Please help landscape front of house / new beds
DH bought a bucket/back hoe loader last weekend and has been busy on our first project; beds for landscaping the front of the house. We have very rocky soil - digging is such a challenge - so we decided to go ahead and dig the whole area and then fill with topsoil, vs. individual holes for plants.
The current shape of the beds is straight (fairly easily changed); a walkway from the driveway to the front door is another planned project, and that will curve (I think?).
Any suggestions on what to plant would be appreciated. I originally thought I'd like a cottage flower garden but I'm now thinking that might be a mistake. Either way, I'll plant lots of bulbs for color in the spring.
The size of the area is around 4.5 feet x 19 feet long, dug to a depth of 2 feet, and it's below the large windows at the front of the house, the area between the driveway and the front door.
The containers and benches we were using, add some color but I'd like to have some established plantings as well.
View from farther away. Apologies for the slightly blurry picture; I was rushing to take an as-is picture before DH started. There's a rock wall on the left which you can see, and a messy rock pile still left over from when we dug the new foundation. (Another project will be to clean that up).
Planned area:
Looking the other direction. We could continue the hydrangeas and add some tall grasses but...
Almost done digging!
Comments (8)
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New house and new to landscaping - help please?
Comments (38)Canockie, this is just a quick basic diagram with the outline of an idea. The darker tree is the proposed blue spruce, and the others are intended to be deciduous, flowering or not, which would cool in summer, and let sun through in winter. Specific identity is best determined locally, but along the sides they should be something that grows fairly tall and narrow. Your HOA seems like it might not be too big an obstacle, at least to keeping your house cool. So the basic bones of your plan would be about shade, pathways, and sightlines. Since I can't help you with either the left side or with sightlines from various points on the property, you could start by imagining trees where I've sketched them, and move (or remove them) around to work in real life. It can help to stick a garden tool in the ground at the point you might put a tree, and imagine how that will look from the door, from the window, as you drive home, etc. I've not put a tree very close to the house, but there is clearly an option to put another one closer for faster, more significant shade. That has to be balanced off by whether you want to live in a little forest :-) I put the front yard trees more so they would shade the yard, which will give you some sheltered area for other plants, since side yard trees will do morning and afternoon cooling. The blueberries might be happier in the back, but if you want them in the front, the shelter of the trees should work (but just remember I write from the rainforest! so I don't know for sure). This will leave you exposed to afternoon sun, which could be mitigated with one more tree right were your curb tree now is or across the sidewalk from it. That will block the door a fair bit, so is a matter of taste. Tree placement being decision 1, decision 2 is how you move around the property. Are there gates through to either side yard? If so, pathways can be put in - two options are dotted in. Many people find it easier to place beds for flowering plants with reference to pathways - I do, because I like to plant things that have up-close interest and then I enjoy walking over to see them. How do you get the mower from front to back yard? And then decision 3 is what you want to see/be seen, or have blocked from different points of view. These bones are important to get right - and "right" is not something anyone but you can determine. Of course even trees can always be moved or replaced, but it's nice if they don't have to. Placement of flower beds and flowering plants is easy to work around your trees once the tree locations are chosen. Beds can be around tree bases, or completely separate from them - sun-loving plants to the sunny side, less tolerant ones on the shadier side. I hope this gives you something to start doodling with and imagining in 3d. Karin L...See MorePlease help me design a new bed(s) for my front yard
Comments (20)I remember how difficult it is to get started when you have a bare, flat yard. I kept staring out the windows, trying to imagine what I could plant where. It helps if you have someone stand outside while you look out the windows. Have your helper walk around from place to place, waving his/her arms, and maybe even holding a broom up overhead. Try to imagine your helper is a bush or a tree. When your helper gets to a spot that looks good from the inside, make a note of the position, or have your helper plant a garden stake (much easier to move than a tree!) Then go stand outside, or across the street, and see if that really is a good place for a tree. Use pots of annuals which you can move around until you find a space placement that suits you. THEN dig a bed. You can always set out empty boxes, or laundry baskets or even chairs to find spots for a shrub. Anything of a similar size that's easily movable will do. Here are some general principals I've found helpful. If the front is your main entrance, plant things that you will be happy to see when you come home. Start planting close to the walk and steps. This will encourage you to expand. Take it slow. I read once that you should live in a house though one set of seasons before you do any major changes. I translated that into planting annuals at first...which will have to be redone anyway. Fall is really the best time to plant trees and shrubs, as then they will get lots of rain. And, they will be cheaper at the 'year end' sales. Plant evergreens and long season perennials in the front as you and the neighbors will be looking at this area every day. Don't be afraid to take out something you don't like. Try to transplant it, or give it away. If it lives, fine, but you don't have to put up with something you don't like. Bare ground will make you feel better than a plant that irriates you. Don't plant acid loving plants close to the foundation of the house or near the cement path or sidewalk. They won't thrive. I figured this out after losing a row of azaleas, one by one. You can buy spray paint that is specially made to be sprayed holding the can upside down, so you can mark the edges of the beds. Just make sure that it isn't 'clear' paint. (Yes, it does come that way - a friend did this!) Or take a container of flour out and use that to mark plant placement or bed edges if you want a very temporary marking. The front yard is your house's public face and a place to show off your gardening skills. Rather than screening off the street, plant so that people driving or walking by will have something pleasant to look at and your visitors will find inviting. And for safety reasons, you don't want to 'hide' your house. Burglars go for entrances that are screened off from the view of the neighbors. Re paths: Make sure you leave good access to the utility boxes. Make sure you can get a lawnmower and wheelbarrow everywhere they'll need to go. You won't want low branching trees too near paths, either. If you don't have a pleasant view out the windows, one small patch of bright color will draw your eye away from the eyesore. Try a few pots of color, just set out on the ground, and see how they draw your attention. You do want to 'hide' the foundation of the house with taller, more solid shrubs. This will help transition the house into the lot, and help it look 'planted' rather than just 'plopped' onto the lot. Place lower plants further away from the house, along the path and sidewalk. You don't have to have ANY lawn in the front, but you don't have to take it all out at once, either. Have fun! Daphne in Tacoma...See MoreLandscaping help for front of new home
Comments (3)I'm wondering if you'd be better off asking in the gardening forums? Here's a link to the Landscape Forum...See MoreLandscaping help for front of new home
Comments (9)Ootbubby, to clarify, the forum is a place for you to get help, but ultimately, you're in charge of the project, making the final calls on everything. My sketch is not intended to be a literal plan, but an inspiration for you, as to how you might arrange things, ultimate sizes of plants you might aim for, and the like. It's not a prescription. It's a "look." If you don't want a plant that produces flowers and must be replanted annually, pick a perennial instead of an annual. Consider, too, that many people who don't want to do yardwork themselves employ others who do. Nothing wrong with having someone else plant something on a schedule if you don't want to do it. Other than that, you must suffer bareness and blandness. I totally did not understand your argument about the tree. For one, trees don't take "forever" to grow to some substantial size. It depends on what tree one picks as to how fast it grows. But what's the hurry? It's not like you have to sit there watching and waiting for it to achieve size. While you're doing other things the tree will just grow and surprise you with it's speed. Also, the purpose of a tree wouldn't be because you're using the front yard in some specific recreational way. You ARE using the front yard as a setting for the house. Are you thinking your house will look better without a tree? I don't think it will. You can insist that there be lots of evergreen things, but I think it's cutting off your nose to spite your face. Since there aren't a lot of evergreens (that grow to the size and shape you must have) you are drastically limiting plant choices ... to probably ones that will demand more pruning. The dreaded yardwork again! Do not know what, or where you're talking about as per "stone steps to front door" that cannot be planted. The only way it can be known is by what you SHOW in the picture. It does NOT take a year for wood of a fence to dry out so it can be painted. In 3 months (less actually) a fence will be dry. (Drying is the "curing" it requires.)...See Moreoldbat2be
8 years agoThank you for the responses. We abut a large wood and have over three acres; this does not need to be a large garden (but can certainly be increased).
emmarene - It can be fairly cold and sometimes we will have snow on the ground from December until March. Something for winter interest definitely; all out there currently would be the benches.
littlebug - I don't know except that I've never had a bed here - and always had lots of grass (which has always been one of the best features of the front) - perhaps I'm hesitant to take too much away.
laceyvail - It's just about impossible to dig in this rocky soil - rocks are large and compacted. I don't have the patience I used to. I will admit to wondering what it would take to screen what we have dug up so far:) View out the window looking down at the 'bed':
Posting this has helped me clarify what I'm looking for. We definitely need something for winter interest and I need something to fill the spaces in front of the house. I'd be fine growing sweet peas, clematis and morning glories up a trellis. So, obviously I feel I need something for height (hence the trellis leaning up against the house).I've been looking at pictures online but this is the only one which appealed strongly. (Combination of grass, stone, soft flowers, couple foundation plants). Could I do this with a 6 foot bed?
Off to do some cleanup outside - as I look at my pictures I see how overgrown everything is getting. This is obscuring the clean lines of the house. Perhaps I can post a better picture without everything in the way.
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
8 years agooldbat2be
8 years agoemmarene - Thank you- I loved the suggestion for Iberis; have never grown (or noticed it). It sounds wonderful and I will be looking for some. You're right about the size - my hydrangeas to the left of the front door are 6' wide and they're brushing the side of the house.
Yes, I think I could be happy with only perennials. However, I have learned to listen to the expertise on this forum. Most of my favorite features in our kitchen came from suggestions and input here.
mad_gallica - I went outside and measured the add'l 5 feet and yes, the difference is not significant. Thank you for the clear direction. I like your suggestions but will need help on shrubs. I'm starting to get quite embarrassed about asking DH to start so close to the house. (Nothing worse than wasted time and effort, especially when the specs change-just not fair to him).
Goal is to improve upon what we have. Today, driving around, I saw so many planting combinations which I disliked. What we have currently - single row - works. Here's a fall shot. What we put in should be much better (and yes, visible from the circle/street). You can see that I'm trying to fill in empty spaces here (below the windows).
Dug up so far is around 7 yards; we can buy a combination of screened loam and compost for $30/yard. My thinking now is to fill the existing hole; leave a strip (of rocky soil), and then start digging again. I still want to plant bulbs and perennials easily, so we'll continue the process of removal and fill.
I still stand by my definition of rocky! Soil samples from the yard are barely a few inches deep, when I collect them. Digging a new hole can take 30 minutes for a new gallon perennial (used to use my mantis at times, too).
But yes, if we're planting shrubs, with the backhoe, the process should be quite easy going forward (happy thought). Some of the rocks which were removed when we extended our foundation a few years ago are as large as 4' x 3' x 3'+, not negligible :) (Our contractor wanted to take them away 'for us' but I thanked him and said we would like to keep them).
I have Chief Architect and also Sketchup; will make a scale drawing with a 10+ foot bed. (Excellent suggestion). Then will solicit input for shrubs.
oldbat2be
8 years agoOne more shot - we bumped out the front of our house a few years ago and did some extensive remodeling. The before still pleases me. Hopefully you can see how the vertical (climbing hydrangeas) and long lawn contributed.
emmarene9