Need serious help, please!

We bought an old, small house in the country by a lake that we are still rehabbing and it has NO landscaping it looks terrible. So I need advice, please on:

Fast growing inexpensive big bushes (preferably green, white or purple) that can be right next to the house (and wont damage it) because we are trying to hide some really ugly old siding we can't afford to replace yet. To cover all sides of the house (there is only a couple foot overhang, NO GUTTERS YET) we need something that can stand mostly full sun, something that can stand partial shade, and then something that would be almost all to partial shade (entrance).

The best, least expensive wildflower seed - we have 3 acres of nothing and would like some wildflowers.

Inexpensive, large bushes for wind and privacy protection. Mostly full sun, then a section of partial shade.

Ground cover ideas, so the area above the septic lines looks better. Full sun area.

We are zone 5B and our house is green with purple shutters and white trim. So any recommendations would preferably be for white, green or purple flowers. Preferably inexpensive, easy to care for, hearty plants. Preferably that the deer and other wild animals wont eat!

If we can get it landscaped and looking a little better this summer next summer we will do a garden!

Also need ideas about killing a few trees I can't seem to get out that keep growing into the house.

Also any inexpensive ideas to create borders for plants and flowers - we are willing to work hard - have started making cement borders that look decent, didn't know if anyone had any other inexpensive ideas?

Thank you for your help!

mazarbul, I don't know about inexpensive but Prairie Moon Nursery is the top wildflower online store. They have a search function where you can find the best species for your area. To cover the siding of the house a good choice would be evergreens, but they usually grow slowly (i.e. boxwoods for part shade and thujas for full sun). A dwarf quickfire hydrangea is pricey but it provides months of flowers and half a year of coverage. Your best bet might be to go to local nurseries for a deal or transplant plants from your acreage to the front of the house.

As for killing trees, you could try cutting them to the ground then covering them with soil to deter new branches from growing. I have had success with that method. Regarding the borders, stone/cement is a good idea because it won't decompose. Check Craigslist for rocks or pavers. Sometimes there are good deals. Often a person has a rock wall or pile of rocks they don't need anymore and will give the materials away for free.

Nancy G.

I'd suggest you begin by reading through all the great discussions over on the Beginner Landscaping forum here. You also want to check out the Trees & Shrubs forum.

For the wildflowers, inexpensive large containers of mixed seeds are available from many vendors both online and locally at the big box stores. For example: Google American Meadows. They are just scatter sown after a bit of ground prep as long as you keep them well watered until they germinate. They are sort of a wild n' messy appearance but the naturalization look is in right now. :)

For the shade areas consider Hostas or Honeysuckle. Azaleas are nice but not for your zone. Since you already have some foundation invasive issues I'd stay away from the tree-form evergreens until the other issue is resolved. And unfortunately that may require some professional help and equipment. "Growing into the house" how? Size? Any idea of the variety?

Hope this helps.

Dave

Hi marzabul, I can send you some Wildflowers and cone flowers for the sunny areas and some hostas for the shade as soon as they spring up in my garden.Also some cuttings of the Hummingbird vine.Send me a D Mail with your info.

Hi - I have a lot of purple coneflower seeds along with some Black Eyed Susan (and whatever else I collected - I won't be home till after April 1st and this old lady can't remember lol)

You're more than welcome to some - just Dmail me also :)

Less expensive way to buy plants is to get 1 gallon cans instead of 5 gallon cans. Stick with the high quality species and varieties, just start them smaller. They will grow! Do not buy a fast growing weed of a shrub (yes, they are a bit cheaper) only to have to dig it (and all its seedlings) out when you discover how weedy it is.

If you planted 2 of the same plant, one from a 1 gallon and one from a 5 gallon the little one would catch up with the bigger one in just a few years, and in many cases end up growing better.

Take a step back in your planning.

Lay out your house and property on 2 sheets of graph paper.
One is the whole property. (Scale would perhaps be 1/8" = 1')
The other is a close up of the house and the parts of the garden nearest. (scale might be 1/4" = 1')
Scan these and add them to this thread.
Add pictures taken from fairly far back, and on all sides, so we can see the whole house.

Include things that will stay, like trees, patio, walkway, driveway, and windows on the house. If there is a nice view, then indicate that. If there are neighbor's trees near enough to be considered, note these, too.

Post these without any plants, yet. Get some input from the members and use whatever ideas seem right to you.

Then get a circle template and start laying out plants. In a big area you might use 6'-8' diameter circles for a pretty big shrubs. In smaller areas 4'-5' circles are mid-sized shrubs. Smaller than that would be circles from 3' diameter on down. These are small shrubs and perennials.
Many times a plant will get roughly as high as it gets wide. Think about that while you are placing plants near the house. With a lot of room it might be better to move the plants away from the house so they are not growing too close. Especially if you do not like the siding, and can anticipate replacing it in a few years.
The smallest trees might be represented by a 12' diameter circle, but most small trees are more like 16-20' diameter. Note where the trunk is with a little circle.

For the areas away from the house try some irrigation wholesalers like Ewing Irrigation (I am not sure if they are that far east) and ask about wildflower seeds. Is there already grass of some sort growing in the open areas? If not, then you might ask about some kind of 'meadow' blend. This might be 50% grass and the rest a mix of seeds, including some legumes to add nitrogen to the soil for the other plants to use.

Gallatin is north of Kansas City, Mo, a lot of whiterock limestone hills there...prairie areas as well. Are you in the city? Cold winters with snow there south of Iowa...
Legumes like crimson clover are pretty and benefit the ground, gone by July, deer, turkey, and pheasant are definitely your neighbors, tho. Cedars live well in the limestone, it takes wind sheltered areas for some of the summer bushes to thrive tho. Your wildflower season is about to start here very soon and milkweeds like syriacus do great there as well...

Idea to cover the siding- hang some cheap plastic netting on the side of the house, and buy a packet of climbing nasturtium seeds. Just plant them by the netting and this year the ugly siding problem is solved. Then you have time to think about it. Nasturtiums are annuals (only live one year), so next year you can repeat the process if needed. Make sure you get climbing nasturtiums, they come in several colors or color mixes, and some have different colored leaves.

Similar to the Nasturtium idea:
Other climbing, annual vines:
Sweet Peas, Scarlet Runner Beans, Edible peas and beans, Black Eyed Susan Vine.
As noted by Pistil, make sure they are all the climbing types, not bush types.