Looking to give more curb appeal without spending a ton of money
G Drusc
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I'm thinking I can maybe plant bougainvillea by the arch, but I'm reach not sure how to go about it. My husband pulled out a dying plant last night so I'd like to make the best out of the empty space with something that won't need much care and that can withstand the hot Florida days. If I do that should I also pull out the ficus to the left of the door area column (by the rain spout) and plant one there as well?
Around the mailbox I planted some mexican putunias that look gorgeous year round (they bloom every day pretty much all year long), but the rest of that space is very lacking. I keep buying mulch, but after a few months it is washed away. What else can I do? I prefer to avoid rock.
On the front porch I'd like to do a bench or some seating, but I can not for the life of me find anything I like that also that fits with my house style. I'm hoping to find something that won't rust and won't clash with all of the metals I have going on. I plan on changing the door handle/lock set to either a bronze color set to match the windows (no money to update these at the moment) or black to match the mailbox (HOA issued), and light fixtures (these must stay).
If you can post links to some items you suggest that would be amazing. A lot of times I really like some of your suggestions, but I am never able to find similar items in my local store or online. :)
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G Drusc
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoRelated Discussions
Curb Appeal: Help me lose the 1960 look
Comments (28)The SF Bay area means you are in Zone 10 in a micro climate. From the way the shadows are in the photos it looks like your home has a southern exposure (Correct?) which will affect the plants you choose. Keep in mind that just as there are decorating *trends* in interior decorating there are also trends in garden and landscaping design. You want your planting to match your home's style AND not look "dated" or out of place. For instance, Bridal Wreath, Roses, and Peonies look great in front of a Victorian but just do not 'go' with a ranch. You want to stick with the trends that were popular at the time the home was built, like Hosta, Evergreens, Ferns and other plants with insignificant flowering. The trend put more emphasis on leaf shape, texture and color tone. Those Evergreens in front of the house that are so huge were probably planted when the home was built and surrounded with such plants. Nor do you want your new plantings to look "dated" by doing an '80s trend of Stella d'Oro and the like. It would be like putting 'geese with bonnets' teal and dusty rose, wallpaper in your new kitchen. It looks dated, and does not go with a vintage ranch home either. I hope I am explaining this right. With the southern exposure your home has and the fact that is is in zone ten you want to be sure you have the right plantings. Nothing is worse than seeing Hosta suffering under the sun gasping for life with their crispy edges. It makes a house look dreary. I would embrace your ranch home styling and not try to make it into a cottage or try to give it 'Southern Charm' or anything. It's the 'silk purse/sows ear, thing'. They still build ranches today. Just update the look with simple things like removing the diamond grill from the windows on the right, changing the shutters, ect. A new single door will help the place lose the 'hacienda' look the double doors give it. If you have the budget for it, a new garage door with horizontal windows would break up the big flat look it has, and help with the smooth horizontal flow the lines the look of the home has. Ripping out the overgrown Evergreen on the left will make the place seem more welcoming. I think the ones on the right can stay if they are manicured and then bring the bed out further with low plantings....See MoreWhat do I do for more curb appeal? Help!
Comments (19)With apologies to the original poster bmccoy5, but criticizing ideas is part of the solution, and as long as the criticism is directed toward the idea rather than a personal attack, it is fair game. There are pros here who don’t label themselves as such as well as a couple of folks (and not including Doug) who labeled themselves as pros who clearly weren’t. And there are pro kitchen designers who make comments on landscaping that aren’t necessarily practical in the outdoor world, so being able to add criticism is part of finding a solution that works for the question at hand. I frequently make critical comments about Doug’s designs as well as pointing out things that I think will work well in any given situation. In this case, a hedge isn’t a practical solution in this yard due to the large tree. A hedge close to the tree, if it survives at all, will be patchy and won’t match well with parts of the hedge with different light and moisture levels due to not being under the tree canopy, so IMO allowing anyone to believe differently is doing a disservice to the poster who wants to improve the yard’s appearance. I personally have no problem aesthetically with dividing a large front yard to make a part of the yard a more private space, but it this case it will need to be a fence such as the pickets above rather than a hedge or a masonry wall which won’t play well with extensive tree roots so that either the tree or the wall will suffer. I agree with the posters who suggested that having tall plants hiding the side facing main entry isn’t a good idea. I like finding the entry easily, and I dislike approaching entries swathed in foliage for safety reasons. I also agree with the suggestion to widen the pavement on the dooryard side to add a longer walkway at least a couple of cars deep. It will make the entry more visible, and when cars are parked in the drive it will add a firm dry walking surface for visitors. Like Yardvaark, I would love to see how the house looks currently as well as what is to either side of the photos above, so added photos would be good. Is that odd looking bed edging still there? And what is meant by “stone along the side” of the driveway? Gravel? Cobblestone or other masonry edging?...See MorePlease give us curb appeal!
Comments (27)I hear you saying you like gray and blue than do the house in gray and add a blue front door. I really big help would be to redo the landscape with some softer lines and let the stonework with the landscape right now the stone is the odd man out with a bunch of straight lines. The entrance looks like an afterthought and really doesn't go with any one thing. I would remove that and add a pergola over the garage and restructure the entrance....See Morebrighten up the exterior without spending an arm and a leg
Comments (2)landscaping, including both green and colorful plants, and shrubs etc, will give you the biggest bang for the buck. You might also consider a brighter color for your front door. A small sized colorful chair in the corner, or some pots of colorful flowers....See More
Angel 18432
6 years agoG Drusc
6 years agoG Drusc
6 years agoAngel 18432
6 years ago
phuninthesun
6 years agokitasei
6 years ago
Elizabeth B
6 years agoElizabeth B
6 years agoAngel 18432
6 years agoG Drusc
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agokitasei
6 years agoG Drusc
6 years ago
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
6 years ago
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