Landscaping help for first time homeowner

Hi Everyone,

My husband and I bought our first house a year ago and are slowly trying to update things - one of those being our landscaping. Last year we had to sod the entire yard and we put edging around the flower bed and tree. I also added some flowers around the tree. I would really like to get rid of all the shrubs in the picture and start fresh. We were thinking of putting a purple leaf plum near the left side of the house (you can't tell but the flower bed curves around at the end) and maybe some boxwood shrubs in front of the window. On that note, I've heard that you're never supposed to put a tree close to your house because it could cause foundation problems so I might just try to find a tall shrub - any ideas?

Does anyone have any ideas as to what to put in the flower bed? Also, I want to get rid of the shrub next to the front door, what should I put there if I remove it?

Some info:

1. We have edging around the existing flower bed and tree (it's a flow-y design)
2. I really like trees and shrubs to look "organic" and "flow-y" instead of pruned and perfect.
3. Our yard gets full sun (faces south) and we live in zone 8 (North Texas) so we need plants that are drought tolerant
4. There's probably about 5 or 6 feet on the end of the flower bed where we want to plant the purple plum. I was also thinking about possibly extending the flower bed so it wouldn't be so close to the house.
5. I would estimate that the flower bed is probably about 3-4 feet deep and we installed green metal edging.

Thanks in advance for your help!! Any ideas are GREATLY appreciated!!

glb0078, your yard looks neat and attractive but I understand that you want to add some pizzaz. I was going to recommend getting some knockout roses, but as I searched for a set of pictures to post I saw this article that says the rose rosette disease is beginning to be a major problem for roses. I was going to plant four shrubs this spring, but now I'm having second thoughts.

http://thedailysouth.southernliving.com/2013/04/21/is-knockout-rose-down-for-the-count/

Your town gets 33 inches of rain per year, and your zone 8 climate is mild so you have a lot of options. I strongly recommend adding an above-ground drip irrigation system. They are about $40 but are an excellent way to water plants because you don't have to haul the hose around and the water goes directly to the soil and conserves the water supply.

For the shady gardens next to the house and beneath the tree you might want to get hostas. For the full-sun area perhaps blue festuca grass. Or for brighter colors you might like the chameleon plant:

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2164/#b

Nancy G.

glb0078, the chameleon plant is aggressive so you might want to plant coneflower or lily turf instead.

N.G.

See the trees on the right of the garage? (pic. 2) This is what happens when you plant the wrong plant in the wrong spot. This is s narrow planter, no room for trees, and there are 4 (or more?) in there! I would definitely remove these and plant something much smaller. Not much wider than the planter area, so the walkway stays open.

Flowering plum: Gets too big for a bed only 3-4' wide. If you plant it about half way between the houses, that would fit, but would your neighbor be OK with it? Other place would be much closer to the street, and more inside your property line.
Alternatives (also too big to go that close to the house): Flowering Cherry, Crataegus phaenopyrum (Washington thorn), Crabapple (get local advise- some get certain diseases that may be rampant in your area),
OK next to the house, against that blank wall- Is this western exposure? sun in the afternoon, and hot sun reflected off the wall?
Rhaphiolepis 'Majestic Beauty' can be trained as a small tree. Plant at least 5' from the house.
Lavatera- several species and varieties. Large shrubs. Plant at least 5' from house.
Also, look at the next list (slightly smaller shrubs) some of these have larger varieties that would do well here.

Remove shrubs by house- OK
Want more color/interest/natural- OK
Suggest boxwood? Huh? What more boring, plain plant could there be?

Check your zone for these plants (I am a bit milder, zone 9)
Also, look at the maximum size. Sometimes it is hard to see in pictures how big (or small) an area is, so you need to be the judge and not plant something too large. The larger sized varieties might work in the larger area on the west side of the house.
How about:
Escallonia Compacta (deep green leaves, pink flowers off and on through the warm season.
Abelia (any of the variegated ones that stay smaller) Leaf color is interesting year round. It does flower, but the flowers are lost among the leaves.
Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald 'n' Gold: No flowers, but showy leaves.
Gardenia augusta 'Veitchii'- Tropical lush fragrance (especially nice near the front door)
Viburnum- check locally for the best variety. Something like Spring Bouquet is fragrant, blooms early. Watch the sizes- some get larger, and would be better in a larger spot.
Coleonema pulchrum- light, airy, waves in the breeze, and they are fragrant if you brush up against it.
Hypericum 'Hidcote', 'Tricolor' and others. Different sized shrubs, most with showy yellow flowers.
Coprosma- there are a lot of newer varieties coming out all the time. Many leaf colors, and very glossy leaves. Kari Red, Evening Glow, Rainbow Surprize, Lemon Lime, Marble Queen and MANY more- but research the sizes.
Phormium- New Zealand Flax species and hybrids- many sizes from a foot high to 8'+, so double check sizes. MANY colors- often 2-tone or more.

Smaller, add in between or in front of the shrubs for more color:
Hemerocallis- Day lilies- all the warm shades you could want.
Ajuga reptans- many varieties with leaf color (crisp green to bronze or variegated) and blue-purple flowers. Spreads between the shrubs covering the ground.
Iberis sempervirens- A burst of white in the early spring (best out of the hottest afternoon sun)
Liriope (lily turf-suggested above) is good in part shade.