landscaping a large side yard facing cul-de-sac
kathleen
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
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Large cul-de-sac backyard, desperate need of rose garden design
Comments (20)Sorry, I hit the Submit button by mistake. As you can see mine has evolved since the initial inspiration and every part was an incredible amount of work and exertion, and though roses have moved and left, companion plants have grown and left, and now evergreen azaleas have been added to give naked canes some cover and a more filled look to the beds, I've always been happy with the circle design. It was the exhilarating first step. As far as digging in the sun, in my first backyard rose bed I actually used a beach umbrella for shade while I sat on the ground with my feet dangling in the bed doing the "double dig" because it was killing my back to bend that far over to dig the second shovel down. Have you ever tried digging from a seated position? It works. Also you need a wheelbarrow and probably a wagon with big rubber tires for hauling bags and bricks and all the other stuff you need for maintenance, feeding, etc. You need to learn how to best spend your strength and energy. Don't go wasting it on lugging 40 lb bags of compost one at a time. Pulling a heavy cart with 4 bags on it is easier on your back that carrying one bag from the front yard to the back 150 times. Better yet, will your vehicle fit into the backyard? Got some friends? I'm excited for you to be starting your wonderful garden, and I'm so glad that part is behind me. Work smart and protect yourself. Also, I think you'll find the most success with Teas, Chinas and Noisettes. They love our heat, don't mind humidity & wet weather and don't suffer from the fungal diseases that modern roses do. Since I don't spray, that's very important. Where are your photos??? Hartwood, I love your gardens, designs and roses. I wish I could get to Virginia to see them in person. You've done such a beautiful job. Sherry...See MoreMoving S of Tucson - need dog friendly yard.
Comments (9)Now see, I haven't heard a thing about those toads - are they a recent phenomena? I'm returning to the desert after 6 years in the mid-west; there's a lot I've forgotten and things do change.... Anywho, there are some great books out there - if you'd like to tell us which ones, we might be able to supplement your list. As for trees..... I agree with the Desert Museum. Not only do they have the attributes piranhafem mentioned, but they also have an incredible bloom in the spring - bright yellow, slightly larger flowers than the species. Some people aren't as thrilled, but I like the bloom drop that forms a golden carpet underneath the tree. It dries and dissipates pretty quickly, but it's definitely something you don't want to have to clean out of your fountain. The Mesquites are also pretty fast growing; they are native and need very little care short of the occasional shaping. Very drought tolerant, and I wouldn't put them in a lawn because of the water they would receive - in fact, a few of the desert trees are good in lawns (too frequent and too shallow of water). As they age they can get very nice branch structure, great for putting sitting areas under. The natives do have thorns, but there is a thornless hybrid, Maverick. I think there is also a thornless Honey Mesquite (more upright, bright green and a bit leafy-er than some of the mesquites) which is one of my favorites. There are several different cultivars of Desert Willow for a long, summer blooming tree that stays about 25', and takes a few years to get there. I know you asked for faster growing, I only mention this one because I just got a Chilopsis 'Bubba' and am totally in love with the magenta and pink orchid shaped flowers. If you want to see, I've posted a link below. Honestly, there are *tons* of great trees, and I would hold off getting any until you've had a chance to live in your home for a while, or just plant any you put in now somewhat far from your home until you know what you need in terms of light, how cold things get, etc. Tucson has a botanical garden - I haven't been there in years but it and Tohono Chul park in northern Tucson are great places to go to see what is available, and what it looks like planted. The Desert Museum in west Tucson is a must-see for anyone; you will learn more about your new home in an couple of hours than anywhere else. Once again, I haven't been in years, so I'm not sure what they have in terms of showing off trees, but if they're hybridizing plants, I'm betting they have good ones. If you make it up to Phoenix, another must-see for plant lovers is the Desert Botanical Gardens - it's a great place to see hundreds of established plants and get great ideas. Blah blah blah, lol. If you have any other specific wants on trees, let us know, there's some very knowledgeable people on this forum. Here is a link that might be useful: Desert Willow 'Bubba'...See MoreBuying a lot on a cul de sac
Comments (13)Something else to be aware about when buying a cul-de-sac lot... We purchased a family owned lot in an established neighborhood. This lot was often sought after. The owners decided to sell and we were the lucky buyers. Beautiful large flat lot on a cul-de-sac. What we did not take into account was that the set-back requirements from the city were going to greatly diminish the building area for our house. The frontage set-back requirement is 40' from sidewalk. The rear of the lot has a 30' set-back, and the sides range from 10' to 15' depending on what is on either side of lot. (See diagram below. ) As you can see, once the set-backs were drawn on a plat, we had very little building area left...especially near the bulb area of the cul-de-sac. YIKES!!! Needless to say, we spent many weeks getting variances from the city so that our house can fit. When all the other houses in this neighborhood were built (30's-60's) the set-back requirements were not so stringent. We are being grandfathered in. Although our house is yet to be built, the main problem we were having was the attached garage. Most homes in the neighborhood either do not have garages, or they are not attached and sit at the back of a lot. We did not want to have to walk out in the weather to get to our car. Some of the homes have covered walk-ways to their garages. Now days, those are not allowed unless the garage is at least 30' back from the rear of property. Unless, the walkway is 5' away from connecting to the house or to the garage. Then you can have your garage up to 3' away from the property line. Anyway, wanted you to make sure you know your cities set-back requirements and that the lot would be large enough to accommodate your home.....See MoreHelp! Requesting Front Yard Landscaping & Curb Appeal Suggestions
Comments (5)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. 🌸...See MorePatricia Colwell Consulting
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