We have lived here for 15 years. We started out planting over 25 (yes 25) small plants here. We forgot that they would grow! After 10 years it was overcrowed, all same height and really looked dumb. So we ripped almost everything out (see photo)...and then did not know what to do. The area is about 30' wide. We want it to compliment the house, have different heights, colors--but no trees or water features. PLEASE any advice would be SO appreciated!!
Willing to have vines creep up the posts?
Does a birdbath count as a water feature?
I'd plant a skinny small open tree in there somewhere ;0 )
Hmm...vines sound good...no bird bath...we have them in back yard :-) ...Please any ideas for the space?
Which way is the house facing?
The house faces North
Can you post some photos that show the entire width of the house and garage ? One or more that show both sides from where the front door is ?
Hi..Just got back on line....I will try and get those up tomorrow. Stay tuned.
I like to drive around and note what looks good. Usually its a mix of evergreens that are different shapes and colors. If the homeowner is out in their yard, they are usually flattered that you ask the names of their shrubs and plants and are helpful.
Would the dwarf Japanese maples or cutleaf maples grow well in your area?
What is it you have there on the ground now?
Are you mulched with small rock?
Just got home this evening...and it is nearly dark...so I will try and post pix tomorrow.
In answer to other responses:
>>>Would the dwarf Japanese maples or cutleaf maples grow well in your area?
I have no idea..I live in Illinois?
>>>Are you mulched with small rock?
Yes, those are rocks.
Thanks for your help.
Pic facing West
pic facing East
OK....The pics are posted...send me your best advice. We like...grasses, roses, ?spirea, etc....BUT HOW DO WE LINE THEM UP?????
I think you need to take a picture from across the street showing the entire front view of the house. The shots you posted are good, but now we need to see the LEFT side of the house (on the OTHER side of the walkway) to be able to give you some advice on plants and/or a design.
The curved walkway is very good.
What zone are you in ???
I looked up your zip code (62501 ???) and if that's correct, you're in Zone 5b.
..Thanks "JD"...I will try to post more pics. Yes I think zone 5b is right. As I said we have lived here for quite some time..most of our efforts (and $$) have been spent on the inside of the house and also we are gardeners...so lots of time goes to that too. (Besides jobs, pool, grandkids etc !!!) Thus the front lanscaping just stays on the back burner because we are clueless. More tomorrow....
Buzbug, you certainly need to add a bit of height to the area...what landscapers call a focal point. here is a link on Japanese Maples that are hardy in your zone. Also a picture of the Bloodgood JM growing in my yard. It has beautiful color in the fall...deep red, and new growth in the spring is also red, The rest of the year it has red-tinged green leaves.
http://www.worldplants.com/intro2.htm
It sounds like us, we had been here for over 25 years and finally our beds looks pleasing to the both of us. If I were you I would ask pictures of garden designs from DGers. My husband and I like to drive around to check out other neighborhood 's landscaping designs. I like to share our front landscape next week . i am busy right now. Bellieg
This message was edited Sep 3, 2009 3:44 AM
I'll be waiting . digger
Hi again...
Well I did get pix up tonight. :-(
I like the idea of a "focal point"...but am leary of a tree. Would it go in the center? Would it shade the other bushes too much?
Do we keep the rock? We started out with mulch and it basically all floated away with the Illinois spring storms.
I would LOVE to see other pics!!! Please post!!!!
Buzbug, many of the Japanese maples are rather small trees, staying under 15 feet, and some only getting 6 to 8 ft tall. It is more a matter of presence than size. Can't wait to see the full front view of the house..can better answer questions and make suggestions then.
Here is the front .....
Using one of the moderate size japanese maples centered between the four windows on the left about 15 feet out from the house would give you a focal point that draws the eye across the yard and give you a balance for the lower roof line.
ok...that sounds good...but then what? Just the tree?
Would it look right to add grasses? bushes? where do we plant them? In a line?
We need help....
You already have the two evergreens there, so that creates your triangle. You have a couple options here, make a gentle curve out to the front in front of the new maple, giving you a half moon bed. I am not sure what is planted between the two evergreens, but it appears to be low growing shrubs.
You can fill the area in with hostas of varying size and leaf shape,and texture...http://www.hostalibrary.org/
Columbines are a beautiful perennial and come in a variety of colors and size:
http://www.bhg.com/gardening/plant-dictionary/perennial/columbine/
and add other low growing perennials such as Huechera, or some of the others included in this link:
http://gardening.about.com/od/perennials/tp/Low-Maintenance-Plants.htm
Give these a look and play around with them. The other option is to just bump the front edge of the existing bed out to form a curve and add a mix of perennials to fill it in. Then , between the bed and the maple, add a bench or a couple chairs. You could use pavers or stones to create a small seating area there, or just leave grass remembering to leave room for the lawn mower.
A bit of nuts and bolts info.
http://landscapingdesign.landscapeliving.com/category/flower-bed-design/
http://www.ehow.com/how_4885971_design-flower-beds-online.html
http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/flower-garden-design.html
http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/flower-garden-design.html
buzbug, you have a beautiful home! I am sure it will turn out great. With such a great porch, I would not want to block the view with too tall plants.
Question: Did you say you had 25 of those round shrubs? WOW! Are they boxwoods? I have to say, pruning those things is NOT FUN when you have to clean up the trimmings from mulch or rock!!! And, why did you keep the four? They kind of make a square, don't they? With your curved flower bed, I am not sure I would want that shape for my shrubbery. If you want to keep them, you could perhaps transplant one or both of the ones that are currently closest to the porch rail out farther to make a more flowing line.
If you keep the rock mulch, you may want to consider getting a couple of well-placed boulders in that bed, too.
Good luck with your planning!
To Moon: Those websites are just what we have been searching for! ...especially the virtual garden. We also really need the reference sites...Thank you so much!
To Julie: Thanks for your comments! Yes we planted 25 plants in that space over 15 years ago....(They were not all boxwoods)...I am not good with names but they were Golden Vickorys? and some thorny red bushes that the leaves loved, verigated green bushes that were diseased.........We got so sick of looking at the crowded, ugly space that we got a strap and backed our old pick up truck up and just started yanking them out..It was really fun!! But then we got down to the boxwoods and just couldn't rip them out. They were so green and healthy... So we just left them... They look crazy I know...and we will eventually get a strap and rip them out too :-(
I love LOVE rocks...so getting a bigger boulder is a great idea Thanks !!!
more later...
You are so welcome, Buzbug. After you have had a little time to digest the info, if you have further questions, i will be pleased to help as I can.
Julie's suggestion for boulders works quite well in the porch area, perhaps using some ornamental grasses and some of the miniature conifers to give that side an Alpine look.you could tie the two areas together by using small, (basketball to watermelon) sized stones and low growing juniper/evergreens in staggered plantings along the side walk. The driveway left side could continue that theme with varying clusters of stones and evergreen plantings. Small rock garden plants could be interspersed with the stones/small boulders to create pockets of color and interest.
If the Alpine style is not appealing, there are many cactus/succulent/grass plants that could be mixed with a few boulders of varying size to give you more of a high country mesa feel. Enclosed is a link to a blog site featuring some truly beautiful minature conifers in natural garden settings. There are a number of pages to this link with a number of beautiful plants
http://coniferlover.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/in-my-own-miniature-world/
I would plant a weeping snowfountain cherry tree,,,and plant some knock out roses ,and maybe some ornamental grasses that do not get very tall,,and if you wanted something with a splash of burgandy in it that grows small you could put a few coral bells in their as well!! This is starting out from scratch with everything removed out of their!! Hope this helps. oh or if you want to see green in the winter you could plant some dwarf pines of some sort and a few variegated boxwood!! great tree that is a evergreen blue weeping atlas cedar!!
As promised these are some pictures of out front landscaping. We had azaleas at first but DH got rid of them and replaced them with slow growing palm which is also hardy for this zone.This are very slow growing palms and had been planted for 3 years. I do not know the variety.DH also planted a couple of hostas which does not do well because it gets a lot of sun.. We have annuals and some perinials such as the low growing sedum which comes back every year. I have maybe 10 varieties of sedum. I will be showing you my red Japanese maples which are slow growing.Also the different groupings that Dh do. I let him rearrange the planters. I have hundreds of potted tropical plants and they all come in to the sun room during winter. I hire someone to clean the pots as well as arrange then in the sun room. I have lots of banana variety so it goes to the garage. I also have lots of plumerias. Now for your landscaping in front, i like rocks and boulders. Boulders are expensive but to can buy the hypertufas which are cheaper. I would buy a book and get some ideas. Here are the pics
Well the picture is showing the opened garage and so pardon the mess!!! More pix-This is another picture of the palm tree and Dh said it does not grow very tall.
this picture is the low growing sedum and i have lots planted in the ground as well as planters. they multiply very fast that is why I like them. Also they do not require a lot of care.
this picture is located on the front porch. I had it made but DH decided to put rocks, we collect crocks from all over when we go on vacation. i like it and it get changed often.
This are ivy in large low planter
Again more planters with bonsais on our front porch
or a nice little koi pond would look good!! Heres a pic of mine that i put in last year!
I do not know this plants but I have a lot of them.It multiplies and comes back every year
more pictures in front, sedum, painters palette and annuals
