Landscaping for disastrous front yard

last year

last modified: last year

Need landscaping ideas for front yard. Live in South Carolina and front yard faces due east. Current plantings include spirea, oversized camelia, crepe myrtle ( garage), boxwood, yucca. Can paint front door, and shutters. Only thing allowed by HOA. There is installed irrigationThought landscaping should move out from house to visually shorten house. Trying not to install tons of planting as don't want place for snakes to hide..poisonous. Please tell me what you think

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nickel_kg

last year

^ and you have to wait a minute or 2 until the picture clears up -- if it looks fuzzy it's not ready

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callirhoe123
last year
Post a picture.
HU-71580693236445 thanked callirhoe123
HU-71580693236445
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
Tried. But it doesn't appear. Can you tell me how?
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no pix included .. just start by understanding.. that foundation plantings are planted to hide the foundation... NOT ON THE FOUNDATION... search up images of mature size plants.. and then plant the tiny babes you by far enough from the house to include a 2 foot walkway at the foundation for maintenance ... nothing is more disturbing to a gardener.. and home owner.. is to see 8 foot plants 2 feet from the house.. and leaning out and away from the house.. also understand.. that not all plants are watered the same.. lawn watering is not proper for perennial watering.. and that is the base idea between irrigation zones.. and how they are used.. and almost no plants should be watered the first year... by irrigation.. protect your investment.. by hand watering.. until the plants are fully established... and you understand the water they need in your locale and weather.. soil... drainage.. etc.. ken
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
Seems to be easier for many posters to add a photo in comments rather than the original post. As long as the photo has been uploaded to your device, just clicking on the photo icon should allow it.

If a very large image, resizing may be necessary as well.
HU-71580693236445
Original Author
last year
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
Can you take from a better angle? All that really shows is the driveway and garage.
callirhoe123
last year
Show us the entire house,
littlebug zone 5 Missouri
last year
We are assuming this straight-on picture is your driveway, so your house is on the left? We can’t see your whole house/yard.
Suz
last year
last modified: last year
Bear with me have a recalcitrant phone and bad internet. Crepe myrtle is on property
Suz
last year
Front yard Smalll. Wedge shape with most of yard on back. Entryway definitely needs help
Suz
last year
Front yard Smalll. Wedge shape with most of yard on back. Entryway definitely needs help
kitasei2
last year
If my driveway took up that much of my property, I would consider replacing the asphalt with either the grid that can grow turf through it, or a permeable cobblestone that looks more like a courtyard. I wouldn’t tear up the driveway to fo it, but keep in mind when the driveway needs repaving.
Suz
last year
Thank you everyone. I have repeatedly tried to add photos. May abandon this post and open new one. If so, would greatly appreciate any
HU-71580693236445
Original Author
last year
HU-71580693236445
Original Author
last year
HU-71580693236445
Original Author
last year
HU-71580693236445
Original Author
last year
HU-71580693236445
Original Author
last year
HU-71580693236445
Original Author
last year
I do have irrigation. The soil is sandy, and because the house faces due east, there is sun until late afternoon. The Crepe Myrtle is the marker for that side of the house property line. Thank god I have a big back yard on a lagoon.....hence the snakes. HOA will not allow any color changes except shutters and front door. We must be homogeneous. Good thing they dont monitor the colors INSIDE! Thought maybe a rock down by mailbox to pull eye out.
partim
last year
Can you paint your garage door?

A wider walkway would make your entrance more inviting. You could add to your existing one with brick edging. I'd fill in the skinny bed between the walkway and the garage wall with brick too. Focus the landscaping on the area in front of the porch.

I would not draw the eye to the mail box by adding any rocks or landscaping there.
callirhoe123
last year
Shrubs on either side of the garage door add nothing and one of them blocks you light fixture. I would remove/relocate them and plant something lower and neater.
partim
last year
last modified: last year
Widen the planting, to give the house some depth. That narrow strip of planting at the foot of the house emphasizes its height which you say you don't want. I'd paint the shutters white, especially if the garage door needs to stay white.

You want the front door to be the focus. It is a welcoming look. There are a few things you can do to accomplish this.

Paint the garage door to match the siding, if you can.

The big shrub between under the light is blocking the way, and also blocking the eye from sweeping to the front door. Remove that whole bed.

Emphasize the pathway with brick edging.

Large house numbers.

Then choose a colour for the front door to draw the eye. Maybe a soft sage green.
partim
last year
I'd get rid of all the plants to the right of the driveway. They do nothing to enhance the house, and just make mowing harder.
HU-71580693236445
Original Author
last year
Thank all for thoughts. Like the house numbers and ideas for planting in front of house not being so linear. All junk bushes to right of driveway will be coming out. Thought one to be azalea to hide power utility box. Odd shaped yard and not a lot of room to be creative. Thx
partim
last year
https://extension.usu.edu/news_sections/gardening/12-ways-to-stop-snakes-from-slithering-into-yards#:~:text=Think%20before%20you%20landscape.,water%20gardens%20and%20Koi%20ponds.
cecily 7A
last year
Good morning Suz, you've received good advice from Partim. Please don't plant an azalea by the power box: it's low to the ground and hardly noticeable now. The azalea would draw attention to it. I'd fill the space between the sidewalk & garage with river rock (no plants or shrubs). In the DC area we renovate lawns and plant trees & shrubs in September so October may be best for you. I don't suppose sod is in the budget?
partim
last year
last modified: last year
Can you paint the garage door? Is it white or light gray now? Hard to tell in pic. Are you planning any other painting (shutters and/or front door)?

As far as your utility box, where I live we are allowed to paint utility stuff like that. I painted mine dark brown and it disappears.

Looking at your landscaping again, I'd try to draw the eye to the left side of your property, with a nice curve to the bed, ending in the tree. Again, that will draw the eye across your house and give it a better proportion.

If you're worried about snake habitat, you could use a sharp mulch for some of the bed. But keep the curved shape to the tree.
HU-71580693236445
Original Author
last year
Thank you for comments. The rendering with the curved bed to tree is great and it certainly draws the eye out. There is room in the budget for sod but will have to move some irrigation if using hardscape next to walkway. But that is ok Cannot paint electric box, garage door ( white)

Only thing I am allowed to paint is shutters and door. Will need to leave walk/paths to side yard between curved bush bed. That is next landscaping. On the right side of the house I would like to imitate the left curved bed. Any thoughts on plant for bushes? How high do you envision bushes?
HU-71580693236445
Original Author
last year
Also, it might be a little busy if put brick/pavers next to driveway. Thoughts? Thank you so much. The changes you have suggested are not complex and can be done quickly. But huge impact. As for snakes, I have removed tons of vegetation on the side and back yard. I have coral snakes, copper heads, water moccasins and rattlers. They are after the moles in the yard which I have been trying to eradicate for 6 months. They move to my neighbors and back again
HU-71580693236445
Original Author
last year
You can't see the power box I am talking about as it is hidden by the bushes in front. It is 3 1/2 high
partim
last year
I am suggesting widening the walkway just a bit on its left side, maybe just one brick or stone width. It doesn't need to be a high-contrast brick colour. Could be a gray stone of some kind for less contrast. I'd continue the same ground-level stone around the curved bed, to act as a mowing strip. If I understand your comment correctly on the need for a walkway to the back, you could use the same stone to put a path through the bed, and still maintain the continuity of the curve.

Not sure I'd do much of anything to draw attention to the right side of the house. A garage-forward house looks best when the eye is drawn firmly to the front door area.

As far as the height of the bed, it doesn't need to be tall. A variation in leaf colour and shape is always attractive. No idea which ones might be snake-unfriendly.

Will you be using your front porch for sitting or not? Either way, a chair or 2, and a small table, always look attractive. And it looks great to co-ordinate the colour of the furniture/accessories with your front door colour, and with any flowers/blooming shrubs or plant pots.
cecily 7A
last year
Which shrubs to choose... your soil looks to be sandy. Walk around your neighborhood and see what appeals to you then knock on the door and compliment the garden. Ask the homeowner the name of the shrub and/or photograph it so one of our forum friends can ID it. Gardeners love to be complimented. Your neighbors will be delighted to talk about their plants. Some shrubs are quite tolerant of pruning (azaleas, hollies) which makes them candidates. If you choose azaleas, please use only one color not a fruit salad mix.
Suz
last year

Thank you all for the suggestions...have already spoken with landscaper.

Here is a picture of the electrical boxes hidden by shrubs. Thought would re-create another curve to emulate the other side of the yard in order to cover the boxes.

To recap:

1. get rid of all existing bushes including front of the house and by the garage as well as side yard.

2. paint shutters white and find a welcoming color for the front door

3. Install a curved bed from front porch to crepe myrtle tree\

4. Install large house numbers on that side of garage close to front door. I really like the visual.

5. Install stone pavers on the side of the walkway and edge the new curved bed with same. Should this go down the driveway as well?

6/ By the walkway where there is currently dirt and shrub, fill in with stone or widen walkway.

7. Finally sod.

8. And consider sitting area o porch with replicating colors from front door.

I think that recaps everything that was suggested which I greatly appreciate!!! These are some simple but extremely impactful ideas.

Any final thoughts on the electrical box?
Suz
last year
Suz
last year