Can you help me design the landscape to replace these overgrown beds

7 years ago

Hi there! I would love some input about what plants/shrubs to use to replace the overgrown foundation shrubs in the front of our house. I was thinking I'd like to replace those yuccas on the right with a weeping cherry or maybe a dogwood? On the far left, I thought perhaps a weeping blue spruce might be interesting. I live in zone 6 and the house is north facing. The bed on the left side is 13' long and the right bed is 25' up to the curved yucca plant area. Sorry, I can't figure out how to remove the duplicate picture. Thanks in advance for any ideas!

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l pinkmountain

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

Here's the deal on your house shrubs (from a horticulturalist). They've been improperly pruned for years, so to rehabilitate them would take some time and pruning skill. They look bad because all the growth is on top and they have an unnatural shape, thin on the bottom and flush on the top. That's what happens with improper pruning. So my advice, if you have the money, is to tear them out with no regrets, and get some smaller, prettier shrubs that will have a MATURE SIZE that will fit in with the scale of the house, and not need constant pruning. Yes, the new landscaping will look a little puny at first but the new plants will fill in after a short couple of years. First year they sleep, second year they creep, third year they LEAP! But to achieve that affect you will have to be diligent about only buying plants that list their mature height on the label and then planting them leaving enough room around the plant so that when it reaches its mature height it will fill in the space. Live with the spaces in between for a couple of years, you will not regret it. Because if you plant the plants too close, after three years you will have to constantly fuss with them and you'll be back to the arduous pruning again. Also, get a book on pruning. I highly recommend anything by Cass Turnbull, my landscape design hero! "Plant Amnesty" Cass Turnbull's Web site, lots of good ideas here.

Edited to ad: make sure to leave enough space between your house and the foundation planting that you can get behind the shrubs and so they don't grow up into the house and hold moisture against the house and also harbor pests like mice.

Also, check out the inspiration pictures on Houzz or anywhere else on the 'net. Find a picture with a house similar to yours with a look you like and take that with you to the nursery. A good nursery with a plant person to help you, not a big box store. Or do some research on your own and make a list of what plants you like. Lots of great idea books out there, visit the library and have fun!

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Comments (11)

snickysncker
Original Author
7 years ago
I should have also asked whether you all thought shutters would look good on the windows. The driveway side of the house has shutters painted SW Iron Ore. Thanks again.
aputernut
7 years ago
Have you thought about cutting them way down first and perhaps thinning rather then ripping out mature shrubs, then there may be room for a few flowers to bring added color and yes shutters would dress up those 2 windows for sure.
snickysncker thanked aputernut
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"You cannot legally do anything that would cause permanent harm to the tree". "Not so. You can cut ANYTHING overhanging your property." Check the law, It varies slightly by state but in virtually ALL cases, YOU (the neighbor) are liable if any attempts to control the tree or its spread results in its death or any serious permanent damage. "You have the legal right to trim tree branches up to the property line. But you may not go onto the neighbor's property or destroy the tree itself. In almost every state, a person who intentionally injures someone else's tree is liable to the owner for two or three times the amount of actual monetary loss. These penalties protect tree owners by providing harsh deterrents to would-be loggers." "For all the know it alls, your help was trumped by a pro." And once again we have a decidedly unpleasant comment from the OP :-( Since there is no way for her to know who is a landscape professional or not or exactly what their experience and skill set is, she is making some very erroneous assumptions. And her professional arborist is also taking her to the cleaners. An infrequent pruning job - canopy thinning or branch reduction/shortening - should not cost anywhere close to $1200. That is what is charged here for a full tree removal!
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cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
I don't see any yuccas in your photo (did you mean yews?), but I do agree that you should remove your foundation plantings and start over. I am not a fan of the "green blob" foundation plan. I love both weeping cherries and dogwoods (Cornus florida). It looks like you would have room for both, one on each side or staggered on the same side. You may want to post your pictures and question on the landscaping forum. Several pros hang out there and often have great ideas. I would suggest planning out the entire front yard rather than doing it piecemeal. You will want a mix of trees and shrubs. Also, make sure you place the trees far enough from the house that there is room for their mature size-dogwoods can have a spread of 20 feet, so at least 12 feet out from the house would be good.

If you choose a dogwood, Applalachian Spring or another anthracnose-resistant cultivar is a must. There are some new ones that are also mildew resistant forms. One is Cornus 'Jean's Appalachian Snow'. I will be looking for that one this week.

I would wait on shutters until you finish the landscaping. You may not need them. One thing you didn't ask, so forgive me for mentioning it, but I would bef up your porch posts some. It isn't too hard to do and I think it might look really nice if they were larger. That said, I am probably overly sensitive to narrow columns because my grandmother had a strong dislike for them. ;)

You have a pretty house and it looks like a pretty clean slate of a yard. Have fun! If you do go over to the landscaping forum, take another picture from much further out showing the entire lot if possible. They will want to see that view as well (showing driveway, etc.!
snickysncker thanked cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
deegw
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
I would go to your locally owned garden store (not HD or Lowes) and ask for help. They often have free or low cost design service (because the hope you will purchase from them) and they will know exactly which plants will work best in your area.

Your house is charming and I think shutters will look nice on your windows. I unfortunately have to say that I also think that your porch columns are too narrow. You have a great start, your yard should be easy to spruce up.
snickysncker thanked deegw
User
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Have you been to the landscape forum on the gardening side?

We have some fabulous folks who have great imagination and more importantly, know their plants but there aren't near as many over here as their are over on the gardening side and the landscape forum may have some professionals that are regulars as well. They know their plants so well over there it's almost scary. At the very least, cross post, so you can get the benefit of both forums.
just_terrilynn
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
This is half done because I do not know names of plants. For those that do...would it look stupid to remove some of the shrubs and plant something else in those areas? To me the beds need some curve and rocks.

Part of me is inclined to rip it all out and start over.

If you think something can be done with this please feel free to add what you think to this photo.

Or, start over?

Landscape, rock and a new WOOD stained door?

Is the above toooo much landscape?
snickysncker thanked just_terrilynn
jill302
7 years ago
Love the 3rd landscape.
snickysncker thanked jill302
Bunny
7 years ago
I love the third landscape too. Good job, JTL.
snickysncker
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you all for the ideas everyone! justerrilynne, I love the photoshopping. I'm meeting with a landscaper tomorrow and thanks to you all, I now have some thoughts for what direction to take !
lazy_gardens
7 years ago
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/design

The landscape forum can help you

Can you help me design the landscape to replace these overgrown beds

l pinkmountain

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snickysncker
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aputernut

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Can you help me design the landscape to replace these overgrown beds

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