New home - Should we start from scratch with this?
We are in Georgia and this is our new front yard. I'm trying to decide whether I should rip everything out this fall or if we should cut everything down and see how it comes back up. What do you think? Thanks for your time!
Comments (10)
PROYardvaark
7 years agoThe only time it would be worth waiting for to "see how [shrubs] come back is if they happen to be planted in the right place. It's safe to say that all those that I've enclosed in red boxes are planted in a jumbled mess arrangement. When the "come back" they'll be the same places. I wouldn't hesitate to nix them and paint the fresh cut surfaces with undiluted herbicide in order to minimize their chance of returning.
The tree I've marked #1 is one to keep. However, I don't get the point of keeping it dwarfed like this. It's right next to where people will walk so the bottom of the canopy (ceiling) needs to be much higher and it can be raised over time by periodically snipping off the lower branches to 50% of its total height. Simultaneously, the canopy needs to grow larger so that it doesn't end up looking deformed as the bottom is raised. Just let it grow, snipping only deformations off.
The shrub marked #2, find out what it is and how close it is to the wall. If it's too close, it can go, too. Find out what #3 is.
It would be good to see what is at the right and left end of the picture, in the blue box areas. It would also be good to see what your house looks like with all the shrubs out of the way. The house has a lot of detail that doesn't need to be covered. If you get rid of the shrubs, it would be good to take another series of slightly overlapping pictures that pan from left to right that include the blue squares. It would also be good to see it from closer in, about where the red dot is on the lawn.
I disagree about waiting until fall to rip things out. Fall is planting time. Now is demolition and planning time.
laceyvail 6A, WV
7 years agoRelated Discussions
Starting from scratch - new construction
Comments (1)Short and little maintenace would be junipers for the front bed. A taller columnar tree to distract from the neighbors house would be great too....See MoreStarting new lawn from scratch, now weed is coming up
Comments (2)Yes, don't get too anxious. You made a mistake in seeding in the summer. Crabgrass seed was waiting there to get wet for a whole week. You had to do that for your grass seed so now you have crabgrass. This is one of the two big reasons why you should never seed in the summer and/or spring. Fall is the time to seed because at that time the crabgrass seed is no longer sprouting. Do not wait until spring to overseed. Do it at the end of summer when the night time temps start to fall. Oh man. I just noticed you live in Zone 9. Where exactly do you live? This is important. You might not have any fescue left by 4th of July. Fescue is bad in zone 9 and dwarf fescue is twice as bad. But there are some places in zone 9 where fescue is perfect. Need to know where you are....See MoreStarting from scratch on home office design - peacock?
Comments (60)IMO I would first solve the function issues you have outlined and then address the style issues you have requested. As with every design problem there may be compromises to get most of what you've listed, but function shouldn't be one of them. I've attached a layout and some examples of furnishings & unique equipment that may accommodate many of your requests. Please carefully think about keeping a frankly huge armoire, that you still have to spend time and money to refinish, to hold a printer that could reasonably fit on a small shelf. The printers seem to get smaller everyday as do the computers/laptops. How many of us got stuck with armoires to hold huge TVs? The local Goodwill where I live won't even take armoires anymore because no one wants them in their homes. That item in particular, from my perspective as a designer, is like fitting a square peg in a round hole. I often look to the RV industry to provide me with clever equipment that does double duty, like hidden work surfaces that can pull out of standard cabinets when needed, and slide away when not in use. I think you can assemble a workable room, with the special style you're looking for & even that special settee, but I would build in files and storage which is always needed, find a clever way to close away your DH clutter so you don't have to nag, & look for high tech items to help you reach you goals. Built in wall units are not inexpensive, but everything doesn't need to be custom. Cabinets from any modular kitchen cabinet manufacturer, even IKEA, could be used to assemble your workstations. Good Luck...See MoreColors for a house my sis is buying?Starting from scratch! (pics)
Comments (5)graywings, thank you for the brochure idea. Don't know how I didn't think of that also. (Truth to tell, you GW folks are usually my first and sometimes my only thought.) The roof color is pretty accurate. I'd call it a medium blue. Probably in the second photo the part of the house on the left is the closest. I'm not sure what "marine blue" is, but on my monitor SW "Lobelia" looks like the roof color. Thank you very much....See MoreUser
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoWow. Best reply ever. Thanks for the help! My wife believes #2 & 3 are ligustrums.
Here is a 360 view from the street.
And here is a 360 photo from the spot requested.
And here are the stills
- PRO
Yardvaark
7 years agoMike, I don't think the existing bed lines are conducive to looking as inviting as they could. Given the proximity of the wooded area at right, I would consider tying the right foundation bed to the wooded area, which would allow for the incorporation of a smallish/medium flowering tree. (Bed #2.) You could still have a path (mulch or otherwise) cutting through the bed in order to maintain access between back and front yards. It's likely that at some point grass will not grow well at the right side of the house, and making it into a groundcover bed would eliminate the need for it.
At bed #1, it never looks good to have a bed at an intersection take an angled shortcut. Make this a true quarter circle such that at each place where the bed line intersects the walk is 90*. Later, eliminate the bald mulch look and replace with low groundcover for a much more sumptuous look. Groundcover will eliminate the need for replenishing mulch once or twice every year.
I do not think plants #3 and #5 are Ligustrum. They look like Japanese maple. I think #4 is Ligustrum.
The video pan is a nice tool. I'm sure we will see that used a lot more on this forum.
- PRO
Yardvaark
7 years ago User
7 years ago- PRO
Yardvaark
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago User
7 years ago
Yardvaark