (approx 10x10) and have grown veggies in pots in the past, I am looking forward to having a large vegetable garden and designing/landscaping my backyard to include gardens that will look great all year with stone paths and areas for entertaining and all that good stuff. I work full time and being a first time homeowner I assume I will be broke, so I am looking forward to DIY projects in the yard in the coming months.

While researching and looking for ideas I came across this forum and figured maybe you guys could lend a little insight on the subject.

What type of plants/shrubs/trees would you recommend for a beginner? What have any of you LI'ers had the best luck with? Any tips or things I should consider that maybe I hadn't thought of? Any suggestions on books/blogs to read?

Seriously, any and all info on any of the subjects I mentioned is much appreciated.

Thanks.

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Comments (2)

frostynyc
12 years ago
Hi Hollywood.

Congrats on the new house! I too bought a house on the island within the last couple years, but my yard is only 100' deep (average), so I greatly envy your 200' yard.

After moving it, I pulled up almost all of the previous owner's plants. She had plants that I don't care for, like rhododendrons and azaleas -- things I consider 1970's long island.

You asked for recommendations, so... TREES: I have two dogwoods on my lot, and they suffer from powdery white mildew which begins in June and makes the trees somewhat unsightly by August. If you want a dogwood, go for a kousa dogwood. I planted an Eastern Redbud, which is a small flowering tree native to Long Island. I also planted a Kwazan Cherry, which is very happy and growing quickly. Yoshino Cherries are gorgeous, and most pears, plums, and crabapples are very happy on LI. Don't plant any maples (other than japanese maples), because their roots make it very difficult to plant anywhere around them.

SHRUBS: Eunymus are everywhere on LI and most are evergreen. I planted several Eunymus 'Silver King' and I love them, but they are a little "played out". Hollies do well, most cedars and cypress do well... LI's climate is really conducive to growing most shrubs, as our climate very moderate especially thanks to the ocean. You can use tall ornamental grasses instead of shrubs, and leave the dry tall grass over the winter, cutting it down in April to regrow.

PLANTS: Take a trip to some local nurseries. Atlantic Nursery in Freeport is nice but pricey. Hicks Nursery in Westbury is amazing, definitely go there if you haven't been. I like Cipriano in East Meadow. And of course, the big box stores -- Lowes in Nassau County usually have much better plants and varieties than Home Depots. They're worth a visit. These plants have really taken off in my yard: hostas of all types (like June, and Liberty), heuchera (like Stoplight and Berry Smoothie), Caryopteris 'Snow Fairy', Heliopsis 'Loraine Sunshine', Crysanthemum 'Gold and Silver', several kinds of Artemisia, all kinds of daffodils, ... I could go on and on. The only plants I've really had problems with are plants susceptible to mildews, both white and black spot mildews.... I think our summers are just too humid for some plants.

My best suggestion is to go online, visit all the best online sellers (Bluestone perennials, American Meadows, White Flower Farm, etc) and go shopping, and figure out what you like. Drive around and visit neighbors, and pay attention to other people's yards. You can create anything you like. A bbq area, a deck, patio area, a firepit area, a pool with tropicals like elephant ears, canna, and caladium (I love all three of those btw)... whatever you envision. Good luck and keep us updated!
Barbara2013
11 years ago
congrats for ur new house and if ur lawn need to mow then i think it will help u get a new mower with great discount offer.

Here is a link that might be useful: lawn mower discount offer
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New home with large yard on Long Island

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frostynyc

Barbara2013

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