Melissa,

Have you observed how far out from the house is shaded all the time during mid-summer? It is hard to picture based on the photos.

The reason I ask is because that will determine the plants which must be full shade plants to a transition zone that will be sun/shade varieties receiving a lot of sun in mid-summer (and very little during spring and fall) on the north side of your home. These areas can be some of the most difficult to pick well-suited plants for here in the Iowa zone 5a. If you are in the Midwest with a decent amount of wind, etc... that will also factor into your plant palette.

Do you want to leave the windows completely uncovered? And do you have good topsoil- would you say it is more clay-based with decent water retention or is it sandy, fast draining soil?

Bruce

Here are a few suggestions in pictorial form on a general direction you take with foundation planting.

The stubby lamp post in the center island seems off-putting to me. I'd

seek out a tall, nicer one and get rid of the raised bed surrounding it. Another thing that would help is a distinct, clean edge to the drive so that gravel isn't blending into the grass.

Existing plantings are pinched tight to the house. Plants should be located farther out from the wall.

Bruce- Select Landscapes of Iowa

Yes, we do receive quite a bit of wind, especially since the house faces north. As for sun exposure...I believe, that close to the house (around 3 ft out from the house is shaded most all of the day. Further out in the yard does receive a good deal of sun though. The soffits off of the roof come out pretty far and create shaded border about 3ft out from the house most of the day, especially in the center area of the house. :)

I don't mind covering the windows a bit at all. :)

As for soil, we do have some pretty good Iowa soil. Right next to the house it is a bit rocky/sandy from years of river rock being put there as a border, but pretty good.

I have been planting all annuals in this area for the past 7 years -tons of them. It is time-consuming and costs too much for something that has to be done every year.

Thanks SO MUCH! Have a great week!

Arbordale Landscaping

Thank you so very, very much for your ideas! It's amazing how someone else can see a vision that you don't. I think I have been looking at this too long and just had complete brain fog for ideas. I have been buying tons of annuals every year and planting them up there. It just never looked finished and costs too much to be doing every year.

I may consult a professional to do part of the project this year and then part of it next year, to split up the cost. You have so many wonderful ideas! I can't thank you enough!

Have a beautiful day!

Melissa

I would suggest adding some verticle interest an both sides of the front door to draw up the depth of the corners. You might select a pair of flowering vines & put in a trellis against the wall for them to climb on.

My absolutely pleasure Melissa :)

yardvaark

Thank you for your suggestions and especially your visual! Most everything that is there for landscaping is from the previous owners. I have just been planting annuals up front for the past 7-years....over and over. It never ever looked complete.

I have been begging my husband to fix the circle drive...that uneven gravel edge drives me crazy! ;) I'm hoping it's the first thing we do this year. Do you have any suggestions on how to do that? Do you think it might take a professional?

You are so right about the plants being pinched too tightly to the house...the changes you made in your photo are amazing! My house looks so much more inviting and completed with the way you have things in that photo!

I can't thank you enough! So many great people with great ideas on this site!!!!

Melissa

yardvaark

Where you have the blue flowers located...do you have any suggestions on a type of flower that would look/work best there? Further out from the house where most of them are located in your photo, would receive mostly full sun. Right next to the house (2-3ft out from house) does receive a good deal of shade). :)

If you're going to retain the gravel as the driveway material, then it would be good to install a band of something rigid to separate it from the turf. Since the space is large and wide open, it would look better to have a fairly bold edge to the gravel. I would suggest using a band of concrete that is about 15" wide (like a skinny walkway) at both the inside and outside edges. It should be perfectly circular, not faceted or irregular (so forming would be important) and nicely finished. It should sit a couple inches higher than the gravel, but flush with the lawn grade (you could add topsoil to make that happen.)

You're not going to plant within 3' of house wall so lack of light there is immaterial.

As far as what could be planted where I show blue flowers ... I envisioned it as a large perennial mass, 12" to 18" height (though bloom could stick up higher.) A color range of hybrid daylilies could be one solution. Possibly a shorter Veronica, if you can find such. Or Ajuga. Explore what grows there that would qualify. Maybe someone else will come up with a suggestion. Be practical and find something that will GROW well and is AVAILABLE.

(Find a sunny place in your yard to grow some Russian sage as it is so pretty.)

Thank you so very much! :)

Zone 5b here as well (Nebraska):

One addendum to yardvaark's last note on the perennial mass:

- Drought-tolerant sun-lovers with color: Russian sage, walker's low catmint, veronica (also known as "speedwell"; we have "Royal Candles" ) are all are sun-lovers that have a bit of color, a bit of height, and will bloom prolifically all summer, especially in the Midwest. If you were interested in something a bit taller and a different color, you might like Penstemon (husker red or dark towers), then underlay it with wax begonias

- I'd be midly concerned with recommending ajuga in a wide-open area where you want height. Black-scalloped and chocolate chip ajuga is lovely, but its alternate name is "bugleweed," and there's definitely a reason it's called a weed. Also, it is a shade-lover and often low-mounding.

I retract the ajuga rec. It was grasping. (in case no one came forth with better. But now Jessica has.)

Thanks!

Looks great yarjo