# Ideas



## w0lfe (Mar 19, 2018)

Guys, what should I do for the front of of the house. I'm open to tearing out or expanding anything.


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

Trim the tree in front or remove and go all low profile landscaping. You have a very nice home and sometime taller things in front hide it. I always go for low maintenance and lots of color.

I like blue star junipers, golden barberry, grasses (rabbits like these), gold mop cypress etc.

Go to a nursery and just peruse. I plan on filling my property with perennials. Make sure you consider sun and shade. I've had some plants struggle because I thought it got more or less sun than it actually did in those areas.


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## hsvtoolfool (Jul 23, 2018)

Pretty house! I'm no designer, but here's my first thoughts (see my crude sketch below)....



#1) Make the trapped region between your front walkway and the house into one big planting area with mulch. No sense in having such a small area divided into grass and mulch. There's less edging and work in one big area! I'd also install LED path lights along the walkway in this bed.

#2) On the right side, expand that mulch bed outwards to balance the left side bed. Use fair curves like your front walkway does.

#3) I can't really see the far left, but I'd expand that existing front-left mulch bed which is outside the front walkway. Again, eliminate any little strips of grass between the driveway/walkway and the mulch bed. Expand the mulch bed and tuck in the corner formed by the driveway and the walkway.

#4) Balance the bed expanded in #3 with a new, isolated bed on the right hand side. I'd bring it father way from the house for depth and visual interest. In fact, it looks like you have a little slope at the front of your lot. It would be cool to put this bed close enough to take advantage of that slope. The front of the bed could be a little stone wall about 12 to 18 inches tall. Using stone that matches your stone facade would be interesting here.

The #1 and #3 beds on the left should be balanced by the #2 and #4 beds on the right. Put the larger, tallest plants to the extreme left and right and farther from the house. Then use smaller plants closer to the house and the center. This creates a sense of perspective and distance. It also "frames" the house to draw focus towards the front door. Also, don't plant right againt the house. Put the plants at least two feet away from the house for air movement, keep the brick and foundation dry, have plenty of room to walk around plants while working, and to spray pesticides as needed.

While l love Weeping Cherry or Weeping Olive or whatever that tree is in the center, I'd move it or just get rid of it. It's blocking your front window and door. I don't think there's any way to work around that tree by pruning. It would work better as a feature in the outside corner of the #2 or #3 beds.

Don't be afraid of large beds with drip line underneath the mulch. Using Pre-M and deep 3" mulch really keeps down weeds. Once I discovered Preen Extended, I've done no work except in my beds spray a little Roundup every 2 to 3 weeks and pull an occasionally acorn sapling thanks to my local Tree Rats.

Finally, I'd look at @PNW_George thread on His Wife's Artwork just for inspiration on plant choice. I certainly am.


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## w0lfe (Mar 19, 2018)

hsvtoolfool said:


> Pretty house! I'm no designer, but here's my first thoughts (see my crude sketch below)....
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> ...


Man thanks a ton. I read and showed that to my wife as well and really like your ideas. I like that I've had a couple agree to take out that umbrella tree


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## hsvtoolfool (Jul 23, 2018)

You're welcome! But that's just some spitball ideas. I'd also talk to some trained landscape designers in your area. They can save you tons of money and labor in the long run, not to mention produce magazine-worthy results.


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## ThomasPI (May 18, 2019)

Aside from the ideas mentioned I would replace your lights to the left and right of the entry. In typical builder fashion, I'd guess those are maybe 8 to 10" high? They should be 1/4 to 1/3 rd the height of your door. 8' entry door with a set of 24" lights, use LED and that'll help. We just went to contract on our house and I chose all of our lighting. I'd also put in some nice land scape lights, NOT from Lowes. Try looking at fxl dot com, very very nice lights but costly.

And tear out what landscaping is there. May be worth hiring a designer.


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## w0lfe (Mar 19, 2018)

ThomasPI said:


> Aside from the ideas mentioned I would replace your lights to the left and right of the entry. In typical builder fashion, I'd guess those are maybe 8 to 10" high? They should be 1/4 to 1/3 rd the height of your door. 8' entry door with a set of 24" lights, use LED and that'll help. We just went to contract on our house and I chose all of our lighting. I'd also put in some nice land scape lights, NOT from Lowes. Try looking at fxl dot com, very very nice lights but costly.
> 
> And tear out what landscaping is there. May be worth hiring a designer.


I'll check that out Thomas. I appreciate you sir!


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## Jconnelly6b (Mar 4, 2018)

hsvtoolfool said:


> Pretty house! I'm no designer, but here's my first thoughts (see my crude sketch below)....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You say you're not a designer but you could have had me fooled. If you are looking for a career change you always have landscape design, you have a good eye and a lot of knowledge on the concepts. Very good advice.

To the OP I would look at some plants that can soften the landscape. You have a lot of stone and hard edges.

Hydrangeas are nice for color and have a good round shape to both their flowers and their plant habit - Nikko Blue is a variety I like it doesn't get too huge and you can change the flower color from pink to blue and vice versa by adjusting the soil ph.

Golden mop cypress is a good suggestion, they are yellow/green year round and are very low maintenance.

Creeping phlox are good evergreen ground cover that are also low maintenance and are super showy in spring. Beautiful pink/white/blue carpet looking flowers.

A purple elephant ear could be fun in one of the open beds. They are good focal points with some low growing annuals like petunia or supertunia below them.

Coleus are great annuals that come in absurd variety of cultivars with all kinds of color combinations. They grow from May until late October in my climate.

Some crepe myrtles would also be nice to provide a little (not much) shade and flowers in the summer.

If you do it yourself it will take a few season to find all the plants and cultivars that you want, but it will be worth it!

Best of luck.


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