Landscape Design Help (new pics)
justinva
8 years ago
I've been in the house for a year and am ready to start from a clean
slate. You can see there are 3 main areas in front of the house. Right
of entrance, left of entrance and around tree in front yard. Goal is
to make the landscaping manageable. Again, everything will be ripped up
and will b starting with a clean slate. I would like to incorporate two
ideas:
- Cut the depth of the right side bed in half. Will replant front half back in grass. A curve or shaping up there is fine.
- Redo entire around the tree bed to be a nice even circle around
the tree. The roots make the ground rough and grass thin. Plus I hate
the teardrop shape reaching back to the house.
I'm thinking Encore Azaleas (rhododendon roblec) for my base below
the windows and throw something tall in between windows. But please feel
free to indulge on ideas....budget is reasonable. (This is updated with newer pics as requested.)
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Comments (8)
justinva
8 years agoRelated Discussions
New to Site, New House, Ready to Landscape!!! PICS
Comments (12)We have seen these recessed-entryway houses quite often on here lately, and many people are prone to planting in the entry way, which tends to close it off. It looks like you have only planned brick in there, which should give a better impression. From the fact that you've put beds up against the house it looks like you're set on ignoring the advice you've received so far anyway :-) from Catkim above. I tend to agree that foundation planting is far too often confused with landscaping, and landscaping far too often limited to foundation planting. And speaking for myself, I pretty much die of boredom once the plan goes that route. You've put the palms in the right place, now keep working out there! Some houses on some lots really need foundation planting, but others, like yours, offer scope for something much more original and attractive. KarinL...See MoreHelp bash my landscaping (new home w/ pics)
Comments (62)It's a vast improvement over the shrub-engulfed house we first saw, merely by being cleaned up. One thing that jumps out to me as not enough, is the groundcover, which are few and far apart. The goal is usually to get groundcover to grow into a solid mass for the best look and so as not to need top dressing with mulch anymore and still have weed suppression. But I imagine you'll be doing some tweaking over the next year. As far as watering, it's hard for someone, by remote, to tell you if you've watered long enough. There are a lot of variables in how you might be doing it and with what equipment. If in doubt, dig down and see. It won't take you long to discover the right timing formula....See MoreHelp with new construction landscape design
Comments (22)Sarahbr2 I just want to mention a few more things. The house is two story and faces north. The plants closest to the facade will get shade most of the day. You need to be sure the plants you choose do not require full sun. By the way, when I say the plants closest to the house I hope you know that shrubs should be planted at least two feet away from the wall of the house. Most ornamental grasses require full sun. I much prefer Yardvaarks offered drawing to the one your former landscape designer left you with. First, your designer wanted to hide some of the walk with plants near the entrance. I like a clear and obvious path to the door. I also think there was too much variety of plants in the original design. Too many and it just looks like a hodge podge. I did not like the planned Hollies near the porch stairs. In time they would crowd the steps and dwarf all the other plants. I like low things for that area. I wish I could help choose plants but I know little of your zone. I think you should seek advice on the Perennials forum for something that grows in a northern exposure. Show them the drawing Yardvaark made. Mature plant height is important if you don't want to spend a lot of time shearing. You want to be sure the porch is not obscured from view. I would love to hear what you decide on. As far as budget is concerned you can relax and do a little at a time if you have a plan. Luckily your house is good looking and does not require shrubs to keep it pretty....See MoreHelp bash my landscaping (new home w/ pics)
Comments (4)The overgrown items are definitive examples of why people should read the labels on plants before they buy them. The giant bush covering the window to the left of the front door may have been labeled "dwarf", but dwarf only means smaller than the species and the mature size can be much larger than wanted. The 2 tall, narrow shrubs flanking the last widow on the left were planted much too close to the house. I don't see them being saved. If a shrub will eventually be 3' across it should not be planted closer than 18 inches to a wall, fence or pathway. The same is true for the shrub in the last photo which is bending away from the building. Not for sure, but that may be a LOQUAT, but you would need reliable zone 8 winter lows for that to be the case. Its leaves also remind me of a deciduous magnolia. Most shrubs should not be cut back by more than 1/3. Either all the branches are cut by 1/3 of their length, OR 1/3 of only the oldest branches are cut to ground level. Find out what shrubs you have before deciding on pruning. Large shrubs and trees are better limited to pruning 1/4 of existing growth. For the shrub in the last photo, I would prune off branches that overhang the walkway only. You can always remove it later on, but it otherwise looks healthy....See More
PROYardvaark
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Yardvaark
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emmarene9
8 years agojustinva
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Yardvaark
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