Cecily you’re right, I don’t like them however I feel like I wasted the money so I wanted to try to like them but you’re right, they don’t fit what I’m looking for. And I agree I cannot believe they planted that tree so close to the house, idk what they are going to do as it grows, it’s about 3 feet from the home on the corner.

Pat thank you, that’s good advice we are also south facing.

No sprinkler system :(

A sprinkler system is completely unnecessary unless you like wasting money. Newly planted plants may need watering with a hose. Established plants shouldn't.

Some inspro

Gorgeous celery!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!! Wow that really transforms our home. I love it

@Design Girl

Some landscaping companies are better than others. 

Inspiration pictures of JUST the rectangle of plantings with everything at peak bloom at once are misleading. In reality, they fail to support the house, which is their job. Identify one plant that will never grow higher than the bottom of the windows and can tolerate all the light coming at it from the south and then bouncing off a bright white house, with roots that won't attack your foundation or sidewalk and will never need irrigation once established. Fill the space with it. Choose one that needs little or no maintenance and has great foliage and covers the ground so you don't get rain splash in heavy rains. If you can't help yourself and your absolute favorite plant needs maintenance or has flowers you want to cut, place a few stepping stones in there to help you get around. Achilles is a nice perennial for those conditions: https://www.bluestoneperennials.com/perennials.html 

If you want a shrub, https://www.bluestoneperennials.com/shrubs.html

Avoid a sprinkler system that can threaten the foundation of the house. You shouldn't need it anyway.

Before you do plant, I suggest you fill in some of the space by widening your walk to the first step. It is too narrow and unwelcoming. Someday you can pour a more appropriate width walk and wider steps. And a simple large decorative rock, sculpture or bird bath in the middle would not look out of place. 

On the left side as you face the house, evergreen shrubs will be nice to have in winter. The person at the house who does the mowing will appreciate a smooth curved, so get a hose and place it at the corner of your walk where it turns toward your house. Pull the hose to the side and towards the back to mark a curved wide bed. You can continue the bed towards the back but allow some areas to be nearly blank or it will loose it's beauty. Measure the bed and choose evergreens that at full size will fit if planted in the middle minus two feet of space from the house. So I'm thinking you also might like something talk to the side of the house like a small tree (dogwood,  serviceberry). A good deer-resistant evergreen shrub that would provide a soft texture for your bed would be false yews. They will need some wood mulch at their feet and some water to get established on that side of the house. Another option is juniper, but I never liked the smell. But if you do and like the blue foliage, give it a go. Your small there could be a crepe myrtle or Japanese maple if you go for non-natives. 

These are just ideas for plants. My main point is to keep it simple with a wide bed and fewer species. A small tree and evergreen shrubs (all the same!) on the left, and a single perennial flower with a sculpture (or not) on the right.

Sorry, I see the link didn't work and my cell phone can't spell. right. https://www.bluestoneperennials.com/genus/achillea.html

Bluestone Perennials is my favorite plant source because of the searchable filter and the plant quality.

Thank you so much everyone!!! I just started working with a local nursery in PA, I sent them my list and they have most of what I want.They are helping me start. I will send everyone a list of the things I decided on. Can’t wait to show everyone! I will keep everyone updated.

Your gardens are small. You can get a cheap drip irrigation system to attach to your faucet for very little money. Unless you live in a climate with lots of long, dry spells and no watering bans, skip the sprinkler system. They are a pain.

If you do put in, make sure you have options for gardens. Most installers focus on watering grass.

Thank you, we decided to rip out all existing plants start fresh and test our soil before we do anything.

and we donated the plants to one of my neighbors.

If you’re not that interested in gardening, you could look for a bundled set of plants. Like a “sunny perennial “ garden (whatever fits your conditions) lots of online nurseries sell these and they usually come with a map of where to plant everything.

@Design Girl I think that was smart to start fresh. It was too cluttered before.

I have exactly one plant that has survived my care, and it is a pothos, so I am definitely not prepared to tell you what to plant!

However, I believe that you certainly do need some retaining walls around that hill. When I first bought my house I had a structural engineer come by because I was planning to do some interior remodeling and I wanted to make sure everything was safe. He suggested retaining walls where I did not think any needed to be, and my slopes were far more gentle than yours.

If you ever want to know the species of a plant you see, install an app on your phone called "Picture it". Just take a picture and the app will identify it.

LOL!! If you ever want to know the species of a plant you see, take a photo and post it here on the Name That Plant forum. It is far more accurate than any plant ID app I have ever encountered. And almost as fast! Plant ID apps are notoriously inaccurate, as all the corrections made here on our own plant ID forum (and elsewhere on social media) consistently illustrate.

But a newbie to Houzz/GW like the previous poster would not be aware of this remarkable site feature

Start with testing your soil. You can do an online search for places in your area that can mail it to (maybe Penn State)Then you can amend as instructed by the lab, so that you have an appropriate base for your plants to thrive. Usually a dose of 2”- 3” of compost worked into the soil will do the trick. DO NOT USE LANDSCAPE FABRIC! I am a horticulturist and those that are knowledgeable about soil health strongly advise against it. It kills the natural biome in the soil that enables your plants to uptake the available nutrients in the ground. A myth is that it suppresses weeds, which maybe true for the first couple of years. However, soil accumulates on top and weed seeds land and grow pushing their tap roots through the fabric into the soil below. They then become even harder to pull out. Instead mulch your new plantings the first year with about 2” of shredded bark to suppress weeds. You can plant a ground cover that will spread and act as a “green” mulch in the future. Use a couple of dwarf evergreen shrubs to add some interest in the winter months and ask your nursery to recommend perennials that will give you interest throughout the change of seasons. Try to coordinate colors seasonally so it looks cohesive and plant some bulbs in the fall for color next spring. It is Important that the plants get adequate moisture the first year so that they can develop a strong root system and then you only need to water when you have sequential hot dry days so that they don’t start dying. PA has a great climate for growing a variety of plants and usually does not require a permanent irrigation system.

As for a tree, pick something that is showy, with beautiful bark for winter interest and showy flowers in the spring or summer. Magnolias, Dogwoods, Crepe myrtles among others would be good choices as a specimen tree. Let us see the finished project.

Not much of a landscaping company if they planted shrubs that close to your house. I’d hesitate to call them professionals. (Though perhaps they were professional SALESPERSONS - the more plants they sell you, the more money they make.)

Testing the soil is a great plan. Typically soil next to the house foundation is cr@p; it’s a stretch to call it soil.

Hmmm, maybe we used the same company? i had living plants that this professional landscaper threw out. For over $7000, my house front looks a lot like yours! They guaranteed thevplants for a year but never replaced dead plants, never came back Bunch of bullshit!

I landscaping with native plants the best way to go. Connect with your local native plant organization and Facebook groups for free advice from experts.

You are going to get arguments both for and against the superiority of native plants. And while adding a few can be beneficial, they are not necessarily the better choice. Unless native to your specific region, they are not technically considered natives and so not necessarily well suited to your climate and weather conditions. Some can also be aggressive spreaders to the point of being nuisance plants in regions outside of their native range. Many native plants are not well suited aesthetically to a cultivated garden, often growing rampantly and presenting an untamed, wild and woolly appearance that does not compliment many groomed landscapes, such as the OP's. They do not necessarily require significantly less maintenance than non-native species nor are they certain to be pest and disease free. And you can completely dismiss the notion that only native species will satisfy pollinators, birds or other wildlife. Many non-native species will fill those roles just as well....sometimes better!

btw, the chances of finding 'experts' holding forth on Facebook is iffy at best. Like YouTube, those sorts of social media platforms are just as likely (or even more so) to attract uninformed pontificators of horticultural nonsense as they are those who really do know what they are talking about. Unfortunately, most viewers are not well-informed enough themselves to tell the difference.

"You are going to get arguments both for and against the superiority of native plants. And while adding a few can be beneficial, they are not necessarily the better choice."

Although I think GG usually has very good advice, I would say that given the issues as to the health of our planet, natives and a change in our way of thinking are the only choice. Not only are insects disappearing at an alarming rate across the world, but bird populations are dropping alarmingly as well. Yes, planted outside their native range, some plants become thugs, but then, they are no longer natives if planted outside their native range, are they? There are thuggish natives. Just don't plant them if you don't want that.

Native gardens are not necessarily untamed and wild and they will, once established, require no fertilizer, mulch (unless you love that), and little supplemental water. This does not mean you cannot have some ornamentals you love, but once you research the benefits of native plants and look at gardens, read books (Doug Tallamy is a good place to start), visit native plant nurseries, you may become a convert.

Yes, they need to be native to your specific area. I buy from my local native plant nurseries only, although one is a bit further from me, I do not buy something that is not native to Alexandria specifically. My yard is only a half-acre, but I have more birds, butterflies, and bees to name a few than my neighbors with manicured, sprayed lawns and no natives. I do worry about buying from anyplace that is not neonicotinoid-free and hope the insects who visit my yard are not killed when they visit the neighbors. Sigh. There are some non-natives that pollinators like, but I have never seen any insect on a crape myrtle or my non-native azaleas. It isn't just pollinators either. We have to provide support for the larval stages of the pollinators. Butterflies may sip nectar from many plants, but their caterpillars are pretty specific about what they will munch. Birds will nest in just about any tree, true, but native oaks especially and other native trees offer much more support for pollinators. It has been well-documented and more and more scientific studies are focusing on this. Lawn does not support anything.

Obviously, GG and I disagree on this concept, but I would hope that anyone who has children, grandchildren, or plans to do so, would consider their future. There are native plant societies in every state and they are happy to help anyone. They are also found on FB. One does need to consider the sources of any information found on any social media, including here, and do research for themselves.

The 3 inspiration pictures shown by the OP a few days ago are well suited to native plants.

These inspo pictures are the kind of plantings where leaf texture is as important as colour. I don't see lots of bright flowers. I see grasses and sedges interspersed with more architectural plants. I think this is what the OP meant when she described the look she liked as whimsical. That's what led me to recommend the plantings of Piet Oudolf to her.

Honestly I think these types of plantings are less likely to lead to disappointment, vs some of the drawings I see here where every shrub, tree and perennial seems to be at its peak bloom at once. That doesn't happen in real life, and some of these gardens look dreary much of the year because it's all about the bloom which only lasts so long.

I'm gradually removing the non-natives and thinking more and more about texture and movement, rather than bloom. I'm happy to be outdoors so a bit of the untamed, wild and wooly look is fine with me. Even though I just began this in my gardens last year, the increase in insect life is amazing and fascinating. The birds are following the increase in insect life too.

The Washington Post had an interesting article this weekend, free for anyone to read, on this subject. https://wapo.st/3GquAhp

Thank you @partim absolutely love the designer you shared thank you!!!

@partim I agree! Foliage is really important! I sometimes dream of an old white wooden porch with lavender off to one side. If it filled that rectangle, wouldn't that be something. I've had poor luck with lavender in Maryland but great luck with monarda and agastache.

@kl23, we actually ended up purchasing a lot of lavender, we have a ton of lavender farms where we live so fingers crossed 💖 I can’t wait to share with everyone what I decided to do. I am so excited and have used everyone’s advice thoughtfully. Went through each plant I wanted checked the zones hardiness, soil types etc. I really think this is going to turn out amazing. Right now we are prepping the area soil has been tested. Going to work on tilling it today. Then need to start prepping with compost. Will probably plant within the next week or so, our last frost is April 15th, however I have read it’s ok to plant if there has been no frost in my area for two weeks and April is a good month to plant.

@partim i think you are going to love what i am doing!!

Average frost dates aren't very useful since they are the average. So about half the time, you will get frosts after that date. You'll want to put your zip code into something like this:

Frost Dates

Usually, people recommend holding off planting until there is only a 10% chance of damaging temperatures. What are damaging temperatures depends on the plant. Hardy perennials, like lavender, can be planted earlier than tender annuals. Their temperature of concern is 28°F.

@mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY) thank you that was so helpful!! It looks like April 16th is within the 10% thank you!!!!

@Design Girl that sounds exciting! All that lavender! I really really hope it loves it there! With having lavender farms nearby, you should have access to a cultivar that will work.

@Design Girl that sounds exciting! All that lavender! I really really hope it loves it there! With having lavender farms nearby, you should have access to a cultivar that will work.

@Design Girl that sounds exciting! All that lavender! I really really hope it loves it there! With having lavender farms nearby, you should have access to a cultivar that will work.

OMG...what is wrong with my phone! Sorry about the triple posts.

OMG...what is wrong with my phone! Sorry about the triple posts.

If you intend to plant lavender, do NOT amend the soil!! All lavender wants or needs is a very lean, unenriched but fast draining soil. Amending always slows water percolation and is usually excessively water retentive.

It also needs as much sun as is possible....8 or more hours.

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) thank you .... so far i haven't done anything, but till and try to remove all of the rocks. So you recommend just planting them in the soil as is with no compost?

No, no compost!!

It depends on what you are planting with it. Plants that have similar cultures should be planted together. Lavender likes well draining soil. So you want to plant other plants with the same requirements. If your soil is clay you will want to add some amendment to ensure it drains well. A bit of compost will not hurt and will help with drainage. You should ask the lavender farms in your area how they amend their soils..

Adding compost as a soil amendment will not help soil drain better. Or not soon enough to be of benefit to any lavender. What it does do is loosen a clay soil and make it easier to work but it also helps to retain soil moisture and it enriches the soil as well, characteristics that are an anathema to lavender!

If you have a heavy soil then a) I would recommend against growing lavender in the first place; or b) add sufficient quantities of grit (not just playground or sand) to actually improve drainage.

FWIW, I live in an area that has many, many lavender farms and they never amend the soil nor do they ever fertilize lavender.

ETA: "Lavender prefers sandy soils because of the large air spaces between soil particles, and the rapid drainage those air spaces provide. As soil types transition from sand to loam to clay, they become progressively worse for lavender production."

"Lavenders thrive in sandy, well draining soil with a low level of fertility."

"All lavender, big or small, needs a soil mix with a bit of grit that is very well-drained."

"Lavender thrives on full sun (at least 8 hours per day or more), and hot, dry, rocky, or sandy soil. Good drainage is a must."

Progress so far

Looks good. It appeared that your soil was mostly clay which has very small particles that bind together so you get poor drainage. That is why it is important to amend the soil so you break up the tight particles opening up areas for water to drain and oxygen to circulate.

@aniluap2 you are correct, our soil was mostly clay so it took me a few days to get it in a good place.

Question for this thread, how close is too close to plant plants that grow 12-15 inches? Thank you! Everywhere i read says 12 inches between the plants however is that accurate?

Always plant so that there’s at least one foot of empty space between your house and a mature plant. If you have wide overhangs on your house which can block rain and sun, you may want to plant further away.

A 12” wide plant needs to be planted at least 1.5’ from the house (half the width of the mature plant plus one foot).

To a certain extent, how much space you leave between plants depends on how you want the result to look. Do you want it to look like a single large group, or several individual plants?

I will say that in drier climates, people prefer spacing the plants out so that each plant has exclusive use of the water in their area. So those people get used to that look.

A single large group, I haven’t planted anything yet but I started spacing out my plants to see how they will look. I want a single large group look, but as of now I have them spaced about 12 inches apart and have a few plants left over.

Spacing for planting should be based on size of plant at full maturity..in order to have full coverage at full growth ..
any closer will hamper normal growth..and not allow the plants grow to healthy maturity…
even at that..variations will occur at full growth that may allow for seasonal planting of annuals…(in pots, perhaps)…for summer color….
to go a little further.. plan for when your perennials will bloom ….so they are spaced evenly and decoratively when they bloom…
lastly…the obvious…lower growers in front …taller at the back

So in conclusion…do not plant all the plants the same distance apart…

@Design Girl for your lavender, you can plant on the minimum spacing to crowd out weeds and get a good thick bed immediately. So 12". When you plant a tree or specimen shrub, go with the bigger spacing. In that environment you will get weeds.

@Design Girl I'm so glad you posted a picture of your lot from a distance. I could be wrong, but your slope looks like it could use some help with not washing away in all the rainfall we get here in the Mid-Atlantic. I was recently visiting an historic home from Jefferson's time and was impressed by the way the old trees held the soil in place. Where a tree died and was not replaced, the soil washed away and was now threatening the foundation of this old home. So... I can't help but suggest looking for a plan that put a mix of big native trees off to your left as you face your home from the street, and anywhere else you have such a slope. Will that block your beautiful view? If so, an alternative is a lot of time-tested shrubs with good spreading root systems. With slopes like those, you do not want to be dealing with just herbaceous flowers or even just a lawn. 

Also, I love redbud too. Just realize they are relatively short lived. But maybe this is one tree worth replanting. Plant one every couple of years and you will always have one or two in your yard. Basically, you are planning for them to die off.