Need help designing natural screen using plants
Terrie
last year
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (16)
cecily 7A
last yearTerrie
last yearRelated Discussions
Need Help With ID on Native/Naturalized Plant
Comments (2)Those are beautiful pictures, Randy! When I saw your pictures, the plant reminded me of a native plant that grows on my property in the bottom of the hollow where it's wet. Most of the plants have bloomed out, but I found one still in bloom - I had forgotten the name of the plant, so I looked it up, and it's pluchea foetida/stinking camphorweed. I've never seen any butterflies use the flowers, but then I don't go to the bottom of the hollow that often. The picture of pluchea purpurescens/salt marsh fleabane in my wildflower book looks just like your pretty pink flowers - I'm sure that's what yours is. Sherry...See MoreNeed help with designing a planting bed
Comments (9)I guess I am unclear about what you want us to do. I suggested photos so you could think about what you like as far as kind of plant arrangement, kinds of flowers (not so much specific names, but more styles), and thoughts about foliage. For instance do you like Daisy shaped flowers or tall spires like ironweed or roses or big fluffy heads like Annabelle hydrangea or all of the above? Are you someone who only is interested in flowers, or are you wanting a garden that looks good when little is blooming? Do you want winter interest since your winter must be long, or do you not see this garden from the house? Do you like foliage with colors other than green? Have you done a web search for photos of Piet Oudolf's gardens and is that what you mean by a meadow? How do you feel about grasses? I honestly couldn't design a garden for someone long distance, and we haven't seen the site or examples of what you like. We don't know the growing conditions other than zone (moisture, soil texture and pH, sun conditions), so it's a bit difficult to make constructive suggestions. I think what often happens on this site is that once we know the growing conditions, we can suggest plants, and then you can choose what you like and arrange them. Just some general thoughts, though. - "I already have done the 1" = "X" block diagram thing." What have you done with it? I suggested that you also make circles symbolizing the plants that interest you and slide them around to find an arrangement you like. Once we know what types of plants you are looking for, then you can do the arrangement in a way that is pleasing to you. If you haven't checked out the book I mentioned in my first post, Tracy DiSabato-Aust such as The Mixed Perennial Border, it will be helpful to you in design and information about maintenance. - With a garden that large, mulch will be your friend while plants fill in. I usually put down cardboard or several layers of newspapers and then cover with mulch. I find this easier to do before planting, and then when it's time to plant I pull the mulch aside, cut the cardboard, and put in the plants. - Have you done any soil prep? What is there already - lawn grass, rough field grass, weeds, bare dirt, etc.? If you haven't prepped the whole garden area, you probably just want to put your plants in a holding bed while you do prep. For me to prep the area for a ~70' x ~15' bed that had been already cleared, it took me a couple of weekends using a tractor to move composted manure, rake it out, loosen the subsoil left by the bulldozer, and mulch. It is a whole lot easier IME to prep the entire bed, or at the very least a section of the entire bed, rather than trying to do prep as you plant. The quality of the soil will really determine the success of this garden. - Have you though about access to the garden for maintenance? I imagine you will need paths of some type in the garden so you can remove weeds or invasives, cut back dead stems and foliage in the fall or early spring, etc. - Is there water available if you have dry spell? New planting will need watering until plants are established. Once we have some idea of what you like and growing conditions, you may get more suggestions....See MoreNeed design help, replacing rock mulch and plants
Comments (33)If the tree is healthy, it will grow normally, and the growth will be primarily upward, since that's what trees do. With healthy plants, a universal result of pruning is growth returned elsewhere. It is usually in the 50%+ range of the amount that has been removed. Naturally, because of the vast range of plant varieties and local conditions, there is no possible way to predict anyone's exact result. One must act on what is reasonable for the situation one has. One of my little trees with foliage to the ground, was 6' height at the beginning of last year. We had rain and I watered and fertilized it. At the end of the year is was 12' height. This spring, I removed EVERY SINGLE LIMB that existed the previous spring, leaving only what had grown during the latter part of last year. I was limbing it up to half its height in order to stimulate more growth on top, and to allow more light to reach the groundcover growing below it....See MoreHELP - trying to maximize natural light in great room w screen porch
Comments (15)@lmkbuild BTW - we're also going to be building in AL and are in a similar solution. Screened in porch off the main living area blocking light. But, we are facing west so likely to get strong sun. You can see pictures of the rear elevation here (https://www.houzz.com/discussions/custom-house-kitchen-feedback-needed-dsvw-vd~5154367). To get more light, we have a dormer situation up top, but also other dormers so it doesn't seem "added in as an afterthought". Not sure how to phrase that without offending you. Not an architect, nor even a designer, but perhaps fake dormers might help?...See MoreNHBabs z4b-5a NH
last yearlast modified: last yearTerrie
last yearTerrie
last yearTerrie
last yearTerrie
last yearcecily 7A
last yearPatricia Colwell Consulting
last yearlaceyvail 6A, WV
last yearTerrie
last yearTerrie
last yearTerrie
last yearTerrie
last yearcecily 7A
last year
Related Stories
GARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Common Boneset Helps Good Bugs Thrive
Support bees, moths and butterflies with the nectar of this low-maintenance, versatile and tactile prairie-style plant
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Yellow Bells, a Screening Queen
With its large size and copious golden flowers, this shrub can cover walls or screen unsightly views with ease
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGrow Your Own Privacy: How to Screen With Plants and Trees
Use living walls to lower your home and garden's exposure while boosting natural beauty in your landscape
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Paddle Plant
If you're looking for awesomely strange foliage and low care requirements, this succulent is right up your alley
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Please Bumblebees by Planting Baptisia Lactea
Plant wild white indigo in central and southeastern U.S. gardens for its large white flower heads and early-spring interest
Full StoryLANDSCAPE DESIGNThe 7 Best Plant Types for Creating Privacy and How to Use Them
Follow these tips for using different kinds of plants as living privacy screens
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Curl-Leaf Mountain Mahogany, an Easy Evergreen
Use it as an accent plant or mass it as a screen; this pine and spruce alternative is a hard worker in dry, cold climates
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDES8 Unthirsty Plants Help You Save Water in Style
Spend less effort and money on your landscape with drought-tolerant and native plants that liven up your yard
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Silphium Perfoliatum Pleases Wildlife
Cup plant provides structure, cover, food and water to help attract and sustain wildlife in the eastern North American garden
Full StoryPLANTING IDEAS9 Inspiring Gardens Gain Privacy and Screening With Plants
Boost your privacy outdoors and screen adjacent buildings with planting ideas from these diverse gardens
Full Story
TerrieOriginal Author