New House, Clean Slate!

Hi DGers!

Eight years later I'm back, with a new (forever!) home, new zone (9b) and an absolute blank slate to work with. Plus a very small budget. It's intimidating but exciting!

Check out this blank slate. And let's all say it together and get it out of the way - "where the heck are the windows??" LOL. The previous owners were not much for landscaping (can you tell?) and sacrificed some street-appeal for energy-efficient design. But nothing some pretty cottage garden goodness can't fix (or so I'm telling myself).

My plan at this point is to grow Boston Ivy up the walls to take advantage of that large blank facade. Won't that be pretty?

Any other ideas for me? Right now it's all potential!

Here's a pic of it today. =)

Plus, here's my old thread the last time I did this. Wow, time sure does fly!

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/587710/#post_7668655

Another photo without the distracting tree in the way. =)

So here are some thoughts/plans:
1. I am growing Black Eyed Susan Vines in the two pots to climb up the trellises. Hopefully I can also use wires to make them go over the entrance.
2. I want to put a pot with flowers in each corner of the walkway and sink stepping stones into the grass and dirt, so that will soften and straighten out the path a little bit. Currently it is very uncomfortable to walk.
3. We want to add a stepping stone path from the sidewalk through the grass straight up to the front door.
4. I've got Nasturtium growing from seed in front of the bird feeder, along with Lilliput Zinnias and a few Johnny Jumpups, and I'm trying to grow some Creeping Jenny in the feeder. It has no drainage and is very shallow, so I don't know if it will work, but I've been trying to grow something in that feeder for eight years, and I'm not going to stop till I succeed!
5. I've planted a row of Hollyhocks along the fence on the left side.
6. I've got a bunch of Cosmos started in that left area.

Most of the green spikes you currently see are Narcissus. They've already bloomed, but since they provide the only green right now until my other seedlings grow up, I'm not cutting the foliage down yet.

Add to the walkway with large very flat stepping stones is fine. Use the largest you can get. In the rock yards look at the flagstone sold on 'Stand Up' pallets. These stones may be up to 4' x 4', though many are not quite that large. A minimum of 2' across, though, and 2" thick. This will make a safe walkway that does not wobble.

Are you going to have water this summer?
If not, but you like the tree, then just concentrate on watering the tree. Let the lawn die. Lawns are VERY thirsty, especially in your area.

Do your research and planning now, and plant in the fall. After the summer heat.
Select plants that are native to areas with summer heat and dry so your landscape will use less water.

This message was edited Apr 10, 2014 7:55 PM

I'm not sure about how the water thing is going to work out. That's great advice about focusing on the tree. Although the tree came with the house, and has fallen over multiple times, so I'm not super attached to it. I may take a walk over to the Plant ID forum to find out what kind it is.

Our plan is to rip out the lawn and seed Ecolawn. In our area it takes watering only once a week, and mowing only once a month.
http://www.wildflowerfarm.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=20_71

However, we were going to wait to work on that project till October/November to give it a longer time to get established before our killer heat kicks in. That would mean either letting the lawn die, as you suggested, or watering it through the summer.

Thanks for your response, Diana_K!

Is there another forum that more of the members hang out in that I should try posting this in? I'm re-subscribed so I can post it wherever.

This is probably the best site for Landscape projects here on Daves.
The reason perhaps more folks have NOT came into this thread is because Diane has more or less covered the questions you asked, I'm not sure I could add any more at this time until you know exactly or close to, what you hope to achieve as I'm reading quite mixed messages / ideas from you, or contradictions off.
the stepping stones you plant to place over the grass for instance is a great idea but then you later mention the grass is to be removed, therefore you would need to choose perhaps different material for pathway IF it is not to co-ordinate with a green grass.

If I were you, I would blow up the size of the pictures you have, place them on a board, cover with a larger sheet of tracing paper or baking parchment that you can see through, then start to draw where you want pathways, taller structures, lighting, rewsting /seating areas, pond, rockeries, bird baths or whatever else you fancy BUT MOST IMPORTANT, make sure you first or all draw the lines for overhead cables, underground drains, windows, doors, garden sheds or any water piped that you are NOT allowed to move BUT must accommodate or hide from view by planning properly.

There are books at the book store garden dept that cover beginners landscape plans showing nice layouts, structures BBQ's swing seats and anything else you can think off and they guide you through materials required, how to do it, when to call electric expert and all types of materials that will help get you started, IT's your own garden and quite hard for others to give a plant but possible IF you can give more definite ideas.

the local library will be another great source of reading with pictures of beds, borders, rockery and usually a list of plants that tolerate the different spots you want to grow stuff.

Hope this can help you to take hold of all your ideas and do it in stages as there is no use buying plants that have to sit in a pot for up to a year till your ready to plant them, gardening is NOT a cheap hobby so you need to be aware not to throw money away on things that will sit outside looking for a spot to live, store or whatever,
Good luck, hope you stick with us and are here for any further help you might need but the Garden has to be your plant as it's you who will be caring for it,
Best Regards. WeeNel.

OK, thanks for your response WeeNel! Thanks for the recommendations regarding planning out pipes/lines etc. That's a good reminder.

I'm open to ideas at this point, just thought that maybe other people might enjoy making recommendations regarding what they would do if faced with such a blank slate. I know I want it to be beautiful, and I prefer cottage garden style, but other than that I am open to suggestions.

I will do more thinking/planning and ask for help as issues come up!
Thanks again,
- CJ =)

How 'bout this question - if you were starting from scratch, what would you do differently?

I would go to book store / library and find some books for landscaping INYOUR AREA, these have great pictures of bed layout, borders, selecting tree's for height or other tall structures, they give pictures of the work needed and in progress, they show you how to do proper measurements, how much soil you might require for say raised beds, how much concrete / slabs, bricks ect and also give tips on shaded area show how to make a easy care garden if you cant spend a lot of time, or how to amend your soil for a cottage garden as these plants require different soil from say a rock garden. ONCE you find what you like, then telling people will bring far more ideas and ways to create the style for you.
Another thought is, go around the neighbourhood with a camera, look at the different mature garden layouts and take a picture of that item you fancy incorporated into your plans / garden.
A garden evolves, it just does not happen over a few weeks of even months and I'm not trying to put you off, Have you ever seen those programs on TV where a garden is made over in a day, no proper weeding, a pile of soil dropped over a bare patch of ground where a lawn was befoe and end of that season, the weeds are back, the new lawn is dying because it was laid at the wrong season and the tree's are dying because they were NOT told how to water them, so please take on board a good garden evolves around you not the other way around and unless you have a lot of dollars to throw at the garden you have to do a plan and take each part of plan as a separate job, always make the hard landscape first or you will be walking over a border of standing on newly planted seedling. all the landscape need to mark out drains, or phone, water in-out, electrics and pathways, that will take a couple of months unless you can pay "20 or more bucks an hour for one man and believe me, most landscape takes 2-3 men. but they are normally faster BUT you must give a plan of what you want or your paying for a job you hate and cant6 change without more money.

If I can help further please let me know BUT I do think if you can work your way through the list I've already gave here, then you will be busy for weeks just finding the info you need let alone drawing a plant with proper measurements needed for any work to be carried out.
best wishes and take your time.
WeeNel.

Wifeygirl, your Fresno zone is 9b with an average rainfall of 12 inches, however, with the current drought it will probably be less than that this year. So the first thing I recommend is an irrigation system. Drip irrigation seems to be the best for hot, dry climates to conserve water and I prefer the above-ground systems because eventually underground pipes become clogged. Therefore I will design the garden to be able to hide irrigation tubes.

You said you wanted a cottage garden look, so I have tried to create one to the best of my ability but your current weather conditions are desert so it is very challenging. I removed the tree because it falls over often and tree roots dominate water supply taking most of the available water, so it’s more difficult to keep the grass green with the tree there. The left side of the door has Lily of the Nile (Agapanthus Africanus) and the shade corner on the right of the door is a hydrangea macrophylla because that kind is best in hot weather, but still needs shade in zone 9b.

In front of the hydrangea is a jagged row of Walker’s Low Catmint which will soften the sharp corners with its cascading branches. You had asked for a stepping stone pathway and I added the steps from the sidewalk to the doorway. As for the Boston Ivy you wanted it will barely survive if at all in zone 9b, so I recommend English Ivy (Hedera helix) or Clematis 'Diamantina' ('Diamantina' clematis) which can grow up to 40 ft. I also think a clematis would look nice on the two trellises next to the door, but Clamatis Picardy is a better choice because it’s much smaller.
I recommend keeping the blue and green shrubs on the left side because they are healthy and attractive. I don’t know what that small tree is next to the fence but it seems fine to keep it, however, I removed the yellowing plants on each side and filled the front area with dianthus which is a perennial in zone 9 and the back with wild garlic (Allium vineale or Allium canadense var. lavendulare).
The third picture is another garden idea that is more drought tolerant. This garden has no grass because grass needs a lot of water which is scarce nowadays in California. The center is four different colors of celosia which would grow well in your garden because they need full sun and thrive in zone 9-10. The left is a Jackmanni clematis growing on the fence.

The front is ornamental rocks. The reason for the extensive stepping stone pathway system is to make it easier to garden and walk around to enjoy the scene.

Nancy Groutsis

Edit: sorry I forgot to add the purple blooms for the clematis in picture #3, but the edit feature won't let us edit photos.

This message was edited Apr 12, 2014 12:15 PM

Hi Nancy!
Thank you so much for taking so much time with this and making such comprehensive recommendations! This is great! I hadn't considered any of these plants, so you've given me a lot to think about.

I really wish we could get rid of the grass completely, but my hubby has a thing about large swaths of grass. He imagines our children playing on them and throwing balls and such. Of course they really rarely do that, but he wants it there.

I have gotten his permission to dig up the front 3 feet or so of the grass and plant there, and I'm thinking that over time I'm going to dig away more and more of it until it's smaller and smaller. =) Maybe once the kids are grown I can go for your third plan. That would be great!

Thanks again so much for these recommendations. That's interesting about the tree. I would like some sort of tree there, but this particular one is leaning pretty heavily on that stake. At what point will it stand on its own? Or will it? Are there certain trees that require less water than others, or is a a tree a tree where that's concerned?

I want to thank you again for spending so much time and thought on this. It's so helpful.

Wifeygirl, grass is such a garden staple that a lot of people would never consider replacing their lawn with plants because they like to have their garden match those of the neighbors, so I doubted you would replace your lawn but I kept thinking about how I would design the yard according to my taste so I really enjoyed making the third picture. Your husband is right to put the children's needs first but personally I think the path garden could be made into a magical place for children especially with ornaments and you could take great family photos of the children playing amidst the flowers. Also, keep in mind children should never be allowed to play in grass that has been sprayed with chemicals of any type, so for your children's safety you would need to use 100% organic lawn fertilizer and amendments. As for staking the tree I don't know what's right but I read that staking trees weakens the root system because roots need the wind to sway the tree in order to grow strong.

I'm actually planning to stake some thuja rheingold shrubs because they keep tipping over. I waited for them to straighten out but they keep getting worse. The tree you have looks nice but if you want another the Purple Orchid Tree grows well in your region. It requires regular watering but here's a list of drought tolerant trees:

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/quickref/trees/droughttolerant.html

Nancy Groutsis

Research the plants.

California's central valley gets it rain in the winter. No rain in the summer, and 100*F days.
Things like Dianthus, most Clematis and Hydrangea are not drought tolerant under those conditions.

Look into plants that are native to Mediterranean climates such as California (but the right areas, not the mild north coastal zones), South Africa, certain parts of Australia, Chile and of course the Mediterranean itself.
These plants can be very showy, fragrant and lush looking without the water demands of many plants that came from wet summer areas.

For example, the Spanish Lavender (L. stoeches), many Phlomis, Buckwheat (Eriogonum) and Cistus (rock rose) are high on my list of plants that thrive with less summer water, and still can look really nice. Ornamental grasses can work, too. Especially look into some native Sedges like Carex testacea, and the native bunch grass Festuca californica 'Serpentine Blue'. Larger shrubs like Leonotis leonuris, Leptospermum and Cistus are good background plants. The cultivated forms of Rhamnus such as R. californica 'Eve Case' take a little more water than the original species, but are still a lot better than most of the plants used where summer water is available.
It won't be an English Cottage Garden, but a California Cottage Garden.
Achillea, Coreopsis, Lupinus, native Penstemon, Catmints, Thyme, and many more are good perennials for such a setting.

For dry part shade look into Mahonia, Nandina, Euonymus fortunei, Coprosma, or Arctostaphyllos. Some of these are more drought tolerant than others. The native Ribes, Rhamnus and Arctostaphyllos are good with no summer water.

Plant the most thirsty plants next to the lawn where the sprinkler over spray will help.
Lay out the lawn in a pattern that the sprinklers will cover with the least waste. This is squares, rectangles. Then take a sort of bite out of the edge of the lawn and plant thirsty flowers in there.
Here is a VERY simplified concept. Obviously you would want a much nicer layout, but the concept is valid.

Diana, yes hydrangeas, clematis, and dianthus require regular watering, but I had recommended to Wifeygirl that she get a drip irrigation system. A store-bought system for the front yard would cost about $40 and a timer would probably cost $60, so for not much money the plants can be watered automatically. That's a great idea for dry climates because the plants get the same amount of water every week during the summer when there is little or no rain, but here in MA summer weather is unpredictable so I plan on manually turning on the water. Perhaps you know better than I but unless the city bans garden watering due to the drought in CA I assume all the plants I recommended will have plenty of water from the irrigation system.

This has nothing to do with anything but do you like the attached portrait of Star my new rabbit? My rabbits provide almost all my fertilizer nowadays, and all my plants like it except my Quickfire hydrangea transplant. - Nancy Groutsis

Wifeygirl, the following news story says most California districts haven't decided yet if they're going to set water restrictions for gardeners:

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_25369146/tale-two-drought-impacts-landscapers-gardeners-prepare-challenging

I recommend you check with your municipal water department to see if they're going to ban garden watering in your neighborhood. The design of your garden depends on the water supply and it would be sad if you bought hundreds of dollars of plants and spent hours planting a new garden and then it all dies. Personally, I've never dealt with a total ban on gardening irrigation but sometimes here in MA they tell us to limit watering to certain hours of the day. If they do a ban at least there won't be much weeding!

Nancy Groutsis

Drip irrigation is a great idea when it is done right.
But it does not make the air any cooler or more humid. Some plants (especially shade plants) do not deal well with the hot, dry summer weather.
They evolved in a mild, humid forest floor setting.

Hydrangea, planted on the north side of a building, where only some of the mildest morning sun can get to it can be a good plant, but it still demands a lot of water.
I have even seen one growing against a south-east wall, where it got sun later in the day. It was next to a lawn, so shared the lawn water and benefited from the evapotranspiration of the lawn.

I stand by my suggestion to use more drought tolerant plants. While weather conditions are changing, I do not see a permanent end to water rationing for a long time. Planting a non-thirsty landscape and watering it in the most water-efficient way possible is really the best way to go.

The latest I have heard is not so much about this summer, but in the winter (2014-2015) we might get abnormally high amounts of water. El Nino conditions seem to be building up out in the Pacific.

Diana, yes I heard about El Nino possibly providing much needed water for Californians, however, it's not certain. If I was living in CA and had a garden like Wifeygirl's the first thing I would do would be to remove the grass permanently because it doesn't have deep roots and needs frequent watering especially in a hot dry climate such as Fresno. I would also have to do some experimenting to see what thrives in the garden microclimate. When I first started gardening 90% of my plants died the first season, but after a few years I learned to be very cautious and now I usually don't get a plant unless it thrives in a hardiness zone one level cooler and one level hotter than my zone; so since I'm in zone 5 the plant must do well in zones 4-6.

I'm a very conservative gardener and overwhelmingly prefer healthy plain green plants rather than fancy colors and rarity. Our garden is mostly heavily shaded so it really pains me that I can't get 99% of available plants, but I have had to discipline myself and deny my desire for the nice plants that I read about here. - Nancy Groutsis

DoGooder - Love the suggestion about choosing plants that survive one zone above and below mine. Great idea! Also, based on your suggestion I've looked into whether our water district has decided on limitations for garden watering. It doesn't look like restrictions have been put in place yet, but back in 2010 they limited watering to certain days of the week and hours of the day. I wouldn't be surprised if they did that again. If they do end up limiting garden watering, I'm going to use the 'grey water' idea in earnest (check out our conversation in the California Gardening forum on what to do about watering during the drought http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1356100/).

Diana - Thanks for the suggestion about drought-resistant plants. I've looked into California natives and Mediterranean plants like you suggested, and there are a lot of great ones that I like, so I'm definitely going to include those. I guess I don't care about the specific English Cottage garden plants - when I say that I mean I love the slightly overgrown, crowded garden with tons of flowers. Maybe there's another term that I'm unfamiliar with?

WeeNell - I definitely spend a lot of time cruising our neighborhoods looking and plants and getting ideas. I've knocked on a fair number of doors too, asking people for cuttings/volunteers. Gardeners are so nice, I've never had one say no! I also really appreciate the suggestion to make sure to do the hardscape first. As a result, I spent my next bit of money on the stepping stones to soften the path rather than new plants. That way that aspect of the hardscape is in place first.

Wifeygirl, I'm so glad Fresno hasn't banned citizens from garden watering. Thanks for the link! My mother lives in zone 10 Greece which is similar to your climate, and I'm always trying to find ways to help her with her garden so I found the thread interesting. I gave her a catmint last autumn that she says is growing well.

Nancy Groutsis

You can have a densely planted garden with lots of color, even in a dry location, just have to select the right plants.

Yes, get the overall layout right, and do the hardscape first.

I agree with Diana, it's not just English Cottage gardens that give you that overgrown crowded garden effect, intentionally planted that way BUT, any plants that are chosen to enhance it's neighbour, support a taller one behind it or even selecting the right leaf textures and coloured leaves are great, the more plants you get growing together, the less space for weeds to germinate.
One word of warning about digging up the lawn, I would NOT do that all in one go, the lawn can be watered at night, if long established it will withstand less water than newer type of lawns, it also helps shows the plants off to their best advantage, it gives a look of space from inside the house while looking out windows AND it's such a vast area to fill with plants for anyone STARTING out at gardening, believe me, there is nothing put's off new gardeners than clearing a vast area, ending up with BROWN soil, then trying to fill that space with plants be it annuals, shrubs, Perennials or whatever, plus it takes a while to learn all about the plants, their problems as they become aware of them and so overwhelming.
IF you need to get rid of the lawn, draw up that PLAN, then remove the turf According to plan, just say a few feet width each season, replant after prep of soil.
Once you remove the lawn, IF the weather becomes unsuitable for planting, (too hot, too cold, lack of water or whatever) believe me, those weeds will survive once they germinate on your nice newly prepared BARE lawn area, you have defeated the purpose of removing the lawn as you need to spend even more time weeding, watering new plants and trying to fill the space before the weeds do.

Hope this gives a different view point and you can slow the whole garden planning down to suit your new found capabilities, cash flow and most importantly, the time you have to spend caring for the new garden.
After several years you will be more able to understand how plants react to different conditions fromt they are meant to grow in, there's only so much change we can expect or alter from nature, we can try mimic the right conditions BUT, Clematis will NOT grow in blistering heat and no water at the roots and neither will lot's of other plants you want to attempt, better stick to plants that are naturally able to grow in your environment as loosing plants as fast as you can pronounce their names is an expensive way to loose pleasure from the new found gardening hobby you seem truly keen to learn.
I think it's fare to say that Diana has probably got the most knowledge due to her education and work in horticulture especially when talking about zones and climate in your area, so maybe the "older the fiddle, the better the tune" as my old Granny would say is an apt expression that fit's the bill here.

Take your time, a garden was NEVER built in a weekend, it evolves and ages along with the owner unless your a Lotto winner and can throw money away.
Good luck and Kindest Regards.
WeeNel.

Best book about gardening in the western US is Sunset Western Garden Book.
Tons of information about the climates, and it breaks down the USDA zones into finer microclimates for better ideas about which plants will survive in which areas.

Which way does this yard face?
Most of the yard will be in full sun no matter which way it faces, but near the house will be a different sort of zone depending on which way it faces.

Thanks, WeeNeel and Diana!

Diana, my birthday's coming up. I'll add that Sunset Western Garden Book to the top of my gift list! The home faces West. I have noticed that right by the garage has been shadier so far, but I haven't lived through a summer here to see if even that area is blistering during the summer months.

Do you have recommendations about the tree? It is getting ever more top heavy, but the more I learn about staking, the more I'm concerned that it is not getting the ability to sway it needs in order to cause trunk and root development. Now that I'm in this predicament I don't know what to do to strengthen it. Do I cut back the top growth and move the stake down to 2/3 the height of the tree? Or do I just tear it out and try again?

WeeNeel, thanks for your caution regarding the lawn. We are leaving it at this point, but may replace it with Ecolawn in the Fall. My hubby is a big fan of broad swaths of grass, so there's no way he'd let me take it out completely. (He has dreamed before of buying a country home on acres and turning it all into one big lawn - silly guy.) I do want to gradually cut away parts of the lawn as I get the open space planted, but right now (as you said) I've got my hands full filling up the open dirt I've already got. My first step, once the rest of the garden is well on its way, will be to cut a three-foot planting strip by the sidewalk.

I appreciate everyone's comments that a garden isn't built in a day. Thankfully this is our forever home so I can start taking a more long-term view of the garden and plant selections.

In this area (including Fresno) that narrow strip by the garage is going to be the most difficult to deal with.
Most of the year it will be in shade, not enough sun for good growth of plants that thrive in the sun.
But for a few months the sun is closer to being straight overhead, and sets farther north. This brings the sun glaring down into this bed from about May to August, and the heat is especially bad through the summer. May is usually mild enough, though there are a few hot days, but plants can really get cooked in June, July and August, and many years into September the temperatures are high, though the sun is a bit lower. Still, the wall collects the heat and it can be a problem.

Suggest plant that can:
a) thrive in the shade most of the year.
b) tolerate the blasting heat of the summer sun.

Answer: Give up!
Plant a tree closer to the walkway that will shade the house, shade that planter area and make the whole project a lot easier to work with. You can also use this as a way to reduce some of the lawn area. Cut out a circle (well, whatever shape you want) around the tree and plant some flowers or something around it. The first few years the tree will be small, so full sun flowers will be good. As the tree casts more shade the house will be a bit cooler in the summer, and the lawn will not thrive in the shade of the tree, so that planting area around the tree can get larger... and larger...
Make sure to deep irrigate the tree so the roots grow down, and stay out of the upper area of the soil where the smaller plants will be growing.

What to do with the current tree:

Question: What is the species?
I think I would thin it out a bit so it is not top heavy, not have so much bulk that might present so much resistance to the wind. Not head it back (that is, shorten the branches) too much, but rather selectively remove some so there is more space between them.

How to stake:

Thank you so much, Diana!! I really appreciate this great advice!! And now I understand how the staking can work with the sway. It's counter-intuitive to stake it perpendicular to the place where the most wind is coming from, but now it makes sense.

I still don't know the species. I still need to get a pic for the Plant ID forum to see if I can find out.

You're so right about shade lovers liking that spot now, but my ferns are already starting to get a little crispy in places, so a change is in order. =/ I'll start incorporating a shade tree into my plan so that the bed can be more consistent all year.

I'm wondering about the feasibility of having plants in pots in that extreme area, then pulling them inside in the summer, the opposite of what most of us need to do.

Containers could work, or simply changing out the plants through the year.
When the hottest days are coming plant Cathranthus, Petunia and other heat loving plants. Don't know how they will do with such a short day of sun, but they will handle that intense, reflected heat off the wall.
Might have to try several plants until you find the right ones. Perhaps half a dozen species this year, half a dozen more next year... for 3-4 trials. By then a well chosen tree might start to help moderate the conditions.

personally, i think your house is very unique however i don't believe the style of your house really fits the style of a cottage garden. how do you plan on using your front landscape? will you be "living" in it or just admiring it as you enter and exit the home? does the structure face NW? what direction do you most enter the landscape by auto? the windows in the front, are they often used to look out of? what is your view across the street? do you plan on living in this space for how long? will you be entertaining a lot? if so, is the street used for parking for guests? do you have kids or will there be children playing in the front landscape? do you have pets that will use the front landscape? it's somewhat difficult giving design advice without actual landscape dimensions and knowing how you're wanting to use the space. not that you need to respond, but it's definitely best to think these things out. research the plant life native to your area or the plants you're interested in, then draw out a plan, and follow the plan. nothing fancy, just so you have some direction. go to your local garden centers/nurseries and find plants you like and put them together. as you know, most 'local' businesses carry plants geared for you zone. anyway, see how the colors, form and textures of those plants look together. i would definitely love to throw out some ideas but i would need more info before i felt confident in giving advice concerning your landscape. i hope this helps.

Hi Shaded -
I totally know what you mean, that the style of my home does not fit cottage garden. What is the style of my house? Is there a specific name for it? Is it modern?

Here is my problem. I know it's not a cottage, and that it'd probably look most pulled together with some sort of spare, clean, Japanese garden look. But that's just not ME, you know? I love cottage gardening, and the wild abundance of it. However, if I can make minor changes to the home itself or the garden plan that will help this home fit or blend with that type of landscape more, I'll definitely consider them.

My mom commented on a visit that what they neglected on this house was a porch that went all the way across the front. If we were to add that, would that make it work better?

Here are a few answers to your questions:
- Faces West
- We have 4 kids, and one cat.
- The front will need to be both decorative and functional, as we have a nice quiet street that has tons of kids playing at all times, and riding bikes. The one thing I will want is a place to sit and watch the kids riding bikes on the street.
- I have big plans for the backyard (images below) including play structure/swings/pergola/fountain so I imagine we will use the back for entertaining more than the front. As you can see, I have much more distinct plans for the back than I do for the front.
- The view across the street is more houses. They are all much more beautifully/conventionally designed. The house sticks out like a sore thumb - the neighbors called it "The Fortress." I've added another pic for some better perspective, and a pic of the backyard as well.
- We do not look out the front windows very often. It's the formal dining room, which we use at dinnertime only.
- It is our forever home and our blessing given to us from God. We love it. =)

Thank you for engaging with me on this. I'll be interested to hear any and all recommendations.

The house has no particular style. It is simply suburban. You can do anything with the garden and make it work.

I am more concerned that you want little or no lawn and your husband wants all lawn.

Lawn is the best surface for the kids to play on, takes the most traffic, soft when they fall and so on.
Also, the evaporation of water from the lawn is acting like a swamp cooler, moderating the temperature around the house.

Think about the questions asked by ShadedHeart.

1) Access across the property from street parking can be very useful when you have guests, or if that is the direction to the bus stop for the kids to go to school. I would park one car on the street, as if it was a guest, and walk around it and place the beginning of the walkway there. Nominally 15-20' from the driveway. Most cars are about that long (pick up truck is 20'). An apron that is from 15-20; from the driveway is 5' wide, so visitors can enter it from several directions. Then narrow it down to 3'. If you need any steps make one or two where it narrows.

2) If you plant a cottage garden you will need paths to take care of the flowers, so make at least one a fairly straight path, and a good surface for use in the winter.

3) Starting from point 1) I would add generous flower beds along both sides of the path. Leave the rest lawn (for now!).

Other than that, I would still add a tree or two to give the house some shade, especially since it faces west. That hot afternoon sun makes it almost impossible to be out there at all.

Hi Diana, WeeNel, DoGooder!
I just wanted to thank you again for all of your advice above. So far I haven't had the money to make any of the changes we've talked about, so I haven't updated here. Basically I've planted tons of flowers from $30 worth of seed and it looks much prettier, but the actual design issues aren't really addressed. The next step for my garden is going to be to plant the larger, more foundational plants that will give it all-season interest, and I'll admit that I'm a bit intimidated by that.

(My pics of where I'm at so far are in my thread in the Cottage Gardens forum "Bare Dirt to Cottage Garden (in Pictures)." http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1370552/

A couple of the trees/bushes I'd like to add over time, just because I love them, and I have seen from neighbors that they can thrive here:
- Purple Potato Tree
- Ginko (male)
- Japanese Maple (bright orange/red fall leaves preferably)
- Chinese Pistache
- Fragrant Tea Olive (I haven't seen one of these here, but I don't really know what it looks like. I'd love to add it for the smell.)

I'd also like to choose some of the drought tolerant plants on DoGooders list above. But like you've said many times, it's not going to happen in a day. =)

- Purple Potato Tree- Solanum rantonetii- Big, arching shrub, can be a bit invasive in wetter soil. In very dry conditions, but milder, mine reaches 15' x 10' in about 2 years, and about every 5 years I get tired of it and give it a crew cut to about 12". Grows so fast, just buy a 1 gallon.
- Ginko (male)- some varieties to choose from, too. Average garden water. Slow growing. worth investing in a larger plant.
- Japanese Maple (bright orange/red fall leaves preferably)- In your location, I would plant this in the back yard- morning sun, or on the north. The hot afternoon sun toasts these even here, where it is milder. Look into the variety Sangu Kaku (coral bark) very showy even when it has no leaves. Most of the Japanese Maples tend to be expensive, so shop around, not for price, but for a well shaped tree, no matter what size can it is in. Go shopping for a Japanese Maple in the fall so you can see the fall colors. Be ready to buy (and pay for!) a larger tree if you see a nice one, but also be ready to get a smaller one if the right one comes along. Then be patient! They do grow!
- Chinese Pistache- Very good choice for hot, dry climate. They get off to a slow start, then grow at a reasonable rate. They look a bit gawky for several years, then one day you wake up and say, "What a NICE tree!". Also available in male and female. Females have showy multicolored fruit. not messy, though. It is dry fruit. Easy to clean up.
- Fragrant Tea Olive- Osmanthus fragrans might need some protection from the hot afternoon sun. At least, do not plant it against the reflected heat of a south or west facing wall. Might be another nice one for the back yard, where you can enjoy the fragrance. Osmanthus fragrans thunbergii is used in making high quality perfume. Enter the botanical name in google or other search, and click on images. Rich, deep green leaves year round, small flowers in clusters, lots of flowers.

Thank you so much for this excellent, helpful advice Diana! I'm planning to do some earnest tree shopping come fall, so that I can see fall show and then give them time to establish themselves before our heat kicks in.

I am trying to decide on which tree I should choose to cast the shade into my weird zone corner out front. Any recommendations for which of these (or another entirely) would be the best choice?

I was wondering, could I see a pic of your Purple Potato Tree in your garden?

Thanks so much!

My Potato vine is just a massive mess of upright stems, growing in a hedgerow sort of setting, that is, mixed with other shrubs of various sizes. Think 'haystack' and that is the right picture.

Of the trees you have listed, the Pistache is the right one for the entry. Could even do a couple of them. One near the walkway, one sort of centered or a bit to the left when you are looking at the house from the street.
If you want something a bit taller, more shade for the house then look into one of the ornamental pears. The newer varieties of Pyrus calleryana are good. Bradford is the old standby, but has some problems that the newer ones avoid.

Look into these others. Look at pictures, but also find some mature ones you can go see locally. Ask at the nurseries if anyone knows where these might be planted. These are not as often grown, but worth seeking out. These will be OK with average garden water, or less. Good drainage is important. You might create some mounds and plant a tree on each mound.
Arbutus Marina (Reliable hybrid with showy bark, nice flowers. Fruit is a bit messy. Does not stain, but it is wet-pulpy.)
Melaleuca linearifolia (Flaxleaf Paperbark- needs a little bit of work to look nice, but when you show off that bark!!!! Lots of fluffy flowers, too)
Albizia julibrissin NAMED VARIETIES! (Umbrella Tree, Mimosa. The straight species is variable, and not always so nice. The named varieties are more reliable. Thrives in heat)
x Chitalpa tashkentensis (a hybrid between Desert Willow and Catalpa- very impressive flowers over a long time- Needs drier conditions than most of the others here)
Crataegus, any (check disease resistance), but especially C. phaenopyrum or C. laevigata 'Paul's Scarlet') (Hawthorns. Showy spring flowers, some have fall color.)
Vitex angus-castus (Chaste Tree- purple or white, VERY impressive as a multi-trunk. Light shade)
Malus (the crabapples- MANY varieties, check disease resistance)
Aesculus x carnea (red to pink flowered Buckeye or Horse Chestnut)

OK, here are some mounds (grey blobs. Plant them, of course!)
With boulders (sorry, paint has so few color choices. You get lavender boulders.)
And a couple of trees.

Wifygirl, thanks for the Cottage Garden link that shows the improvements you've made! Just by looking at the marks in your soil it looks like you have clay soil, so you might want to research plants that do well in clay soil. You've added a lot of color and now "the fortress" has a pleasant home look. Great job!

Nancy G.

Thanks SO MUCH, Nancy! That observation about clay soil is a really helpful one. (Are the marks you're talking about the trenches from rainfall?) I'll look into that.

I've gotten a lot of nice comments about the transformation, so I'm happy with my progress so far. Of course, once fall/winter hits I'll be essentially starting over. But at least it will look like a work in progress...before it kind of looked like the builder ran out of money before putting in landscaping.

Diana - Thank you for this pic! I'm going to show it to hubby and see if I can get him on-board. Maybe if I promise not to touch the lawn in the back... =)

A couple of questions for you. So my idea for the parking strip of dirt over on the far right is to run two lines of pavers up it so that my hubby can still park his car there, then plant pretty ground covers in between them. (I kind of love low groundcovers, so it'll be my "groundcover garden.") Then on the far right, I want to turn that into a planting bed.

1. Would it change things if I added a tree there in the parking strip planter too?

2. How about adding a tree in the space between the houses on the back left? Or, if I can't convince hubby to sacrifice lawn, moving the one on the left back there, or at least into the planting bed. Could that still work? Or would it be better to keep them father away from the house?

3. Even though I do want to add trees, I also like having lots of sun to plant flowers in, so I need to keep that in mind as I plant trees - I don't want to change the front into a shade garden! =)

4. Also, what about Crepe Myrtle? Any insight I need about growing one of the dark pink variety? They are in bloom right now and I'm loving them.

Thank you so much for your help and your eye, I appreciate having other people to bounce this off of. I especially appreciate the mock-ups. My hubby has trouble visualizing, so I think this will help him!

This message was edited Aug 6, 2014 2:17 PM