Corylus americana
Physocarpus opulifolius
Euonymus bungeana

Dax

HI!!!

WELCOME!!!!

what i said at the link .. though we would have to check the water tolerance of the juniper ..

what is the soil type??

any chance at a picture??? though your words are very specific.. i am having a hard time wrapping my brain around all those variables ....

some posts and string .. will make a trellis to grow some fast annuals or clematis ...

what is your budget ... small to me is under $100 bucks ... but if you are dreaming about hiring out the job.. then your version of small is not mine.. can you give us a better idea???

green giants sound way to big ...

i also abhor a straight line of all of one thing ....

is putting up a section of wood fencing near your seating area an option???? why are you fixated on the property line.. when there is space between you and that line.. you have created a box.. and now you are stuck thinking ONLY about the box.. the lot line.. think outside the box ... what other options do you have???

pic???

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

What pretty shrubs these are! Thanks for the ideas. Might plant them myself on the road next to the railroad track mixed with some forsythia that is already in my garden. Still thinking I want something evergreen for the front of the property next to the maple tree. When I step out my family room door I look that way and see two streets, rail road tracks, big yellow concrete blocks and everyone walking from 3 directions.

ken,

I am going to attach several pictures that I have in my computer, but they are not property pictures. Still you can see the small picket fence I have to keep my dogs from running onto the railroad tracks and you can see the large maple and behind it the barren pretty spot in the snow. I guess in as tight a spot as I feel I am in, I did think of the property line as the border of my box. I had toyed with the idea of roses, but the roots from the maple killed my first effort. Then I toyed with maybe just planting sunflowers this year. In my area folks spend upwards of 30 thousand on landscaping. I am trying to keep it to $2000 and some landscapers won't deal with me and I am not able to do the digging myself easily (bad knee) though I do dig and garden, this is big.

The reason I want the property line that is visible in these pictures to be screened is that I like to sit outside of my kitchen and enjoy a solitary cup of coffee and there are always people walking up and down the roads. We are a friendly neighborhood at times, but at other times folks may make a comment about a messy weed patch still waiting to be dug up, and frankly, I would just prefer not to have no choice but to interact. I still have a pretty section out side of my fenced area where I garden and talk to neighbors. This plot is just outside my door.

I will look at your link more closely and if these photos don't help, I will download a couple others this pm.

Karin
/Users/lelanyadurbin/Desktop/view from the picnic table southwest.jpg
/Users/lelanyadurbin/Desktop/looking east to northeast.jpg
/Users/lelanyadurbin/Desktop/Looking west with front road to left

Uh oh. How do I do this? Just drag them?

you will need a photo hosting site like photobucket.com .. to get us the pix ... use the GW search for lots of posts about how to do it ...

carp .. for 2000 .. i might drive from MI to your house and do the job.. lol ...

why did i think boston.. or MA.. where are you ... might not be worth it with gas prices .... lol

ken

I hope one of these times my pictures go through.

Here is a link that might be useful: property pics

In my continued searches, using links you have sent me and branching off of them so to speak, I have found these plants: Techny Arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis 'Lutea' / 'George Peabody', Ilex glabra
( Shamrock Inkberry ). Do you know anything about them? Also, why don't the professionals mention them? Are they too rare? I just get the feeling the Green Giant and Emerald Green Thujas are easy to find.

Techny was the first thing that came to my mind, however I was having a difficult time grasping your landscape - corner lot - railroad tracks in front - on a steep hill - I just couldn't see it in my mind all at once.

Techny would be an excellent screener. It's kind of common, or, it's easy to order. I'll link you to a nursery with great prices.

Dax

Here is a link that might be useful: Evergreen Nursery - Evergreen Privacy Screens

Thanks for the link Dax. I posted a link to pictures of my yard two posts before yours. Maybe the images help? I think my soil is more loam than sand or clay and certain areas of the yard get very wet in heavy rains, but not by the fence. I am going to check prices at local nurseries.

...corner lot - railroad tracks in front - on a steep hill - I just couldn't see it in my mind all at once.

It read like the opening scene setter in a potentially good novel to me :-)

Sooo embarrassing to be outed as a frustrated novel writer :)

I am going to post the link again to my yard.

Do you think a mix of the Techny and George Peabody arborvitae might work just for the weedy area in front of the maple? Then wait until I can afford more Technys for the rest.

Here is a link that might be useful: property picx

It looks like there is plenty of depth space in those weeds in front of your maple. 'George Peabody' aka 'Lutea' is quite a taller tree, fyi. You might consider something else such as 'Golden Globe' which grows quick. It'll also meet the Techny's real well in size & appearance. Then the other photos I see look like ideal ground for Techny.

Dax

What is really frustrating is the discrepancy in height of the George Peabody at different websites. Most say 10-12 feet but some are saying 25 feet which makes all the difference. I couldn't find the golden globe. I think I want a leafier open branch feeling interspersed with the thick screen of the arborvitae.

i am going to assume you sit in the Adirondack chairs ...

why not 4 panels of wood fence.. 2 set at a 90 degree angle or so .... to the other 2 ... with your back to the road .... making a little patio on the side opposite the road ... a nice sheltered patio ...

then get rid of about 60 % of what is in that yard..

and replant with a multitude of new plants ...

in about 15 years.. when the wood starts rotting.. you will have a nice natural screen all set to go ...

ken

{{gwi:660805}}

Yeah. I investigated fencing, but we have strict setback regs. I can ask the township whether just a couple of panels counts, especially if I left a few inches between them but they are super strict around here. I have pretty much decided against a line of privacy trees. Don't need the box after all. I want to clear out the weeds and plant a couple of trees to block the view, probably Techny's and maybe a fat albert. Decided not to do the whole privacy screen thing and just piece together simple screen in one area. Can be a bit creative and spend less!

my idea was at least 6 to 8 feet in from the fence at the angle.. though the drawing did not show that ... so that you can plant some things in the bed along the fence ...

you peeps that have to ask the local governments permission to use your own yard mystify me ... out here in the country.. we are allowed to use our personal real property as we wish.. go figure on that .. i dont think i will ever move back into the city/suburbia ...

anyway ... i am trying to think outside that box i mentioned ...

is there enough sun to grow clematis or morning glory [pole beans]on a trellis the size i drew??? how about removable canvas panels.. that you hook on when you want to go out for the afternoon ... all the while.. getting those plantings growing ....

ken

Not only do I have to get permission from the local government, but this server does not allow me to see photobucket, so I have not seen the drawing. I will check tonight when at home.

Meanwhile, I really like your ideas! I took a stroll yesterday evening and tried to envision panels and cutting back the wild stuff. I have someone coming in today who can help me with the heavy work (for a price, of course). Then I modified my original idea and kept to the budget. Canvas! great idea! Also the end of the lot closest to the picnic table near the gate of the fence, well, I was thinking of putting a pyrimidal trellis and planting clematis, so great minds and all that. Now that the box seems to be crumbling, I have been looking at outdoor plant racks and large box containers for raised gardens and looking at everything from different angles. When all done I can I will post pics. Thanks again!

Thought I'd post a picture of the yard now. Decided to go with a mix of Nellie Stevens hollies and Ilex Chesapeakes. Looks good. Tore out the old, transplanted some forsythia and rhododendrum and now can just enjoy the growing time till the trains are hidden. Still thinking of putting a panel of wood I have near the Adirondacks and am planting a Cecil Brunner rambler up my old maple. Lots of fun work. Thanks for all your suggestions.

Karin

Here is a link that might be useful: finished project

That looks wonderful...and that big tree looks like a human sculpture (probably reaching for the sky, if I could see the upper branches lol).