Need landscaping advice
- Thread starter peapod1980
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I'm anxious to hear a little more too. I have almost the exact type of space. A few years ago we ripped out 2 or 3 boxwood bushes and just a really big ugly bush that was on the end. We replaced them with smaller lower to the ground shrubs. I'm terrible with names but the taller ones are a burgandy-ish color and the lower ones start with an e and are kind of varigated...green and yellow. They are very common so I know NoHall or Mermy will know them. We extended the mulch bed out to the end a bit and planted a dwarf cherry tree that is now turning out to be not so dwarf.I usually plant geraniums in the summer add color. I like Cheering's idea of adding pots for height and color.
I looked them up...barberry and euonymus.
I love the look of barberry, but I always prick my fingers on them.
I have the same" dwarf" problem OL. We have a Southern exposure and everything takes off. We just ripped out a huge holly bush that was 14 years old, and 2 other evergreens, and now we're making a trip to the nursery for different replacements. So right now part of my landscaping is naked. We tried to re-plant it, but the root ball was so huge that I would have had to rent a back hoe.
My cat misses the holly though. She used to hide behind it. We did get a variegated holly already, but it is much smaller, and her tail sticks out. She is not happy. On a good note, I get to go and plant some perenials I have always wanted to plant because I have room now. Unless of course, MANgo buys something that takes over again. He can't buy small. He wants instant gratification. (which means if I still live here 5 years from now, I will be ripping shrubs out again :roll: )
I'm getting some! But the trouble with tribbles...
Yep. I dig them up in spring and stick them in the woods along a path that I have. I've walked on them, run them over with the mower, cussed, threatened deportment...... still here.
I hate barberry...besides the horrible thorns, they look dead in the winter. Chinese fringe (loropetalum) is a good substitute. It's the same color, evergreen-ish and has a tiny, hot pink, fringed flower in the spring. Just be sure to get one of the dwarf varieties. I've seen the 'Burgundy' variety go crazy and grow to 8' x 8'. :shock:
I love ajuga, too. It's okay if it grows like a weed--It doesn't get huge or cover up other plants, but it keeps other weeds down and keeps you from needing so much mulch. I also like dianthus and creeping phlox around the edges.
I love ajuga, too. It's okay if it grows like a weed--It doesn't get huge or cover up other plants, but it keeps other weeds down and keeps you from needing so much mulch. I also like dianthus and creeping phlox around the edges.
Come on, give it to me straight, NoHall.
Thanks, everyone, and keep the ideas coming. I love pretty landscaping but am a total novice and will probably need this mapped out.
Yeah, the thorns are dangerous....everything here looks dead in the winter! Except evergreens. I still need to replace my butterfly bush that died last year. I'm going to get another one but maybe a different color this time. I really miss my butterflies .
Never heard of this Chinese fringe. Not sure they sell it in our cold zones.
I have my barberry buried amongst evergreens, at the back of a garden, against the woods. Then I get some pretty pink/burgundy color in the spring/ summer and I don't have to mess with it. Notice I said "I don't mess with it. Not anymore. We have all these "gardens" of plants that got moved from the "landscaped" area.
Oh, and creeping Phlox in zone 5 only seems to come back when it's planted in a warm area or a rock garden. My neighbor has it in a rock garden and I didn't, and hers comes back, but mine doesn't. I think Pea would be ok with it since the brick absorbs heat.
I def need things I can't kill.
We did this same thing a few years ago. And I agree with the others since you have a small rectangular space, you can't change the footprint into something with curves (unless you replaced the walkway). I would suggest a small/med. sized ornamental tree to the right, about 3/4 of the way down toward the drive (w/ white blossoms against the dark brick), then add very low ground cover. Then add seasonal color planted sporadically throughout and match come of the color plantings in large pots to set on a few of your steps.
Your house is beautiful.
.
Your house is beautiful.
.
We did this same thing a few years ago. And I agree with the others since you have a small rectangular space, you can't change the footprint into something with curves (unless you replaced the walkway). I would suggest a small/med. sized ornamental tree to the right, about 3/4 of the way down toward the drive (w/ white blossoms against the dark brick), then add very low ground cover. Then add seasonal color planted sporadically throughout and match come of the color plantings in large pots to set on a few of your steps.
Your house is beautiful.
.
No, but you don't want to put your actual plant material in straight lines. A lot of people line shrubs up against the wall like they're waiting for the firing squad...