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Remodeling DIY Landscape Design

landscaping ideas for plain cinderblock house

3 years ago

Looking for landscaping ideas to spruce up our Plain-Jane house. Would like to use rocks vs mulch (or just soil) along the house to avoid termites. We are in Florida, home and most homes in the neighborhood was built in the ‘70s.

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Fori

3 years ago

The shutters are incredibly appropriate for a midcentury ranch! One might even suggest they are inappropriate anywhere else. I could see beefing them up, though.

New color for the front door?

Mostly, it lacks trees. Looks like you back onto a jungle. Bring some of that jungle out front :) Put a few trees into Celery's plan.

You might want to install rain gutters--it appears that runoff has left trenches under your eaves. (That might not be what it is though...but part of any project should include dealing with drainage if it's an issue.)

Anyway, I agree that it is a nice house with pleasing proportions. It'll dress up wonderfully.

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Comments (9)

gustaviatex
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
At least you have a plain base to start with. Maybe a nice seating area under that shade? My house is a rancher and this is what I did several years ago. You can see there is a strip of pavers and river rock up next to the house which has held up beautifully. We get a lot of rain in the Houston area as well. From my blog: Before and After

Recent photo:
olychick
3 years ago
Do termites bother a cinderblock house?
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I would advise not digging too much trench while it's raining. Wet soil is much more subject to compaction than drier soil when worked or walked on, and I think compaction is one of your main problems. The soil you backfill around the trenches needs to allow water to pass. In any event, stick with just one or two good size trenches for now, and see what it does this year. Drainage from the problem area isn't going to be instant, no matter how many trenches you dig, so see how fast it drains with the one or two trenches, and then decide if it's worth it to go for more. Until the structure of the soil in the wet area improves you will always have standing water there after a rain (trenches will carry it away, but not instantly) - so be patient :-) Once it has dried out a bit come spring, you can spread some compost around. It will encourage the worms to work the soil, which will improve drainage eventually. If you plan to try growing a lawn there at some point the compost and worm action will be a good thing too. We are on Agricultural Reserve Land Your neighbours altered the grade of their lots on this sort of land? Hmmmmm... I believe adding fill or removing soil on reserve land requires a permit (not 100% sure on that, but pretty sure), and in theory requires approval - it doesn't sound like they did it right, if their lots drain onto yours. Any idea what your land was used for before you bought it? BP
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What would really add the most would be a full, covered front porch at least 6' deep. But you may not have the budget for that. Right now your front door looks like it is hovering in mid-air. It needs visible steps up to it from center of the front lawn to make it more welcoming. Nice wide ones, preferably six feet wide, and not too steep. The walkway at the bottom of the steps could curve to meet the drive, if that's where visitors park, or go out to the street. Make the walkway at least three or four feet wide, flaring it out at each end. If you can match the brick of the front patio and planters, that would be tie it all together. Add the railings (especially since you have to!) but make them more substantial than the bare minimum for code. However, the shutters might be too crowded and might also highlight the fact that there's more space between the end of the house and the windows that there is between the windows. If you do go with shutters, make sure each is 1/2 the width of the window it supposedly covers. Do your best to make them look like real functioning shutters. Also consider painting the lower story darker than the upper, to give more feeling of shelter and to emphasize the setback, which is probably the house's dominant architectural feature. Search for photos of "garrison" houses for more ideas.
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E G
Original Author
3 years ago
@olychick in Florida, anything is possible lol
PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Some option with lava rocks.
PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
3 years ago
or with pavers
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
3 years ago
Just want to say that you have a wonderful mid-century ranch, far from a plain Jane house, imo. Have you tried removing the shutters which aren't appropriate for the style? Then, lots of possibilities for the garden. I rather like the vision with the wide path and large planting area.
mjlb
3 years ago
I was searching for a photo that shows horizontal wooden siding below the windows, or horizontal wooden slatted fence on a MCM ranch, but I couldn't find. Sort of like this:
Le Anne Robinson Johnson
3 years ago
No fencing, keep shutters, I like. Also continue with the lanscaping around perimeter of yard with smooth curves. Layer your plant selection with a few different contrasting colors. Don't go crazy with too many colors and plants. Stick to 4-5 different plants. Plant in odd numbered groups like 3 or 5 with different textures. Must start planting trees..... There are many fast growing flowering smaller trees that look amazing in the landscape if placed correctly. Im doing my front yard same you, only in Denver, with heavy clay soil. (Really heavy and tuff to ammend) Just finished my first of 4 borders around my front. Im amending my soil and planting a few shrubs, a couple of trees this fall to have a little head start come spring where Ill be needing advice as well. Best of luck to you. Keep us posted on your progress.

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