Beautiful design. What is the multi stem rounded tree in front. Thanks
mick3120
9 years ago
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8 years agoRelated Discussions
Update to my front yard design dilemma
Comments (14)Hi all-- Thanks for your comments. I have already screened the trees for color--the groundcover beds are cool/glaucous foliage with white/pink/red/purple/blue/burgundy flowers, so I think all of the trees would work. Spazzycat: THANK YOU for your tidbit about redbud seed germination! That's exactly the kind of info I need. I'm already dealing with some nasty re-seeders in the garden, so I appreciate this info. Based on your comments, plus those in the Trees forum, I think I am going to go with an Apple Serviceberry (amelanchier x grandiflora). Now I get to agonize over which tree to get at the nursery, etc., etc. As before, I'll update with photos. P.S. to laag: A special thank you for your practical encouragement. I agree, I just need to go out there and do something. As a small bit of justification, let me say that it's soooooo hard being a forward-thinking gardener in our staid neighborhood. When I took out those oakleaf hydrangeas, which were a bold choice among the clipped, ball-shaped yews that dominate our neighborhood, I could almost see my neighbors giving each other knowing smirks about about the crazy lady gardener who is pouring good money after bad into her so-so garden. (Gardening is such a VISIBLE hobby, darn it!) For this reason, I really want this foundation planting to (a) look great and (b) STICK. Even so, I very much appreciate your not-so-gentle nudges throughout!...See MoreHelp picking single or multi-stem musclewood tree
Comments (24)I have to order my trees today, and now I really don't know what to do about this area. Out of all the suggestions, I would probably go with a viburnum as an alternative, but I'm waiting for someone to chime in say it's ok to put an american hornbeam in this spot. Let me describe the spot a little better, just in case I left anything out. It's about an 8' x 8' area. Those rocks in the pics were just a pile I created while digging the patio. They're all gone now. My LArch chose this tree because it's light and airy and to break up the long patio. Was going to plant marginal wood ferns around the base. He said to let it arch out and prune lower branches as it grew. I'm just hesitant to discount his advice because I did a lot of research before choosing someone to advise me on this project. He's been in the business of natural landscaping 30+ yrs, has many publications, tons of speaking engagements, and came highly recommended from the folks who did my audubon at home audit. That said, I've gotten tons of good advice from folks on this forum, which makes this decision so difficult!...See MoreEvergreen multi-trunk or wide canopy tree
Comments (14)Craig, sorry I'm not certain of how the Cape Chestnut will perform in your micro-climate. Below I've typed out the description from the book "Ornamental Trees For Mediterranean Climates: The Trees of San Diego." (Don't worry, I type fast.) Calodendrum capense (kal-oh-DEN-drum kuh-PENCE) Cape Chestnut Rutaceae Southern and Eastern Africa Magnificent is the word for a mature Cape Chestnut in bloom, and it is certainly a tree that once planted will entertain generations to come. Unrelated to the true chestnuts, this African tree is famous in Kenya for a large specimen that forms part of the structure of the Tree Tops Hotel. In Southern California, the Cape Chestnut is a slow-growing evergreen or briefly deciduous tree to 25-40' tall and wide whose dense, gradually spreading crown deserves the space it needs to show off its handsome dark green floiage and showy flowers. Flowering usually occurs in late spring or early summer, when the whole tree is covered with candelabra-like basketball-sized flower clusters composed of many individual 3" rosy-lilac blooms. Although this tree seldom blooms when young, a mature specimen will often rebloom in the fall. Seed pods are produced on mature trees and when ripe split open to reveal shiny black seeds. The Cape Chestnut is somewhat frost-tender when young, but mature trees will withstand temperatures as low as 15�F. It prefers a deep soil in full sun, and will usually lose most of its leaves for a brief time following cold winter temperatures. Quail Botanical Gardens is indicated as a place where this specimen can be viewed....See MoreDesign help for tiny front yard
Comments (27)Greening - Your comment " . . . the house is quite tall for that small a front yard. Unfortunately, deciduous trees in the front yard aren't going to happen-- they aren't good for the roof and the roof needs all the help it can get" has been percolating around in my head for about a month now, and I've finally found time to respond. I agree with Mayalena, KT, and Paririemoon2 that you should at least consider a deciduous tree, since I think without something to tie the tall house to the lower level garden, you'll be unhappy because there won't be enough of a transition or connection between the garden and the house. Look for varieties that are labeled as columnar or fastigiate or narrowly weeping. I think a tree with a trunk and the branches and foliage up above will give you more planting room than a large shrub like a Hamamelis (witchhazel) or a Philadelphus (mockorange) which is about as wide as it is tall or even than a columnar evergreen which typically has branches down to the ground. I noticed in glancing through the website below that they include at least some columnar trees, but probably most major online woodies nurseries have a search function that will let you search for columnar, fastigiate or fastigiata. Forest Farm nursery (forestfarm.com) has a category of columnar plants you can click on http://www.forestfarm.com/search/route.asp?indexkey=2C&x=72&y=12 that lists 37 genuses that they carry with columnar plants. Another resource with a list of columnar trees in the book Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs, probably in your local library or bookstore. On pg 450 he lists about 2 dozen varieties of columnar and fastigiate trees. I think somewhere I've seen a reference to a columnar Stewartia, which might fit the bill perfectly. Stewartias in general have flowers, gorgeous fall colors, and in winter peeling, multicolored bark, so you'd have multiseason interest and get the most bang for your buck (space.) I think you mentioned planning to replace the solid front of the porch with balisters (sp?) and a rail. You could also add a trellis or even just netting with clematis/honeysuckle, etc. as using the vertical space will add to how much you can plant. Clematis in particular looks quite at home in a cottage garden and would like the coolness to the roots that shade from the porch would provide. I've also done some reading about folks who grow clematis through shrubs and small trees to add longer season interest. I haven't yet seen anyone who has grown one through a rhodie, but that might be a possibility to give you some winter green. At one time there was a thread in the shrubs forum here on growing clematis through shrubs, but it may have disappeared by now. Regardless, you need to match growth rate and ultimate size of the tree or shrub with the clematis. A couple of final thoughts - since you've got such a small space and you'll presumably want to be planting it intensely to fit in as much as possible, take the time to really work on your soil before you plant, turning in lots of organic matter like compost or well-rotted manure (which shouldn't smell) so that your plants thrive. Also, if you are visual, to help with your planning, take the photo of your house and do overlays on transparencies or tracing paper to help plan your space, even just cutting out silouettes of plants in proportion to your house and moving them around to see what looks right to you (or maybe you can do it all on the computer.) Hope I've helped some. Babs Here is a link that might be useful: smallplants.com...See MoreVandenberg Landscape Design LTD
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