Suggestions?Landscape Design Gardening in Canada

Help! Requesting Front Yard Landscaping & Curb Appeal Suggestions

2 years ago

We live in a cul de sac and have the largest front yard which is overshadowed by a very large tree. This tree is ominously swaying towards the circle's power lines and likely needs to be cut down. Our grass has been ransacked by squirrels and skunks; I tried getting rid of the grubs but then weeds just overtook and there's like 3 different types of grass growing in patches. Plus, our driveway is slightly too narrow for double parking and I'm dreaming of adding 2-3ft with a mini retaining wall to align with the stairs. I'm so overwhelmed with just the basics, but I really want to create a beautiful
foundation garden and cover the facade of the stairs. I have no idea what to do with the side patio...

I'm Zone 6, Canada. Prefer a low or maintenance-free garden (my succulents do well in the dirt) and like the idea of year-round greenery mixed with summer/fall perennials. This is my first ever houzz post; please help :)

Found 2 baby Rose of Sharon trees in the backyard when we moved in and transplanted here.

I'm not looking forward to chopping down the evergreen because it provides much appreciated privacy from the road and neighbours.

This is the only patio space I have right now. I'm not one to sit here, but I don't want my patio to be bare. I'd also like some privacy from the neighbours beyond the fence.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

Embothrium
2 years ago
Hire a certified arborist to prepare a Hazard Tree Evaluation before you decide the tree is one.
Samantha
Original Author
2 years ago
Ya, it's on my to do list.. Theres quite a few leaning trees in my backyard as well, but they wouldn't cause as much damage as the power lines if something terrible happened... Any suggestions on a replacement tree if needed?
Related Discussions
Front Yard Curb Appeal Help Request
Q
Comments (4)
Yardvaard, thanks so much for taking the time to do the rendering! - We were debating widening the front tree planting; I like your visual of it! - Addl questions/refinement (added another closer pic so you can hopefully see more detail): -- The red tree to the right you mention pulling back to a regular circle and doing plain groundcover as well. We have 2 protruding pipes towards the bottom (nearer the 3 bushes) and will need to keep it elongated to cover it. As it's a very large area, I would like to have some type of colorful interest there, with perhaps a groundcover in the middle, keeping the three red bushes if possible (they were a gift). Is there a design you would suggest? -- Your drawing shows groundcover for the overhang/window on the right, and a single bush for the one on the left. The area is large, about 11 feet from the rightmost post/porch edge to the brick wall, and almost double from the window to the edge of the walk. The bed to the left is even larger. Won't a single groundcover on one side and a single bush on the other make it seem to sparse? Also, how would you outline the bed on the left (include the birch tree or leave it on its own)?
...See More
Curb Appeal Help Requested!
Q
Comments (25)
The house has nice architecture. That is why the current landscaping is so bad, in my non professional opinion. There is no need for tall plants between windows. The plants to the sides of the stoop are planted too close to the house and also appear to narrow the entrance by encroachment. The beauty of the house could be viewed better by simple landscaping that does not overwhelm. I am curious about the large broad leaf shrub at the right corner. It is not too close to the foundation and could possibly be trained to grow as a small tree which would be nice. Do you know the species? I would not spend money to enhance a path that you have said is not used. Rather I would add a path to the street. As I said, I am not professional so my image is very crude. Don't take much notice of the color of plants. Just the sizes. I also enlarged the lights. Here is a cape cod without shutters. You may prefer the look of no shutters after you give it a try. ^Notice the lack of tall shrubs between windows. The last house looks very nice even without shrubs. Not that I would leave it bare but I am attempting to show that you do not need to hide the house behind a lot of greenery when it is already attractive. The house above looks nice with taller shrubs because it has a raised foundation which yours does not. Start looking at gardening pictures in magazines and books and online. Houzz has many. It would help if you could take some pictures standing in the front doorway. One facing center, then one each of right and left while standing in the same place. It is important that the garden look nice to the homeowner while looking out the windows. I also want to add that it is easy to find beautiful landscape pictures but if you are not a hobby gardener I would stick with something simple. A garden like this needs weekly maintenance.
...See More
Can you help with landscape/curb appeal in front garden?
Q
Comments (24)
"...but would hesitate to plant one as it would shade the porch." That depends entirely on what kind/size small tree you choose. Something relatively narrow 8' and 12' tall, spaced a few feet away from porch, I wouldn't say is going to shade it much. What you select is totally under your control. That Rhododendron could become a small tree, but it is too close to the house. (I'm sure you're trimming the top to keep it from growing upward.) Even as a large shrub, it's too close to the house. People keep them like that for decades so you can, too, if you like. I would still expand the bed surrounding it, but maybe not quite as much as for the small tree I show. For me, I'd move it (to the small tree position) or get another plant for that spot. The picture is for arrangement, organization & general sizes, not color. Don't necessarily take plant types too literally.
...See More
NH Front Yard Landscape and Help for Exterior Curb Appeal
Q
Comments (10)
(@ Yarkvaark) "Thank you so much for your input. My problem is my windows don't start til a little over 5" high so I need larger foundation plants. I like what you put there. I was thinking of trying an aborvite in the middle of the two garge windows. What is the shrub you designed in front of each window? It looks perfect! I had been thinking a rhode but I'd love something different since most house have the rhode up here. Much much thanks!!" The purpose of landscaping is not to rebuild the facade of the house in plants, covering all of the exposed siding. I think an Arborvitae be between the garage windows would clearly be in that directions. There's not room for such a plant and it's not necessary. The shrubs I"m showing below windows come to the bottom of the sill so they surely are large enough to do the job ... but then, they're generic. I don't know where you're located and shrubs would need to be selected according to your climate. It looks like the shrubs near the porch would work if someone would let them grow taller. There would be many option for shrubs this size in any locality.
...See More
shari13
2 years ago
Removing the shutters would be free. Sorry I can't help with plants.
Samantha
Original Author
2 years ago
I was going to paint or replace the shutters to match the door colour. I thought it'd look naked without them.
KW
2 years ago
Seems to me you do have 3 large projects here & they should be tackled in certain order to prevent wasted money & time. 1st project = large evergreen. Get an arborist to look at it & give you options. Determine what your liability is if it does fall & take out power lines. Answer to that might determine fate of tree but whatever you do to it will dramatically affect any landscape plan. Maybe it needs only to be limbed up & thinned out. NO topping to make shorter! It looks like a tree or shrub is in front of it too. 2nd project = widen driveway & figure out what kind or if a retaining wall will be needed or achieve the look you want. 3rd project & the fun one = create an appealing front yard! In this project my advice it to move those Rose of Sharon tree standards away from the house. In their natural state they are fairly large shrubs but easily pruned. They just look too close to house In that narrow bed. I’d also advise making a much larger planting bed in front of the house - you’ve got lots of room for a big curved bed to fill with all of the kinds of plants you mentioned you like. Those Rose of Sharon trees can be part of that bed. But, you need to know what the fate of big evergreen tree will be before you can plan the bed & also the retaining wall - where is it etc. So, that’s my advice - 3 steps in most useful order. 🌸

Help! Requesting Front Yard Landscaping & Curb Appeal Suggestions

Comments (5)

Embothrium

Samantha
Original Author

Related Discussions

shari13

Samantha
Original Author

KW

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Help! Requesting Front Yard Landscaping & Curb Appeal Suggestions

Comments (5)

Embothrium

SamanthaOriginal Author

Related Discussions

shari13

SamanthaOriginal Author

KW

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Samantha
Original Author

Samantha
Original Author