What does your front yard look like?

Here is my boring yard, per the previous owners. I quite enjoy the permanent landscape beds. Enjoy the idea of a sprinkler system that it has (though don't quite imagine when in Houston I could use it, LOL). Planning to do a major overhaul over the course of a few years to include all new plants (so needs flowers in there please!), removing a magnolia (to close to the other tree), repainting the front door and getting new paneled shutters in another color.

I'm needing ideas for colors and layout so if you are willing to post a picture of your front yard I'd love to see what you've done with your place!

This message was edited Aug 13, 2007 2:37 PM

Shot of that magnolia.

Ah yes, forgot, sidewalk needs overhauling to. For a formal home this sidewalk does not fit....have no idea why it was installed all wavy and not even nicely done IMO. The construction crew must have been having fun that day. LOL.



This message was edited Aug 20, 2007 9:40 AM

Congratulations on your beautiful home, it looks great, some flowers will cheer it up a lot, what color do you want the shutters and door to be?

Thank-you Frost but it's really not about my show and tell, I need ideas desperately (ie colors, etc). I'm leaning towards a red door, white door trim, black paneled shutters.

I have a landscape question you can see in my pics...what are those sculpted bush things by the door called? Topiaries???? And what could be the cause of the one on the left (pictures left) be so nice and dense and the one on the right is sparse? How can I fix this? Those are about the only plants I'll be keeping.

I think your topiaries are ligustrum's. Can't say which variety yet. They're every builders dream around the Houston area because they're cheap and they fill in quickly but they're also every gardener's nightmare. In a few years, you will have such a root system in your beds surrounding them that you will forever be battling the planting of anything else. I waited 10 years to get rid of mine and I'm still battling the roots when I want to plant something new. They will deplete your soil of nutrients. You will have to raise those beds and constantly be adding soil and compost for years to come if you want anything else to grow alongside them. On the upside, they're evergreen.

I hate to sound so down about them but really, the experience isn't normally pleasant unless you want your yard to look like everyone else's in the neighborhood.

Have you driven around and looked at other homes in your area? You can soften the contrast between the home and the yard just by using plants and still keep it formalish. Color would be really good with those black shutters and dark windows. Maybe a few flowering trees with some variations in the color of the foliage as well. Purples and silvers would look really pretty, if you choose to go with the dark shutters and a dark door.

You have a great blank slate to play with! I'm envious!

I'm looking at the picture again.

I like your idea of straightening the sidewalk. That'll add some formality to it. I'd do a planting along either side of the sidewalk also. Small shrubs.....dwarf azaleas. If I were you (and this is just an opinion), I'd definitely get rid of the sago palms.....they fit with a stucco/mediterranean type home, not yours. I'd add a few stately shrubs in that bed that would bring color. A few tall growing conifers in between the windows....oh, what are those tall skinny ones called?... and lower growing shrubs between those (oakleaf hydrangea?) and even lower growing in front of those. I'd also add some 'stately' small growing trees to the yard (something you would have to train but would be beautiful would be a Vitex). I'd do plantings of caladiums and various lilys around your bigger trees. Simple plantings look formal. Camelias would also be pretty in front of your house for the tall effect but they take soooooo long to grow. Sure would be pretty in flower during the winter though.

Just my thoughts...can't sleep so what better fun to have than to play with your yard.

LOL knolan

I am so sad. 106 views and no one to share pics with me. :(

TNN - I'll take pictures later (after I trim the jungle) and post. We were on vacation and everything is soooo overgrown.

I dont do anything much in ft. Everything is abouit in the back due to land deed issues. So ft is grass and a few baby trees. Simple one story white brick home with dark brown trim. There are just a few Iris and Brugs out there with the baby trees. If I lived in Houston I would have a lot more Brugs.

Tir, it breaks my heart to think of that magnolia going. Are you sure you want to do that? What type is it, do you know? Some don't get too big at all.

Your house looks great!!

Is the front of the house south/north facing? What kind of sun conditions are you getting in the front yard?

Overall, the plants look really healthy. Sort of a mix and mash with the palms/magnolia/generic landscaping. I can see why the previous home owners did this.....mass appeal for selling the house

There is something French/New Orleans about the house. I really like the front door. Depending on your taste you could go across the board deep south with the magnolias, camellias, azaleas, etc.

Personally I would want something climbing on both sides of the front door instead of the lollipops (I have those too----for now)---Maybe a climbing rose/clematis combo on both sides of the front door.

O.K. here is mine, as you can see my front yard is dominated by my beautiful Arizona ash which i planted myself 38 years ago. I love that tree, but my front landscape is very conventional.

I like my back yard even better, they are all my babies.

I think most of us keep the ft. basic and in the back we play.

YES!!!! Nothing like Dave's Gardeners to the rescue to save my thread. :) Thank-you all.

Magnolialover, of course you would object! *Blushing* It's not that I abhore magnolia's but I'd much prefer a country property for them to grow on (roomier). This one really isn't worth keeping not just due to it's location (under the sweetgum) but if you can tell in the pic it veers into 2 trunks at the base! This would only add to it's troubles later as you'd have to cable the trunks to support the upper weight.

And plus since I have room to crowd in 2 more trees (median in front of home not viewable in pics) I'd love to have some red maples. NO ONE else in the neighborhood seems to have a maple?! The dominate trees here are: PINE, SWEETGUM, CHINESE SOMETHING (forget now), MYRTLE, MAGNOLIA, OAK.

Collin, thank-you! I really didn't mean to fish for compliments but oh thank-you. :) LOL @ lollipops. Yep--knolan has convinced me to pot those. I was thinking, yeah it does need something taller by the door then! But...what??? Hmmmmm.

Frostweed: thank-you for posting a picture! You are right---your backyard is a paradise!




This message was edited Aug 20, 2007 9:42 AM

I always wonder how you Texans feel when a northerner jumps into your forum. Hopefully, I am not intruding ;)
Maybe you have magnolias everywhere and they are a dime a dozen. For us, they are fewer, and certainly precious. I understand, Tir, about your double trunk dilemma, but please don't rule out my dear magnolias in your beautiful landscape. There are sooooo many different types to choose from and you could get a very unique flowering one, like say this one...
http://www.songsparrow.com/2007new/plantdetails.cfm?ID=545&type=Woody%20Plants&pagetype=plantdetails

magnolia,

I am so used to talking with you I neglected to note where you are from! I'm from Michigan so I certainly understand they are rare up there. If I miss them I can always look around me. :)

Visit ANYTIME!

I hope things are going well for you, Tir. I run into you on threads every so often and I always think of you and your sweet wee one ;) I hope life is treating you well.

I am so glad you understand where I came from, with the lack of magnolias. Well, not in my yard anyway ;)

My poor 3 year old magnolia died from all the rains. Sniff, sniff. I have to get another one.

Do you need help picking one out?? Lol!

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/752164/ is a great thread for how they look in full bloom.. all colors of yellow, pink, white, orange, and even a few reds... they dont like cold but I have left mine here near Dallas out all last winter with no issues. They die down in a great freeze but come back great and like wet. Look over there - and if you ask you can get free cuttings over there for postage (that is how I got started) I just have a white one - all I want ever is one for out there but I would love a Dr Suses. ... oh well. They are not native but they are very nice.

I have bad luck with magnolias here... never make it for me never..

I've got one you can have for free. LOL. ;)

Collin, forgot to answer your questions! My house faces west. As for sun in the front...it's nicely shaded but the 2 trees are not dense at all so there is ability for grass to grow in the entire front. The front door and landscape beds that are permanent are full sun by noon or sooner until early evening. The medians in front (not shown in pics) are also full sun.

Still waiting on some of you to showcase your front yards.



This message was edited Aug 20, 2007 9:45 AM

KO's do have small, but sharp thorns. This can help for security. They grow pretty darn fast too.

collin,

are there any KO's you know of that don't grow taller than 4'? of course I could prune back anytime right?

I have pink, blush, and red knockouts. By the third year, they reach four+ feet. I have seen some red knockouts get 6.5 feet. However, they don't mind aggressive pruning or even shearing. They can be treated just like foundation plants and sheared with electric or gas powered clippers. For carefree, low growing roses take a look at the carpet rose series. Will post some links with my next post.

red carpet rose http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/57956/

white carpet rose http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/945/

The fairy is another small, disease resistant variety http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2863/

The carefree series is also very Bspot resistant--about the same size as KOs.
Katy Rose Pink (carefree beauty) http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/64543/

I read somewhere that thorniness and Bspot resistance have a close genetic association. Bspot will be an issue in Houston, so if choosing roses, selecting Bspot resistant roses will help limit spraying duties.

Collincounty,

As always, you are so generous! Thank-you for the links. :)

I now understand why not many pictures are being posted. I just took these photos. It's been 105 for the past week. Everything is fried after the drench we had in the spring. Everything is poached---even the salvia in the foreground which was watered this morning.

Here is my front "yard". semicircular drive with a little island of plants between the drive and sidewalk. It's difficult to see but there are dwarf crape myrtles, indian hawthorne, some roses, hidcote lavender, salvia, dianthus, see thrift, creeping phlox, creeping ice plant, and the dreaded mexican petunia (the only thing thriving right now)

Some of the lollipop foundation plants are slowly being replaced by roses and climbing roses. (difficult to see).
The liriope is being replaced (out of frame) by daisies and coneflowers.

Gotta post one with my youngest daughter in the flower jamies.

Here is the 80% shade east facing zero lot canyon. violets, ajuga, ardisia japonica, and wild woodland strawberry

Every flowering plant is resting, except for the heat loving roses tuscan sun, bill warriner, and of course the knockouts.
"back yard" again lots of concrete and pool, tiny patch of grass

other "backyard" photos. I dream of country living with a huge backyard filled with trees and plants.

last one

I just looked through my pictures and I haven't taken any pictures at all of my front yard this year. Here are a couple from last year. Our yard is considerably less formal than yours.. closer to Kristy's "jungle". LOL

This message was edited Aug 15, 2007 8:05 PM

Collincounty,

Oh it's YOU who has such a pretty house (from the parts I could see). I love newer construction (having moved from a new home to older home). Pic of daughter (do you frequent the parenting forum at all?). I love that stone your drive is...what is it called?....I just love that look and wonder how hard a job it would be for a do-it-yourselfer, for a sidewalk? Funny how we live in the city and dream of country living. :) I'm on about an 8 year plan for that. Could have moved there now and had DH commute but figured easier to sell a home that isn't what we call the "forever" place if in the city. Love that you've incorporated so many kinds of plants (everyone hates that Mexican Petunia!??! LOL---I have a small patch in back...yes yes, to be coming out). Would you be riding the pool area of the "lollipop bushes" as well?

Marylyn,

I think your sign in the yard there says it all!

Thanks TNN,

The drive is aggregate. It's easy and cost effective (pebbles and small stones mixed with concrete). The main problem with solid concrete and aggregate is that over time, it will crack (in about 12 years).

Something tell me you are thinking of alternatives for your walk to the front door. Your house and bed borders have a nice cohesive brick and paver look. The advantage of using bricks/pavers is that you won't get huge, long cracks. If a single brick or paver cracks, it is easily replaced. I'm no designer, but a brick or paver walk up would certainly match. The tricky part would be the threshhold (just infront of the door)--but the rest of it would be fine for diy. It would take a lot of time, sweat, and back ache to do it.

The first step would be to break up and remove the existing concrete walk up (the hard part). Then dig a bit (also hard work) and level the ground (tedious). Then spread some construction/leveling sand (easy). Then lay the bricks sideways in whatever pattern you like (interlocking, sideways, straight, herringbone, etc) Then dump some more leveling/construction sand on top of the bricks and sweep/water into the cracks.

I did the east canyon flagstone path by myself and it took eight hours.

I would love to rip all the boring stuff out, but I'm doing it myself slowly over time-fifteen year country plan. Suppose I should keep some of the boring golf course landscape so as not to scare off too many potential buyers when I leave the city.