Help needed for Landscaping

I tried to find a plan for the landscaping in the spring, the Pros are very expensive, to create a simple plan would cost me almost a 1000$.

After we had a new Septic system installed, our gardens are all messed up.
Any suggestions?

This was before

Swissy,
To me the old looks nice. Grass seed wouldn't be too expensive and you can plant a host of flowers in the old planter area. I like hosta's for your shady area with some ferns. But I am partial to those plants. I still think it will cost you around $500 in bulbs, seeds, mulch etc. to get it back to normal.

Thanks tanker1812

I don't mind to spend the Dollars for the plants, but not a 1000 $ just for a plan from a designer !!
Before they started digging all over the property, I was lucky enough to save the Hosta's, Astilbe,Spiraea's and Potentillas.
Guess, if they survived the winter in the temporary place I made, I could use them.

Swissy, when I look at the current picture to the left and the gentle towards the structure. I think about the snow melt, how fast and to where will the run-off go. There are a number of things you could do with hardscape. A low wall, a pathway, a boulder or two. And something to add a nice touch, putting in a lamp post to the left of the drive by the first structure. And a gazebo can be ordered in pre-cut kits. I know none of this input is about plants for two reasons; I like to think about how is the outdoor areas of the property going to be utilized and enjoyed. Also I'm not familiar with zone.

Kristin

I'd go to every garden center/nursery/g'house in the area with those pictures and a drawing pad or notebook and ask for help. Free help is out there, and the folks are familiar with your climate.

I'm seeing the entire space as a grand garden with wide, curving pathways, big beds of mixed shrubs trees, flowers and a patio as a place to appreciate it all.

Thanks to all for your help.
We are in Zone 4B, with lots of snow and as they planed for the water to run off on the left of the Ecoflo, I don't think we should have a problem. There is a big Lilac Bush and the water suppose to go there. (Pic Included)
We have already a Gazebo with a Water garden and that stayed where it was with the Patio. It is used mostly when we have the heat in the summer or late afternoon.

Here is the other side of the Gazebo and I was thinking on the Septic Field (Evaporation of the water) to plant some Ground cover with Hosta's and Ferns, which we have plenty in the Forest.
The Idea from JuneyBug is very good to go with the pictures and a Hand design to a Nursery, hope to find somebody to help us.
We are a bit discouraged to start over, after the lovely flowering gardens we had. I hope, we don't give up........
We are expecting visitors from Europe and want it to be nice !!!

I can't wait to see what you do.

While you are waiting for the perennials to fill in, the bare spots can be filled in with lots more flowers (start from seed during the middle of next month?) With mulch paths and flower beds in the sun and fern and hosta and maybe a few shade flowering plants too, it will be beautiful. You have great bones there. It will be work, but it won't be too hard to make it beautiful again.

What a beautiful canvas to paint on! It will be awesome.

I will let you know, but up here in the mountains it will be in June only to see some of the results (hopefully)
But I think we can level out the ground by end of March/April.

An other question: Does somebody has experience with a "black lace Elder" sambucus ???
I like to plant a bush which attracts the birds and has red foliage.

Thank you, JulieQ

swissy, you had some beautiful beds before so you will again. It is ashame that they had to mess up so much to fix the septic system but life happens. I wish I had some of those big rocks in my landscape I think they add alot to any landscape. I too was searching for ideas when I came across this. We are building a new home ourselves( mostly my husband ) but it is going to be slow. I will have alot of shade there. I will have to learn a new way of doing things. Learn new plants etc. Good luck and don't worry you did a good job before.

Thanks for your support and encouragement and YES, those things happen in life.
The thing is: We had our System build in 1999 but the "town Inspectors" made a mistake. We only found out, after we ask for the permit for a new well. You understand after all this years working and sweating in the gardens, finally things were in order a bit, now..here we go again. Not only what you see on the pic, also the front , after digging the new well, has to be done !!
If the summers would be longer, that would be a plus.....

Anyway, I saved a few plants in corner somewhere, now covered by snow and it will help us a bit.
Mostly plants like Hosta's,Astilbe,Aquilegia's,Potentilla's should be save and give some immediate coulours.

Good luck to you too. Let us know, how you are doing in your creating...

I planted a black sambuca last year, it's too soon to tell you much about it though. The one I got was called black beauty (I think the leaves are a little different from black lace).

This message was edited Nov 23, 2010 10:39 AM

My climate is very different obviously, but I've found that 'Black Lace' does a better job of holding its dark foliage color than 'Black Beauty' does. There's a temperature/humidity factor that comes into play with Black Beauty--I know in hot humid places like the south it will tend to be more on the green side during the summer rather than having the dark foliage (not knowing this originally, I had ordered mine from a nursery in Virginia during the summer, and it arrived looking very green and I was upset, thinking I'd got the wrong plant!) Here where we have not much humidity but still get some heat it'll stay mostly dark but the color gets a little muddy looking as some green starts to try and come back. I'm not sure what will happen to it in areas that are zone 4/5 where there is still humidity in the summer but the heat's not as bad as in the south. 'Black Lace' has held its color perfectly though, not a hint of green at all, so personally I'd recommend it over 'Black Beauty'.

That's exactly the one I prefer for up here in the north, Sambuca-BlackLace, in the Garden Book it shows it would grow up to 6 feet and 5 feet wide, the flowers are pink. Thought it would make a nice background with some Spiraea Van Houtti in front (white flowers).
Thank for advice, as I was not sure about the difference between "Black beauty and Lace"
Perhaps you will take some Pics, as you are lucky enough to have spring so early...
Lynnie6868....I'm not certain about early spring, you are in Zone 5???

Mine aren't big enough to be very exciting yet--Black Lace has some leaves coming in so once it gets a little farther along I'll try to remember to get a picture. I might have some saved on the computer somewhere too.

nice of you to show it to us...can't wait to order mine, as soon the garden shops are open...we still have the snow here!

Hi, Swissy, zone 5 and still waiting for warm weather! I'll post pics of my black beauty as soon as it comes out of dormancy...I'm not sure about where I planted it, it's between some azaleas and my house.

This message was edited Nov 23, 2010 10:40 AM