Transforming my yard wth natives.
5 years ago
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- 5 years agolast modified: 5 years ago
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My hopeless front yard
Comments (34)Having fence sections on each side would work...I was always told there should be an opening to make your home welcoming. Later a curved walkway leading to your front door could be added. This would help direct attention to your front entrance even if the walkway is seldom used. The lamp post could be incorporated into the planting bed beautifully, even used for a flowering clematis perhaps. I would only use taller anchoring shrubs on the outside ends so the fence itself does not become disconnected from each other. You could use lower evergreens in the planting beds for winter interest. If you do put in a path to the front door I think a grey PA flagstone randomly placed would be beautiful with your blue house. At some point a small sitting area under the large tree near your front porch could be amazing. You could use the same flagstones, along large planters rather than trying to deal with tree roots, groundcovers, fountain....ahhh, the beautiful things you can do! I can't wait to see in-progress pictures. I think starting with the fence will make everthing else fall into place. This project should keep you busy until you are ready to tackle the porch area...See MoreNative plants for very dry,very deep shade.
Comments (18)I don't get bent out of shape concerning what people plant in residential gardens & I don't crusade the idea of going native to anyone who will listen. I figure if I make my own yard look good with natives, thats the best way to sell the idea but I'm not out to change the world. If someone asks, I'll answer. I'm not an average homeowner. I like the prairie and we removed the lawn and went that direction but then I keep in mind the perspective that I like gardening more than most who live around here. I'm not a sports fan which also places me in another minority, I'd rather be outside gardening during the game or when the Thunder plays. The toothpaste is out of the tube concerning our problem invasive species such as honeysuckle, Bradford Pear & privet. The popularity of the non-invasive plants you mentioned such as day lily, roses and hosta and several other popular landscape plants we could list is not the problem when you consider the amount of land covered in concrete and high maintenance lawns. I consider lawns to be a much more serious concern than whether people prefer native as opposed to conventional garden plants. Water waste is one of my biggest bug-a-boo's with sprinkler systems becoming very common, widespread chemical use on lawns that runs down the street into streams and air pollution. I find myself doing the math of what I see going on here and know is going on elsewhere. There are strict restrictions on ranchers and farmers, officials regularly check to see if they are in compliance while homeowners are free to spray their lawns with abandon. This makes no sense. I don't like seeing the city expand and watching builders scrape off the native prairie and then replace it with bermuda lawn grass and formal landscaping along with regular mowing, spraying and sprinkler systems. Fire suppression is a bigger cause of problems than introduced plants where I live. Eastern Red Cedar is out of control and is taking over thousands of acres of prairie at alarming rates inevitably creating deciduous forests of both native and non-native woody plants. In my opinion, it makes no difference whether they are native trees & underbrush or not at this point. Why should it? That land cannot be restored back to prairie, habitat is lost forever and it seems there is no stopping this aggressive transformation, no end in sight. When its dry, these infested places turn into infernos that explode. After the fire is finally out, the trees are what come back, not the grasses. Its a problem of balance and funds. Fracking is a major concern. We have earthquakes here all the time now, I heard we have more than California or anywhere else in the world right now. I also worry about the fact that we are depleting the aquifer faster than it can replenish itself with large scale farm irrigation. We have a vote coming up concerning something called 'Right to Farm'. Its about halting regulations on farming practices. I'm not sure what its all about since I haven't had time to look into it but it sounds ominous. Has anyone heard of this?...See MoreTurf reduction to drought tolerant and native plants - Sacramento
Comments (9)Thanks everyone for your comments. I am adding a few more pictures here to show the rest of the property from different angles. The picture with the large palm tree shows the edge of my lawn, my driveway and what the rest of the block looks like - here in Fair Oaks we don't have sidewalks, and many of the properties have lawns going straight down to the street. Also, there is no place to park on the street, so, as much as I would like a path leading to the house from the street as enmarene suggested, it would never be used. The second picture shows the edge of the lawn that I'm replacing on the and the big swath of concrete driveway adjacent to the lawn. If anything, I'd like to de-emphasize the driveway by planting a lovely garden. I'm not sure what the semi-circle Yardvaark suggested, was it a driveway? I do like the idea, but I have too much driveway. I do like Yardvaark's drawing, however and would like to incorporate some of the ideas indicated. The trees look great. right The third picture (above) shows the meager pathway from the driveway to the front porch/front door. I would like to enhance that path in some way, as well as make the front door pop more, but that might just be a matter that will be taken care of next spring when we paint the exterior. Thanks again everyone....See MoreMixed trees/shrubs front yard (full sun) and side yard (part sun) - CT
Comments (1)If you are thinking of fruit trees, I'd think about American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)...one of the few native fruit trees, and one of the few tough fruit trees. Put some males near the road and females elsewhere. I like American Holly (ilex opaca) for areas you want an evergreen for screening....See More- 5 years agolast modified: 5 years ago
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- 5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoJay 6a Chicago thanked Iris S (SC, Zone 7b)
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Iris S (SC, Zone 7b)