(no idea why they created a ring of rock around it

==>

probably to reduce soil from washing down into it ....

i dont understand what the catch basin is.. is a a french drain to capture and distribute water underground... does it go down to the sewer ... why was it requisite ???

the path doesnt look all that bad .... i think part of your problem.. is that there is just dirt all around it ... it might all disappear to some extent as the garden fills in ...

some of the stones look a little to far apart.. depending you your height.. and how you walk ... those might need some adjusting over the season ....

god my meatloaf smells wonderful.. im losing focus ... lol ...

ken

Ken, the catch basin is actually one in a series of catch basins that run from the back of the lot to the front. This one empties down the hill, at street level. The runoff from the hill behind the house, the patio, etc. all seems to end up on the south side of the lot, so the landscaper devised this plan to deal with the water (which seems to be working - that side used to be very damp all the time and it no longer is, so yay!). You may be right about the ring of rock being there to keep soil from washing into it, I just think it looks odd to have the side path leading straight to the grate and then stopping. We can cover the grate with some else to keep soil from washing in as well.

As for the side path, we like the look of it a lot - it just needs to continue around to the front of the house. No idea why the landscaper was so dead set against the idea of doing so, but there it is. I agree that the stepping stones are a tiny bit too far apart for average legs, but we are tall so we haven't bothered adjusting them yet. We likely will once we decide what else needs to be done to complete the area.

The walk is a major functional and artistic element. The drain, though it is or may be functionally major, is artistically insignificant. It's something you would hide completely if you could. Since the walk wasn't planned first and the drain incorporated into it, it would be better to have the walk sweep around the corner as a unified element ignoring the drain, since that fits how people walk. To do that, remove the rocks from surrounding the drain, and let the drain be an independent element off at the side. One presumes there will be some low groundcover planted adjacent to the walk, and around the drain this could hold the soil from washing into it. In that case it would have looked better if the drain had been circular. Since it's square, if its axis had been oriented to the walk centerline, it would have been better able to pass as, "thought through." . You may not think that's worth bothering about at this point. When it's surrounded by low groundcover, it will be less apparent.

Establishing the walk centerline first, and then building out its edges, will allow for a smoother, more fluid walk.

but we are tall so we haven't bothered adjusting them yet.

==>>> if you ever plan to invite anyone other than yourselves... think about adjusting the walkway for everyone ... but that can be done whenever.. we are probably only talking a few inches this way or that ...

good catch vaark ... it was bothering me.. but it didnt jump out of the pic.. why do you need the walkway to the drain ... it almost appears to create a 90 degree angle per your eye ... and there are very few 90 degree angles in nature ... and that is why it bothers the eye ... lol.. it looks like an off ramp from a deadend road ....

scroll down thru these pix... for some ideas about incorporating them into the landscape ... note that many are in the grass ... but i dont think you want to be mowing grass here ....

ken

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=catch+basin+landscaping&t=ffcm&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images

Start planning now for when you are tired of pulling weeds from the rock. It looks decent now, but is a very high maintenance style in places it rains.

Yaardvark, thank you for your drawing - that is exactly what I had been envisioning but wasn't sure if it was the best thing to do. With the drain no longer part of the walkway, I think there are plenty of ways to disguise it. Do you have any suggestions for an accent piece or plant(s) for that corner? The abelia hedge will take up most of the space between the drain and front fence, but there is nothing currently planted along the south fence in that corner, giving me 6-7' of depth (including the drain) to play with. Fountain, arbor, small tree, combination thereof?

mad_gallica, I am a little concerned about the rock and have been wondering whether weeds will be a problem. When we started the project I had actually envisioned the path in decomposed granite or another similar, hard-packing material. Landscaper had other ideas and DH loved the love of the river rock so we went with it, but we'll see how it wears in terms of weeding/maintenance. The only thing I dislike about it currently is the lack of a border. We have the edges planted with vinca (and I plan to plant LOTS more this spring to help it fill in faster), but I feel like a border of slightly larger stones (whether irregular like river rock or something more regimented) would really make it look finished. If we have weed issues with the river rock, is it possible to remove the river rock, which is just a shallow layer on top of coarser gravel, and use that coarser gravel as the base for a compacted decomposed granite layer?

Yes: replace the stepping stones with a continuous walking surface or buy more of the same stones and fill in with them so that the path has no gaps. Otherwise you will have to look down and watch where you are stepping every time you use the path, instead of looking around at whatever garden setting you are going to create as you pass through it. And if the final path is to consist of any kind of stone fragments or small sized stones it will become a substrate for weeds. Even stepping stones will get weeds where the stones meet one another, but at least the main surface of each stone will never sprout them unless it gets broken.

Then you will have weeds in the decomposed granite.

You either have a solid paving surface, weed suppressing plants, or weeds. In other, drier, parts of the country, they can do a lot of weed suppression by controlling water. That isn't an option where adequate water comes out of the sky.

Embothrium, you are right - I do notice myself looking down for the next stepping stone. We aren't actually in love with the shape of the ones we have so I was thinking about buying a different type and repurposing these elsewhere. I'll make sure to set them much closer if/when we do this!

As for the weed issue, I think it will just be something I will have to live with. We discussed the idea of pavers but the landscaper felt that a hard surface was a poor choice given the amount of water we have to deal with on that side of the house. If the weeds become too much of a hassle we'll revisit the idea.

Seems to me you aren't going to get a large amount of water sheeting off of the paving unless you install a much larger area of continuous concrete. Even then if the existing contour is directing the surface water when it appears into the drain then a bigger path would just help direct the water into the drain. The only problem there might be would be with the increased volume overwhelming the drain entrance. But again perhaps that might happen only if you greatly increased the area of solid pavement.

Are you asking me what to plant/or do at the yard corner behind the drain? As it is a corner, I'd consider a shrub that is taller than the abelia hedge, that serves as a marker much like a minaret marks the yard of a mosque. But we're at the front, right corner of the house, right? Then it's more or less part of the "foundation" planting. I'd want to view it straight from the front in order to contemplate what might look good.

Yes, I was asking about the corner behind (south west) of the drain. We'd like to make that spot something of a focal point because it is very visible from both the front porch seating area and the new seating area in the back.

I am actually much less concerned about the "foundation" plantings along the front of the house (and the front right corner) because they are not really visible from any of the places we like to sit when we are outside, nor will they be visible from the street (the abelia hedge will block them). We'll only see them when we come in the front entrance or when we're out admiring the garden in general. Here is a photo of the front of the house from the street so you can see what I mean:

By the way, if you have suggestions for a ground cover or other plants to fill the front slope bed (where the false cypress is), I'd be grateful. All that's left after they put in the new wall at the top is weeds, which I plan to kill as soon as they come up this spring. Landscaper suggested creeping euonymous but I'm not a fan. DH wants to try seeding with creeping thyme seed when the weeds are dead since it seems like the lowest-effort solution, LOL. The narrow bed on the side is planted with perennials which look decent once they green up, but I do plan to add some evergreen shrubs and/or perennials on that side to add winter interest and balance the cypress.

"DH wants to try seeding with creeping thyme seed when the weeds are dead since it seems like the lowest-effort solution, LOL." Haha, remind him that the aftercare & weeding is what will determine if it is truly the lowest-effort solution.

Euonymus is too too large scale, IMO. Around the drain, I'm thinking very short ... like dwarf Mondo (if that grows where you are.)

So, from the front, the big whatever-it-is nullifies the importance of what goes at the corner behind the drain. What about something that smells good, like Carleii Viburnum, trimmed to fit, of course ...? Or a tree form large shrub ... mock orange, dwarf 'Burford,' a panicle hydrangea, dwarf burning bush (if it is not invasive there ... sorry, Babs), etc.

Yes, whatever goes behind the drain will be invisible from the front, although it will be quite visible as you approach the house on the street from the south. Every time I drive that way now I shudder, LOL. I have a Dark Knight butterfly bush that needs a home, which I thought might look nice there, but something evergreen wouldn't be bad either. I also love love LOVE panicle hydrangeas - I have several Vanilla Strawberry out back but I wouldn't be opposed to another one (or a Pinky Winky) in front.

As for the groundcover question - does creeping thyme not do a good job of weed suppression? That slope is a huge thorn in my side because it is just too steep to be messing with, so I want to make sure I choose the right thing the first time! ETA: gardengal previously suggested creeping raspberry for this area and though I love the look of it, I worry it may not be hardy (some sites list it to zone 6, others zone 7).

As for disguising the drain, I agree dwarf Mondo would be nice. I will have to see how much of it is actually exposed once we finish the path and add a fountain/sculpture/bench/arbor/whatever to the area and go from there.

The euonymus is extremely short. Creeping thyme dies out periodically, and you have to clear it out and basically start over.

What do the neighbors have growing on the other side of the chain link fence? Ivy?

In general, seed grown plants do not suppress weeds soon "out of the box." It takes time. For groundcover, are you talking about the lower slope, closer to the street? Or next to the walk in front of the house? I could envision something as large as wintercreeper, or Vinca minor, etc., on the lower slope, but not next to the upper walk.

Thyme plants are much too short to exclude weeds. Even if you start with clean ground - as should always happen with groundcover plantings - various weeds will pop up in a thyme planting into the future indefinitely. To keep frequent weeding of an established ground cover planting out of your life you will have to plant something that fills in very densely AND grows at least 18 in. high. And during the establishment phase, before the planting has developed fully it will still have to be kept weeded. Plus there will always be some penetration of even a nice thick cover of some depth by certain woody plants. For instance in my area blackberry plants and alder trees seem to be pretty good at this.

Although dense the creeping raspberry is another one where because it is a low creeper weeds don't have to grow very far before they have gotten above it and into the light. Plus its stems are armed with small but nevertheless effective prickles, making extraction of weeds torture unless adequate gloves are worn.

Accent plants draw attention so I am not sure accenting the area around the drain opening is the way to go - it was bad enough that the path was laid out so that it went right to it, as though it was an attractive or interesting feature.

Madgallica, he neighbors on the other side of the chain link have grass on their flat area. They are lucky enough to have a garage at street level so no need of a ground cover on their slope. Farther down the street, some neighbors have pachysandra (which looks nice now but is weedy in the summer), English ivy, or a combination of things including shrubs or small trees on their slopes. No one has a solution that really looks good, IMO, although the pachy and ivy aren't terrible.

Yaardvark, I need groundcover ideas for both the flat areas beside the path and the large slope close to the street. Right now the sides of the path are planted (sparsely) with vinca minor, which I love, but it doesn't have to be the only ground cover in the garden. I'm open to more variety on that lower slope as well- it's just not as important to me because I almost never see it. As long as it is low maintenance and looks decent, I'm happy.

Embothrium, thank you for the heads up about thyme (and other short ground covers) for weed suppression. Is there a ground cover or covers you would recommend here? I'm starting to think it might be better to choose some low spreading shrubs and put down cardboard and mulch between them once a year to keep down the weeds.

Shrubs yes, cardboard no. Visit independent outlets once these are well stocked for spring to see what might appeal to you personally.

As chance would have it, I spotted a lovely shrub ground cover at my rehearsal venue yesterday- can anyone help with an ID? My app says juniper but it doesn't look like the common types I am familiar with.

Yardvaark, I had considered cotoneaster, but I wasn't sure if it would be evergreen in my zone (I have an upright variety that definitely is not). I like the look of bearberry too, but I don't think I've ever seen it for sale in my area.

Hopefully, you can find local examples of plants being used in order to see how they perform there. I see bearberry seeds are available on Ebay, but have no idea how easy or difficult they are to start.