Landscaping

[JRC]

For the most part, I feel like I've neglected landscaping around my house. Sure, I planted a few shrubs, (a couple azaleas, a hydrangea, and a kerria) and a few hundred bulbs. But even with that, and a few existing plants: bridal wreath spirea, phlox, and a few antique roses, both front and back yards still seem bland and bare, to me.

I've always been partial to the more informal cottage garden style, and plan to landscape in that vein. I hope it's not too inappropriate for the more formal colonial revival/queen anne/foursquare style of my house.

Earlier this summer, I had a large pine tree removed from the front yard, and they never came back to grind the stump. So, I've decided I'm going to keep the $50 they were going to charge to do that, and just landscape around and over it.


Also, I just found out that the owner of the vacant house next door plans to have it demolished. (the house to the left, in the above photo ) But, I asked him if I could have some of the foundation stones tor landscaping purposes, and he said he'd ask the demo contractor to set some of them aside. So, depending on how much stone they save, I plan to use that as landscape edging out and around the tree stump.

When I am able to start planting new plants, some of my favorites are: black-eyed susan, salvia/sage, Russian sage, creeping phlox, coneflower, yarrow, gaillardia, tiger lily (aka ditch lily or day lily) Shasta daisy, and finally hosta, for shady locations.

[Sara]

You know.. the only part of my house that I have really done anything of substance with is my alley-adjacent side. It's on the North side of my house and gardeners seem to dread the North. I've been pleasantly surprised how much grows there though in the shade. I plant whatever I can get for free (neighbors, trades, etc) and let it Darwin itself out. I also can't reach this side of the house with a hose so it really is a test of survival. If it's doing really terribly after a month I'll try it out on a different side of the house.

So give whatever you want a try. Obviously don't put notorious sun-lovers in deep shade - but I experiment with the numerous varieties that like partial sun. You might be surprised.

I'd give you suggestions but my area is much different than yours.

[Powermuffin]

Our house was left on its own for 6 months (spring and summer) so by the time we bought it, it looked as though everything was dead. We rototilled and planted sod in the lawn areas and I went about weeding and planting a few perennials. Over the next ten years many surprise plants have popped up some in the most undesirable locations. So SouthernLady's right about waiting to see what might come up.

We even found a whole brick patio buried underneath decades of dirt. I have managed to relocate some great plants. I now have a whole swath of hyacinths, lots of tulips in quite an array of colors, moved some shrubs and removed some overgrown evergreens. But still, every year a new bulb pops up in some weird area of the yard.

[phil]

I went to the nursery and asked about a hedge. Lots of houses have pyramid cedars, they grow fast, the block traffic, but they aren't native and they aren't heritage..
so I wanted to inquire about planting boxwood, it's often around older homes so I and pointed to some foot high boxwood plants.. the guy in the plant store told me I'm too old for those plants. he said by the time they grow up Ill be dead I think he dropped out of salesman school