What do you visualize here???

Beautiful Rikerbear - It's what I mean. I'm wondering though if hugahosta is looking for something more formal? Maybe (in the long run) plant a huge tree, then put some evergreens around it bury hostas to your heart's content. You sound like you love a shade garden hugahosta and I'm not seeing much shade there!

Mine was the first house in this subdivision 14 years ago. I was lucky enough to get TWO electrical boxes & assorted cables thingies in 2 corners of my back yard. We are not allowed to plant any bushes or trees right on top of the things so workman can still access them.

I put lilac bushes as a screen in front of one set with an area back there to use for experimental plants or as a nursery. I planted Butterfly bushes flanking the other set. The bushes are brittle and go dormant each winter, but hide the stuff well enough. I've used both sets of bushes as backdrops for other beds.

In some of our newer neighborhoods, the boxes are in the front yards right by the sidewalks! We need someone to design a big hollow fiberglass "rock" to
hide them.UGLY!

You got it, Wandas...mine is right by the sidewalk in the front yard! YIKES! Really like the pic you sent, Marc. I'm thinking grasses are definitely in. Then maybe just fill in and spruce up with perennials. If I choose the right plants, I can have good year round interest except for right after cutback. Not looking for formal. I'm really trying to keep the gardens very informal and welcoming. We'll eventually be painting the brick front of the house off-white with drk green shutters. Can you make these subdivision houses look cottage-y? :) lol. A little gingerbread, pretty screen door. I want people to feel relaxed & welcome. So, grasses & perennials so far. Thanks everyone! Feel free to keep ideas comin'. :) Hugs

Time for you to start watching "Curb Appeal" on HGTV.

Honey, where do you think I got these ideas? lol. just kidding :)

Jacci, I'm glad you liked the pic....I did a Google image search under 'BERM and finally found one that looked close to what I was describing. I would use some dwarf Pampas (rarely needs cutting back....just thinning every few years) mixed in with various perennials, shrubs, etc......could be just awesome looking.

Thanks, again, Marc. I think I'm going to get around to screening this eyesore in the Spring. Hopefully. I'm planning on doing the front yard beds then and might as well spend a little more moola while I'm on a roll! :) If it gets planted then, I'll hafta post a pic for ya'll to see. Starting a post now in General Discussion for small talk now. C'mon over!

My next door neighbors have a fire hydrant right in the middle of the sidewalk in front of their house. I don't mean at the curb.....truly right smack dab in the middle of the side walk! Yet the HOA sends me a citation when my tree limb hangs over the sidewalk (even though you would have to be at least 6 and half feet tall to even think about having to duck...LOL.....just shaking my head.

I have a love/hate with HOAs. They were all over us after Isabel took off some shingles, but then again they provide the pool. Give and take, right? :)

Hi! Yes, there sure are benefits to an HOA. My neighbor kept an ugly aluminium trailer and a metal shed on our mutual lot lines. When he finally got around to a fence, he wanted me to pay half. Which might be OK but I paid for the rest of the fence between the properties earlier. (before his trailer etc.) I never argue with neighbors though. Not worth it. the one with the trailer was a doctor at the hospital and there was another doctor in the same department living across the street. You couldn't invite them to the same party. Then, the doctor family across the street wasn't speaking to the people next door to them. Remember, everyone in our neighborhood work at the same place, although it might be a different department.

How can so many people with PHd.s be so insane?

Maybe all those years in school made them insane ;)

And maybe only insane people would stay in school that long?

I have a joke about Stanford Professors:

When you tell something to a Stanford Professor he/she will either tell you that they already knew that............

or that you're wrong.

Since I'm married to one, and know a lot of them, I get to say this from experience - it's an exaggeration, but not too far from the truth.

lol :)