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nedreyerson

Looking for Landscape Plan advice. Blank Canvas. apx. 1000 sq. feet.

After seeing some of the work posters here have done in their help of others, I felt I had to post my dilemma here for open advice. I have read follow up questions from posters to other thread starters so I will try to address all points of parliamentary procedure here. If I forgot any, please ask for missing info. I am also attaching photos of the area. The photograph taken from higher ground facing the sun is to show you what direction EAST is. I (and the camera) am/are facing East from my front door step looking kind of towards sun.


Some facts:

  • The space shown is where I just removed a field of half dead Junipers that were 60 years old.
  • I'd like something somewhat low maintenance but don't mind the work. Being a father of two (2) young ones with two (2) more on the way doesn't leave me hours a day to work on the yard and my wife has no interest/ability (it's o.k., she knows it).
  • My wife loves hydrangeas, not lace caps though and not as much the paniculatas.
  • Area is (as noted in my signature) in Kansas City.
  • Area gets what I call Dappled Sun all day and full sun for a couple afternoon hours. but it's hard to say this early in the season as some trees may provide a little more shade in the morning than they are providing now.
  • I'd like to get full season color. Lots of greenery in front of my house and not much color.
  • The shrubs in front of the house currently are from left to right Azaleas (BIG bushes), boxwoods (obviously), then to the right of Japanese Maple, more Azalea, holly, then the Conifer on corner.
  • Concern with going heavy Hydrangea is for winter interest in my area and how a spanse would look empty during those months..
  • See Pictures attached of street view of house and pics of area in question. Should be obvious where I am talking about. It's an area about 50 feet long from street to house and ranges from 13 feet wide to 25 feet wide closer to house approaching the Magnolia tree.


Some initial ideas (I am married to NONE and have no skill/knowledge so fire away, rip apart, amend or start anew. See diagram I rudimentally created. Each square represents one (1) square foot

  • Again, this diagram is just an idea and I am concerned with winter interest which is why I threw the Oakleaf Snow Queen Hydrangea in the back.
  • Notice land is graded so back is higher. I also picked different hydrangeas that max out in height tiering down towards the front of the bed.
  • Is this total garbage or could it be cool?
  • Other thoughts are to introduce some larger boxwoods in the middle of the hydrangea field to break it up and add winter interest.
  • Also picked out some stuff I liked like Arctic Fire that could break up the hydrangeas and offer a sort of winter interest. Additionally, could throw in some:
  • Barberry type plants that could contrast with the green foliage in summer months and have winter interest in... well.... winter.
  • larger hostas in there somewhere?
  • In front of the boxwood hedge, I could leave a foot or 18 inches of mulch for annuals, either tulips, different Hostas, etc. etc.
  • If I kept the hydrangea, could i do stuff like a ton of Tulips in there also to bloom before the Hostas came in in late spring? If so, I'd want the kind that came back every year...

Or scrap the entire idea and do more of a mixed and informal garden here.


Thoughts? I know that's a lot of info but didn't want to get harassed for not giving enough info. Thanks a bunch in advance,


This picture above is from my front step. Camera is facing EAST.










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