Blank Canvas Landscape

I was looking at photos of some beautiful landscapes posted in another forum (perennials) and decided to post the progress of our new home landscaping efforts. We really have a blank canvas and I have lots of great ideas. I am NOT, by any stretch, a professional so I also welcome any new ideas!

We have 5 acres surrounded by a Pine border on 2 sides and hardwoods in the back. The zone is 8a/b and the full sun areas really get full HOT sun. The house faces north. The following are pictures of various areas of our place. I will try to be descriptive. I hope you enjoy our progress.

This is the front of the house from the street

Rear elevation

side garage (this is where I want to start). 48 feet long.

Pool area (taken from back porch)

driveway entrance (pretty shady here)

under kitchen window and large shade tree

just outside kitchen window. Great place for Hosta, etc.

Okay...enough for now...that should take.... FOREVER!!! :-0

Amy I would definitely want some pretty Hydrangeas in my landscape. ;)

Lin

OMG yes!! they are definitely in the plan. They are one of my very favorites! Also, Camellias, Crape Myrtles, Viburnum ..... and the list goes on and on and on.....

Thanks for the feedback!

Looks like you have a sunny corner outside of the kitchen --that photo with the stairs - great for your kitchen herb bed. Your landscape is beautiful perfect for a typical old fashioned southern landscape design.

I read about this on another forum - be perfect for that spot outside your kitchen window under the tree. American Spikenard (Aralia racemosa) Google a photo.

missingrosie: I plan to use alot of old fashion southern plants. Also what a great idea about a kitchen herb garden!!! I had wanted one but wasn't sure where. This would be a great place! I already have some mint growing in a pot very near there. Thanks!!

I like the American Spikenard too. I haven't heard of it before.

Amy

Yes, in your photo that one corner near the stairs that you said was near to your kitchen looked perfect.

Someone suggested snowberry to me "Hancock" likes dry shade, sun, wet, etc. etc. and very beautiful. You may want to look at that too.

What a great blank slate, LOVE your house.

thanks flowerjen, it is our dream house!

That would be mine too, my next house is def going to have a big porch.

Holy cow, Amy! You could have an orchard out there beyond the pool area! LOL.
The possibilities are mind boggling. :)
Looks like you're out in the country a bit. Do you know if the land was farmland or cleared woods?
Deb

Hey Deb :-) Mind boggling is right! I know the property was used as pasture since the mid 80's. We don't have horses or any large farm animals so we took down the fences. I really want to plant some blueberry bushes, plums, apples, and figs. We have a few pecans and one apple tree. I need to have the soil tested. I'm pretty sure its acidic from all the surrounding pines. But with all the horse manure in the past... I'm not sure what that has done to the soil.

Amy

How could all that manure be a bad thing? ;->
Actually, it's probably alot better than if it was recently cleared woods.
Our house is 15 years old, but the woods still come up everywhere!
(When you harvest those figs, please remember your neighbors. :-))
Deb

I know the manure has been good for the soil. The hollies and tea olives that were planted just last year have quadrupled in size! I also heard somewhere that deer won't eat plants that were planted with some horse manure. What area do you live in...I am in Knightsville/Jedburg. Send me dmail if you want.

Its been a few years since I posted on this forum and we have done alot to our landscape. This pic is the deck that connects our back porch to our pool. You can look at earlier pics to see these areas were completely separate.

We also planted Palm trees, grasses and roses along the pool side.

Under kitchen window...new walkway, Gardenias, Tea Olives, and vareigated Liriope.

Vegetable and Herb garden behind swing (behind the garage out building). We are moving this whole garden to another area of the yard to get more sun.

Gorgeous; thanks for sharing!!!!

Patty

raised beds in garden

Thanks Patty :-)