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Landscape Design

Need landscaping ideas

9 years ago

Hi, we just built this house on a junior acre in zone 7 PNW. We are completely overwhelmed and don't know where to start. I am attaching 2 pictures. One of them is our backyard, which is a southern exposure. And the other one is a front yard northern exposure. I would like to keep the northern exposure area simple and clean, but the backyard really needs something. I have quite a few small rhododendron plants, strawberry unedo arbutus and some other broadleaf evergreen foundation plants. We also have several katsura trees and crabapples. Not sure how to position things and whether I want walkways or just grass. I only know that I want the landscape to be mostly broadleaf evergreen, where you can see a lot of green during our gray rainy winter months. also, I would like to keep it simple enough not to have it high maintenance. Oh, I forgot to mention that I also have quite a few rose bushes I will be transplanting from a previous residence. Thank you very much for any ideas. I'll try to post pictures

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emmarene9

9 years ago

Do you have any inspiration pictures? This is the time to do hardscaping so you should try to decide. You have a back porch, will it hold the whole family? Will there be lawn in the back yard? Where will cars park? Is there a driveway? I think you should leave an open area ( no hardscape and no trees) closer to the street for more parking space in the future. You may not have an RV now but who knows what the future holds? I do mean to have the area planted, just with things easier to remove if you ever decide. I think you should get some graph paper and draw your plot in a to scale drawing. Then you could try too place plants and other elements by drawing onto the paper. Some people make their mock up with their computer. I don't know what software they use. Even if you do not think you are creative, just doodle at first. When you have something post it.

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Comments (6)

NatureRus
Original Author
9 years ago

The first and third pictures are back yard. The second one is front yard.
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What are the trees that you have there? Do you want something that will eventually give you privacy, such as evergreen trees or a tall hedge on one or both sides? Do any of your neighbours have plantings that you admire? It can get pricey to landscape a large area - how big is the area we are looking at?
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Kim in PL (SoCal zone 10/Sunset 24)
9 years ago
Emmarene is correct that hardscape goes first. It's important to consider how you will use the space, if children and pets are involved, space for vegetable gardens? First allocate how the space will be used, and design will fall into place -- the old "form follows function". If you know where you are going to walk, and why, the paths will suggest themselves.

Roses like sun, so they will probably go in your back garden. This can be the beginning focus of inspiration that may bring order to your overall design. Begin searching for rose gardens you like the look of -- that should be easy enough in the PNW. Pay attention to the plants used with the roses -- what you like about the designs, how the beds are structured, what materials attract you. Focus on the big picture, more than the individual details at this stage.
NatureRus thanked Kim in PL (SoCal zone 10/Sunset 24)
Kim in PL (SoCal zone 10/Sunset 24)
9 years ago
This will get you started: http://www.houzz.com/rose-garden-pnw
NatureRus thanked Kim in PL (SoCal zone 10/Sunset 24)
PRO
Yardvaark
9 years ago
Generally, the forum is good if one needs help designing some portion of their landscape, but is not so good of one needs a complete design and doesn't have any capability or interest in doing the design work. While suggestions help, they are not in and of themselves, a substitute for design. If you are "completely overwhelmed" have you considered hiring a landscape designer? You will save money in the long run by getting professional help.
NatureRus
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you very much for all your responses. I really appreciate your help/links/ideas.

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