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chelsey_smithxo

help with landscaping!!!!!

5 years ago

hi everyone!

we are getting our front porch redone to be extended to the black shutter on the left side. it will be white and will be a total upgrade from the current one. after removing the over-grown bushes, we noticed the window is so high and looks off. any ideas for landscaping in that area?? thank you in advance!

Comments (157)

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    I would honor these minimum dimensions. You can figure details differently if you prefer.


  • 5 years ago

    I love both lupines and coneflower. Something pretty to plant under them would be perennial geranium or cranesbill. They're beautiful and low growing and can almost act as a groundcover if you pick the lower growing varieties. They bloom on and off all summer.

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  • 5 years ago

    hi everyone!!! I have talked to many garden experts here in my zone and I guess astilbe does wonderfully in shade. under this window there is no sun . and I'd love to put some astilbe in this garden bed. should I put directly under window or on side of the window???

  • 5 years ago

    and I found a photo of the garden bed in middle of lawn. I know mostly weeds.

  • 5 years ago

    We STILL don’t know nearest large city which will tell us about your soils. Or tell us your soil pH and average annual rainfall. You can get a soil test done to give you the pH and get average rainfall from you local weather website.

    You are still giving us scattershot plant suggestions. Astilbe needs a lot of water and looks awful if it gets at all dry. Hosta are far more forgiving.

    You need a backbone of shrubs, at least some of which are evergreen or your house will look really stark for 7 or 8 months of the year. Then you need perennial plants for part shade to shade in front of that, or if the bed comes out far enough you may have sun at the front of the bed.

    I have acid soil and have always lived places with at least slightly acid soil. I can make suggestions if I know where you are or your soil pH but without that info, you are unlikely to get suggestions.

  • 5 years ago
    sorry! in Moncton NB
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    OK, that means your soils and climate are quite similar to mine.

    Assuming that you make the bed between the sidewalk and the house at least 6’ deep, you have room for 4’ shrubs. That will allow you to plant far enough out so that the shrubs aren’t crammed against the house like thy were before and they shouldn’t need pruning to keep them small enough. And you will have room for some small perennials or groundcover in front of the shrubs or next to them. Your shade is bright because there aren’t trees overhanging from what your photos show and the house is white, so you can plant things that like part shade.

    For the shade bed by the house, look at low or slow growing Rhododendrons for a flowering evergreen shrub and be sure to read the tag for size since some grow to more than 15’, while others will stay near 2’. For flowering evergreen groundcovers, check out Veronica Georgia Blue. Evergreens are important during low snow winters and for spring and fall so that the garden looks attractive. If you only plant perennials that die back, the gardens will be totally boring 9 months of the year. Other plants that are deciduous but will do well in that spot include

    Hosta,

    Geranium Biokovo (evergreen)

    Geranium Karmina (evergreen)

    Epimedium (some are evergreen and some aren’t)

    Astilbe if it never dries out

    Phlox divaricata like Blue Moon

    Iris cristata aka crested iris

    Be aware that no all phlox or all iris or all geraniums do well in shade, so read labels carefully

    Ferns

    variegated sedge Ice Dance (evergreen)


    But as I said above, do all hardscape such as the sidewalk BEFORE putting in plants or your plants will be damaged. If you must have plants now, get a big pot and put some plants in the big pot until the walkway is done.

  • 5 years ago

    For the sunny bed out in the lawn, you need to start with good prep: edge the bed (see linked post on edging from my post of 5/15), weed well, and mulch well. The plant with a combo of shrubs and perennials.

    shrubs:

    - Variegated red twigged dogwood Cornus Elegantissima which has green and white summer leaves, red winter twigs and gets to about 6’ in all directions

    - Panicled Hydrangea such as Bobo or Little Lime or Little Quickfire or Little Lamb or Strawberry Sundae. All of these will bloom starting inJuly until frost, so long blooming and rock hardy. All are midsized, but vary slightly in size and bloom color. There are larger ones as well.

    - Spirea is easy and can vary in height from 1’ to 5’-6’. Foliage is gold, green or bluish-green depending on type and flowers are pink or white.

    - Fothergilla have early spring flowers that smell like honey and gorgeous red-orange fall color. See photos I posted here: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/suggestions-for-a-shrub-blooms-and-fall-color-dsvw-vd~5669315

    - Think about whether you want any evergreens out here or just have a blank space for fall winter and spring. There are various low growing or shrub-sized evergreens that are hardy in your area that might make this area look better, especially spring and fall.


    Perennials:

    - Coreopsis

    - Baptisia

    - Lupine

    - Rudbeckia/Black-eyed Susan

    - Columbine

    - Echinacea/cone flower

    - Iberis sempervirens/perennial candytuft

    - Daylilies

    - Peonies

    - Siberian iris likes it more average to damp and bearded iris likes it average to dry

    - Dianthus/pinks

    - Veronica Georgia Blue likes sun as well as a fair amount of shade

    - many other taller Veronica

    - many types of perennial Geraniums

    Mostly I would go to a garden center or if there are local plant sales sponsored by garden clubs to see what is available. There isn’t much use wanting something that isn’t being sold in your area. Take your phone and look up plant sizes so you can plan. Add more than one of each type of plant as a group so there is enough mass to be visible from the house and the road. If budget is limited, start seeds in pots for the flowers, and buy small pots of the shrubs because they will grow larger. Just be sure to leave enough room for plants to grow so they don’t end up squashed together. Have fun with it. One of the nice things about gardens is that if something doesn‘t work one season you can change for next season. I find it best if I can keep on top of the weeds by working 10 minutes a day several days a week or an hour or so on the weekend. Small weeds are far easier to remove than big ones.

  • 5 years ago

    thank you so much for the suggestions! I'm going to check out each one you mentioned! here is what were working with so far... will be removing these shrubs.

  • 5 years ago

    I would consider not removing the shrubs, but perhaps moving them to be part of a cluster of shrubs in the center so there is something in winter to look at.

  • 5 years ago

    this one is in rough shape. we are going to plant some grass seed in places we dont want the island garden to be

  • 5 years ago

    as for the shape should it be smaller ( shown outlined in paint...and just plant grass outside of it) or the shape it currently is??

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    You are not considering whether you are doing a low-maintenance or high maintenance yard. Don't forget that.

    I will tell you why I think you should remove this bed altogether, and also remove any lone shrubs in your lawn. Overall your property would be more attractive without them.

    Also, any feature (like a bed) requires work, and so you need to question every feature and think - should I have this?

    One of the easiest ways to avoid extra unnecessary work is to avoid any kind of small landscaping shapes that need trimming. If you think about whether those areas are really necessary, you will often find that your yard would actually look better without them. They are drawing the eye to focus on the part of the yard that isn't the area where you want people to be looking. You want people's eye to be drawn to the entrance and the path to the entrance. You cannot avoid having work in the area near the house. I don't think you want additional work for an area that's not worth the effort, looks-wise. Also, those lone shrubs just look a bit odd. And both the lone shrubs and the small bed need to be mowed around and trimmed. Plus maintain the bed with whatever you put in it.

    Once you've removed this bed and the lone shrubs, repair those bare spots with a bit of good black soil raked into the bed, and good quality coated grass seed. Expensive but every seed "takes".

    Your next job is to move the hosta that are currently in the way of where you are going to put your walkway. If you really don't want to move the hosta (it is a fairly big job) then your pathyway to the driveway needs to be moved to the roadway side of the hosta. That actually would be an easy thing to do.

    There is a decision you make. Will the new pathyway go:

    1. Where the old pathyway was, and leave the hostas. Visually this is not an attractive option. The bed beside the house is too narrow, and the path has to swerve to go to the steps. Looks cramped. Also, more maintenance work because the edge of the hosa bed has to be maintained.

    2. Where the hostas are. If this choice, you need to move hostas ASAP. Moving later with the leaves open, is much harder. Then you have to find a place for the hostas. Not on the lawn side of the walkway. Too much work as in point 1 above.

    3. Leave hostas in place. They will make a great low edging for the bed. They're low-maintenance/effort and low-cost (free). This choice moves the driveway entrance which you may not like. It's a longer walk to the house.

    Let us know which one you choose. QUESTION are you keeping the same walkway paving as before or do you want something different? What was the old one?

  • 5 years ago

    If you did option #3 in a brick style, this is what it would look like. You'd plant some fairly low shrubs in front of the low stone edging that you have, which doesn't need to move. That's the area between the edging and the hostas. The hostas stay where they are, except for the ones that you have to move to let the walkway go through. I'd use them in an existing bed, either in front of the right side of the house if there are empty spots, or in the back yard.


  • 5 years ago
    I love these ideas everyone thank you!!!love that brick walkway. looks great. :)
  • 5 years ago

    this is a small flower bed by rroad that we are hoping to keep and plant a mix of annuals and perennials. any suggestions for small flowers for colour?

  • 5 years ago

    hi everyone! here is an update. no walkway has been done yet.

  • 5 years ago

    update everyone... porch is done.

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    It looks good, with a couple of exceptions. The soil in the raised planter is too high relative to the siding. There should be at least a few inches of separation between the two, or you're possibly inviting some unpleasant, and possibly destructive, arthropods into the home structure. I'd lower that planter such that you can get at least 5" or 6" of clearance between siding and soil. Also, it looks like soil is in direct contact with the new porch structure. In spite of it being of treated wood, 2X lumber is not treated for direct ground contact, so whatever portion is covered by soil (or gravel) will not last long.

    What people hate to do after finishing a project is redo or undo any of it. Yet, the raised planter is really too shallow (front to back) for a well thought out foundation planting. It ought to be more like 6' depth. Instead of it meeting the corner of the new porch, it could meet the front corner of the steps, since you have yet to install a walk, and a walk could make an excellent boundary for a planting bed. Actually, I think the raised bed is unnecessary and, ultimately, working against you. If you got rid of it, the soil level would be made safer and the bed would not be confined to a shallow depth. Simultaneously, you could use the "stones" of the wall, to create a flush mowing strip to mark the division between lawn and bed. Keep in mind that although the ground may seem far from the window, and you think the raised planter helps diminish this distance, that it would work out just as well without it because plants are 100% capable of negating this distance. In fact, if you look at most foundation plantings that have some age, you'll see that a main problem is keeping the plants confined so they don't overgrow the space and cover the walk or window.

    Since you have yet to do the walk, consider that it should be no less than 4' width, and even roomier, 5' or 6' depth, where it becomes the landing for the steps.

  • 5 years ago

    yardvaark just to quickly point out we did have the path done . (paved) you can kind of see it here

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    OK ... it looks no different from how your mulch appears in the pictures. Since earlier you said, "hi everyone! here is an update. no walkway has been done yet" I figured that mean the walk was not yet done.

  • 5 years ago

    yardvaark what would you suggest for the other side.. the one where there is currently 2 bushes planted on either side of window . unfortunately there is more of the faux brick to the right of the window. I think that's why the previous owner put a big bush there to cover that extra space.

  • 5 years ago

    yes I do apologize. here is a better photo of paved walkway. we had it done with the driveway

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    It's not possible for us to make out the walkway, as it appears just black. But since it's done, it mainly matters that it's done to your satisfaction.

    At the right half of the house, I think that what's there, the two bushes, is not bad. They fit the space. And with the split level overhang, there's not a lot that can happen there with plants. I'd probably have a low groundcover running below the windows and filling in the bed between and around the bushes. We can't see beyond the right corner of house, but likely a smallish tree diagonally off of the corner would be good. It could be in a bed of ground cover that extends to, and is part of, the foundation bed.

  • 5 years ago

    yard I appreciate your input! if the 2 bushes on the right side are looking sparse and needing to come out in the spring would you put a row of small box shrubs???

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    Entry confined and uneventful - so start there: larger landing (or landings - as in a multi-level approach that is inviting). Soften base of house with lush foundation plantings.

  • 5 years ago

    Owen what do you mean lush foundation plantings

  • 5 years ago

    A lot of this advice (walkway size and location, width of planting bed under window) was already given prior to construction. Now, what's done is done.

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    Why would you plant a boxwood hedge across the two windows? If the two shrubs are shabby and need to come out. Replace them with something that can end up the same size but has more hope.

  • 5 years ago

    sorry yard, I meant plant a few boxwood shrubs side by side. would I do a ground cover in front or behind the shrubs in that garden bed ??

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    We can't see the arrangement of the space. but probably mostly in front and around.

  • 5 years ago

    thank you Yardvaark. I'm going to look into sedum aswell..
    I heard for our location and climate they do well! this photo shows this area better. if I were to do a. low ground cover and wouldent want it to spill into grass would you recommend a border of brick? or just have mulch.

  • 5 years ago

    or possibly phlox. we are in zone 5b

  • 5 years ago

    and another photo

  • 5 years ago

    The offset windows in the upper right section of the house are a bit disturbing. I would plant a narrow/medium height tree on the right side to balance that awkward space. Maybe a fruit type.

  • 5 years ago

    ulisdone yes.. I'm looking at tree options for our cold climate. I never noticed it when I bought the house but deffinately do now and it bothers me as well! lol

  • 4 years ago

    hi everyone! spring is here and we are finalizing the plans for the the landscaping on the right side of the house. we have a new front porch with railing and I am looking for some advice with this garden bed. I feel the very far shrub to the right end of the house should be over to the left more? should I try and move it or fill in that small area where it should be with a little boxwood and keep the existing shrub. my second question is, the middle shrub between the 2 windows needs to be removed. all of the shade perennials that I am considering are not exacly big enough to fill that spot. can anyone help me with this?

  • 4 years ago

    yardvaark ,

  • 4 years ago

    yardvaark a few ground covers were look at for behind and around the plantings will be lamium, brunnera jack frost, coralbells and primrose. should I leave the windows completely bare as is or should I put a small.box wood in front of them..

  • 4 years ago

    I'm really hoping I wont have to start a new post for this. any advise? Christopher? Flo?

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    I would not plant any boxwood in front of the windows. I think your best bet is low groundcover. Someone else can better say what, of your GC choices, would be best and low.

    As far as physically moving the shrub at left, I wouldn't. However, I'd virtually "move" it by allowing it to grow more toward the left, keeping the nice cushion shape that you have. (In the picture, Idid not alter the placement of the right half of the right shrub.) I'd leave both shrubs where they are. The left shrub (between windows) does not bother me (except for its brown spot, whatever that is.)


  • 4 years ago

    yardvaark thank you very much! this photo is old and now that shrub is completely brown and sparse and needs to be removed. I know it doesnt look line a huge bush but up close it is and I'm afraid there wont be anything bug enough to replace it with. this is a completely shaded area. no sun. as for the ground cover did any of the ones I mentioned above interest you at all? this is a more recent photo here. should I plant along the hostas too?

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    "I'm afraid there wont be anything bug enough to replace it with." Start small a grow it. I can only suggest what you should end up with, not how to get there. I'm not familiar with all your GC choices to evaluate between them. Someone who knows how they do in your area could tell you better.

  • 4 years ago

    Re: the groundcover choices.....with the exception of the lamium, the others are just low growing perennials, not really groundcovers. 'Groundcover' implies an ability to spread and cover the ground :-) The lamium will do that nicely but the brunnera, heuchera and primrose are clumpers and do not spread on their own (although you can possibly get some self seeding from the brunnera and the primrose).

  • 4 years ago

    hi yardvaark thank you! i believe we are in zone 5. I know ajuga, primrose, lamium, coralbells, brunnera (jackfrost) and lungwort do well in my area and in shade! just wondering how much of what I should add to the bed. or what you would think looks best! thanks!

  • 4 years ago

    gardengal so next to this far shrub on the right what would you plant?? the lamium??

  • 4 years ago

    I don't know what shrub you are referring to. But if the area is shady, then the lamium is going work better with less effort than the others you list.

  • 4 years ago

    gardengal, the one on the very end on the right side.

  • 4 years ago

    right side

  • 4 years ago

    any thoughts?