Would like a "clean", desert-friendly tree for my backyard...?
9 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (14)
Related Discussions
please help with shrub/tree suggestions for my backyard
Comments (3)Be aware that while the Grewia can be kept fairly narrow if trained as an espalier, if not so trained it will grow as a wide bush. I'd suggest starting off with espalier trained 5 or 15 gallon size from the nursery. This shrub may also drop some foliage in your freezes, but is generally safe to use as an evergreen hedge if you seldom drop below 27ðF or so. Your much warmer winter days may give you better evergreen character in winter, they can tend to thin out a bit in colder winters here in northern California. As to amending your soil, it depends on what you have to start with. First thing is to dig any planting pit at least 2 to 3 times wider than your container size, but no deeper, and flood test to see that water drains fully within a couple of hours. I generally do amend the backfill 50% with aged compost or similar, but current horticultural research says this is unnecessary, and a surface application of compost as mulch is more beneficial, repeated once or twice a year. I'd suggest you get a copy of the Sunset Western Garden Book as a good general reference for your gardening and plant questions, it should answer most any gardening question you might have....See MoreHoping for helping in designing kid-friendly, family backyard
Comments (14)Thank you all for your help! Saturday night we went over to a friend's house and I love their yard. Very kid-friendly, but also areas for veggies and fruits. We had him come over and help us with some ideas too. Between the ideas we got on here and the help he gave us with the shape of the yard, etc. we finally have a plan we like and can start implementing in stages. We are going to have the kids area (sandbox & playhouse) up by the house. That is the only area that gets any shade, and with these 100 degree days, well we need a shaded area for the boys to play in. We will move all the berries to the far east end of the yard, all together. We will build another planter box along that side for them. That will put the yellowjackets far away! He helped draw out a yard shape, kind of looks like a golf course green, and I like it. It will still leave most of the area lawn, which we wanted for as the kids grow so they can have space to run. But what it will help with is drawing everything together, making it look less fragmented. We now are just trying to decide what to use for the border between grass and the other areas: concrete curbing, pavers, etc. Thank you so much for all of your input. Thank you saypoint for the drawing you took the time to make. I would still love to see some pictures of other people's backyards, so if anyone has any, please post a link. I'm very visual. I do much better to say, do it like this person did, instead of creating my own ideas!...See MoreWould like help w/ backyard landscape...
Comments (6)The advice you just got is sound, and from the list of shrubs it sounds like a nice combination. The temptation is always to space things too close, and then have to prune. You will have a much better idea how big each of these gets if you drive or walk around your neighborhood and look at these same plants in mature gardens. California is so different from Alabama, but we also grow quite a few of these same plants out here. I would suggest that you allow a 4 to 5 foot diameter for the Daphne odora, and use this as a foreground shrub to the taller ones, since it usually only grows about 2 to 3.5 feet tall. The Florida Anice is one of my new favorite plants, as it is not that common here in California, but the beautiful almost everblooming deep red flowers are gorgeous. This one gets big here, and I have seen it 8 feet tall by 6 feet across. The Sweet Olive,(you are referring to Osmanthus fragrans?), can get 10 to 15 feet tall and act like a small tree, so I would definitely give this one some room at the back, and not crowd it. The Dwarf Leucothoe I am not that familiar with, but imagine that it is in the same size range as the Daphne. Just looking at your photo, I would guess that you could double the spacing between plants and stretch this out along the fence, and closer to your new stone wall. If you want a fuller look immediately, you could always plant either perennials or annuals as filler between the shrubs until they get some size. Some perennials with good evergreen foliage might include things like Bergenia, Hellebores,(Heleborus x argutifolius is a personal favorite), Japanese Anemones, etc. Not sure if these are all good choices for the deep south, (I have no idea what it is like to garden in a sauna in summer). I do know that other evergreen bulbs like Crinums and Hippeastrum would love your conditions. I'd also look to add foliage plants such as native ferns to the mix, and I would also recommend ferny foliaged plants like the Dwarf Heavenly Bamboo, Nandina domestica 'Harbour Dwarf'. Do the dwarf Viburnums, such as Viburnum davidii do well in your area, this is also a nice shade shrub that stays reasonably low. You will probably get better plant specific advice for your local climate if you post this on one of the regional forums that deals with your part of the south....See MoreLooking to replace backyard lawn with pet friendly no-mow ground cover
Comments (24)If you already have St Augustine, it could be a matter of care. You should be watering deeply and infrequently. Deeply means 1 inch all at once every time you water. In your area the frequency would be on the order of once every 2-3 weeks. The morning fog really prolongs the moisture deep in the ground. Allowing the soil to dry out at the surface helps keep the dogs from tearing it up (so quickly). Mulch mow at the mower's highest setting. There is never any reason to mow lower than the highest setting. Fertilize 3x per year (Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving). I use only organic fertilizer, specifically alfalfa pellets (rabbit chow, not horse cubes) or corn meal. Call the feed stores near you to check availability and price. I am surprised there is only one feed store in San Pedro, because they allow horses in Rolling Hills - or at least they used to. That would be the most likely place to have the various chow type feeds. The organics should help with the pee issues. Also spray the yard with molasses (3 ounces (minimum) per 1,000 square feet) to help keep the microbes stimulated and reproducing....See MoreRelated Professionals
Roxbury Crossing Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Bethlehem Landscape Contractors · Billerica Landscape Contractors · Berwyn Landscape Contractors · Clark Landscape Contractors · Dallas Landscape Contractors · Tigard Landscape Contractors · Whittier Landscape Contractors · Yukon Landscape Contractors · Crestline Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Lewisville Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Parker Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Pittsburgh Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Randolph Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Surfside Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures
9 years ago- 4 years ago
Related Stories
TREESGreat Design Plant: Desert Museum Palo Verde Offers a Colorful Canopy
Rising above others with its long bloom time, artful vase shape and lack of thorns, this tree is great for casting filtered shade
Full Story
GARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGGarden Tour: A Colorful Patio Blooms in the Arizona Desert
A landscape designer transforms a couple's backyard patio into a feature-packed oasis
Full Story
LANDSCAPE DESIGNLet Nature Inspire Your Landscape: Devise a Desert Garden
Looking for the ultimate low-maintenance plant picks? Nature is way ahead of you
Full Story
EARTH DAY5 Ideas for a More Earth-Friendly Garden
Consider increasing the size of garden beds, filtering rainwater and using plants to reduce energy use
Full Story
DECKSA Family-Friendly California Yard Wises Up About Water
Pavers and unthirsty plants replace Kentucky bluegrass in a Menlo Park landscape for a family of 4
Full Story
GARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGLush Garden in the Las Vegas Desert
Beauty goes hand in hand with water savvy in a couple's oasis of green in the Nevada desert
Full Story
NATIVE PLANTS10 Top Plants Native to the Desert Southwest
Get a thriving garden despite unforgiving conditions with these tough, unthirsty, sun-loving beauties
Full Story
MODERN HOMESHouzz Tour: Desert Home Blurs Every Line Between Indoors and Out
Expansive windows, oversize doors, skylights, a covered patio, an atrium and a roof deck make the most of beautiful surroundings
Full Story
TRANSITIONAL HOMESHouzz Tour: Part Traditional, Part Modern and All Family Friendly
With clean lines, vintage touches and durable surfaces everywhere, this Los Angeles home balances tastes and needs beautifully
Full Story
GREEN DECORATINGBamboo Products — Earth Friend or Foe?
The ecofriendliness of this grass for flooring, wall coverings and furniture isn't cut and dried. Get the facts here
Full Story
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱