skip to main content

Landscape Design Design Dilemma

Need help with curb appeal/landscape

last year

I need help redoing our front landscaping. It is not in our budget to hire someone, so has to be a diy. I am really horrible at this type of thing, so any help is appreciated. Or if you know of an affordable online service for design and what plants to use. Pic in comments.Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
IMO a visit to the local garden centr will get you more help than all our guesses here . A pic from further back and with all the debri cleared away will help us even begin to help you We need to know what zone you are in for sure .
Nancy R z5 Chicagoland
last year
I agree with Patricia and in addition I throw out a suggestion I've used before and actually did myself. And that is to see if your local community college or adult education center offers a class in landscape design for homeowners. There is a lot to learn about this subject that can help prevent expensive mistakes.
Related Discussions
I need help with curb appeal!! Specifically landscaping
Q
Comments (5)
Cute house! Good choice to take down the overgrown evergreens. I agree with widening the walkway. Make the beds deeper so that they come out from the house as far as the bottom of the steps. Then move your plants outward so they aren't so tight against the building. Add a combination of evergreen and flowering plants so you have some color all season, but use a relatively small number of different types so that it doesn't look chaotic. At least some should be shrubs, and have an evergreen groundcover to fill in and tie the whole thing together. Choose plants with heights that will remain below the windows with little if any pruning, though one that's a bit taller would be fine on the far left if it won't crowd the driveway. And plant all shrubs far enough from the building so that plants won't touch the building, even when full size. Plant tags often give size at 5 years, so check a reliable source such as the MO Botanical Garden's Plant Finder to get the real story on size. Ideally there should be room for you to slide in behind the plants to paint, wash windows, and do other maintenance. Be sure to give the bed a crisp edge, whether a cut edge or a buried edging, and use shredded bark mulch to keep weeds down until the groundcover fills in. I don't mind the shutters or their color, though there are folks who will suggest removing them. Do what you find appealing with them. Prune back the shrub to the right so that it is above the window, not hanging in front of it.
...See More
Help landscape advice needs curb appeal
Q
Comments (11)
No planting along the drive which is impractical for snow removal and exiting cars parked in the drive as well as adding something to avoid when lawn mowing. And that is a gorgeous lawn, particularly when considering that it is under a tree. Make the front bed 5’-8’ deep so you have room for more than a single row of perennials or remove it entirely. If you keep it, add at least some evergreen shrubs for winter appeal, low in front of the stoop and lower than the windows on the right. Use bright flowers along the walkway in front of the railing. The biggest issue is the pinched entrance which gives the impression of wanting to keep folks out. Shorten the left post to match the one at the base of the steps, and remove the railing for the first three or four feet, moving the shortened left post over to the right. At the driveway, add a generous landing that is at least as wide as the new opening and at least 5’ front to back to welcome visitors so that the narrow entry path doesn’t feel like such a barrier. if there is significant money, I would redesign the whole entry to be more welcoming and open, but that would probably not be worth it when just opening the entry will make a huge difference with a more reasonable budget.
...See More
need help with curb appeal / landscape
Q
Comments (13)
Ugh, the addition dominates the house. No, worse, it's completely unrelated to the house. It looks like a tornado picked it up a few miles away and dropped it into the front yard. It strikes me as tasteless, and I'm not even close to being a decorator. You never get your money back when you tack an addition onto your house. In this case, not only will the owners not get back what they spent on it, IMO they've actually managed to diminish the value of the house. Maybe you could strip the brick facing on the addition, and replace it with siding that would match the rest of the house. You could replace that ludicrous window with 2 or 3 smaller, subtler ones. Then you might add a nice bright brick sidewalk that leads to the front door. And even after spending all that money, you'd still have a monstrosity, if a mitigated one. I'm with Ci. I'd walk away, and leave this mess for someone else who's less discriminating. And I'm not even that fussy.
...See More
NEED HELP FOR LANDSCAPE CURB APPEAL!!
Q
Comments (5)
I think this house needs darker elements. I would stain the foundation the darkest color in the brick. Then I’d do the trim, windows and garage door in a color like SW Mineral Gray. The front a mid-tone blue like SW Distance. I’d move the rhododendron and do a carpet juniper that is the yellow variety and then put your mums behind along the sidewalk. Possibly add a plinth to each of the lower windows.
...See More
PRO
Dig Doug's Designs
last year
Here are a few suggestions:
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
last modified: last year
You can also hire a qualified and experienced landscape designer for either an onsite consultation or to develop a planting plan that you can DIY at your convenience. This is a very affordable option, rarely costing more than a couple hundred bucks and should be considered an investment in your property rather than just an expense as it will save you the expense of trial and error plantings and can increase property values.

Online design sources tend to be expensive for the value provided and judging by the amount of negative feedback they receive in this forum, are rarely very successful or well received.
ptreckel
last year
Ditto to gardengal48’s advice. I did this many years ago and have implemented the recommendations that I received over time and as my budget allowed. You have a beautiful, classic home. Invest in good quality plants and make sure to plant them with room to grow so that you can enjoy them for many years! Start with the “bones” of your plan—the shrubbery, etc. Then build from there. Can you take a photo of your home to permit us to see your entire front yard? There are trees in place that need to be taken into consideration, a slope? Please?
PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
last year
Some options to go
PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
last year

Related Stories

LANDSCAPE DESIGN How to Help Your Home Fit Into the Landscape

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Use color, texture and shape to create a smooth transition from home to garden

CURB APPEAL 7 Questions to Help You Pick the Right Front-Yard Fence

By Matthew Ankeny

Get over the hurdle of choosing a fence design by considering your needs, your home’s architecture and more

MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE DESIGN Nail Your Curb Appeal: Mediterranean Style

By Laura Gaskill

Earthy hues, low-water landscaping and architectural flourishes are characteristic of these homes

MIDCENTURY STYLE Nail Your Curb Appeal: Midcentury Style

By Laura Gaskill

Complement the modern style’s clean lines with a splash of color, upgraded features and low-maintenance landscaping

EXTERIORS Help! What Color Should I Paint My House Exterior?

By Jennifer Ott Design

Real homeowners get real help in choosing paint palettes. Bonus: 3 tips for everyone on picking exterior colors

ENTRYWAYS Help! What Color Should I Paint My Front Door?

By Jennifer Ott Design

We come to the rescue of three Houzzers, offering color palette options for the front door, trim and siding

GREAT HOME PROJECTS Upgrade Your Front Yard for Curb Appeal and More

By June Scott Design

New project for a new year: Revamp lackluster landscaping for resale value, water savings and everyday enjoyment

EXTERIORS 17 Ways to Increase Your Home's Curb Appeal

By Laura Gaskill

The word on the street? Homes with appealing front views can sell faster, lift moods and convey a warm welcome

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Give Curb Appeal a Self-Serving Twist

By Billy Goodnick Garden Design

Suit yourself with a front-yard design that pleases those inside the house as much as viewers from the street

REMODELING GUIDES Designer's Touch: Boost Your Home's Curb Appeal

By The Inman Company

From pavers to plantings, these professional tips can help your home make an instant impact on the street

Sponsored

Peabody Landscape Group

8 Reviews

Franklin County's Reliable Landscape Design & Contracting

More Discussions

Front yard landscape help needed - Chicago (Zone 6)

13

Advice to update my flowerbed.

8

What happened to my oakleaf hydrangea?

7

My one year year-old Zoysia is getting tiger stripes…

0

Backyard patio design help

3