Front Yard Work In Progress... Need Suggestions

18 years ago

I bought this house last July when it looked like this:

This is what it looks like today:

Clearly, I still have a lot of work left to do to give my cottage house a cottage front yard. My plan still for this year is to connect the bed along the house with the bed that lines the sidewalk from this corner.

I planted Weigela and Karley Rose grass in front. To the right of the front door beneath the windowI planted a Huldine clematis and a Moondance rose . In front of that, I have 3 Gruss an Aachen roses, daylilies and creeping thyme I need to plant. I am going to connect the two beds and plant some more low rose bushes.

I don't like all of the hosta in front. I like hosta, just not the right look to make this more cottage like. I salvaged all of it from a bed that was going to be trampled during renovations last year and just moved it to the front to try to save it for somewhere else or someone else.

I am thinking about moving the coral bells under the evergreen? I planted some liriope there last summer and it survived so I can add to that.

So, my main questions:

1. Suggestions of what to plant under the tree considering the evergreen and limited sun issues?

2. Suggestions on what to plant along the front of the walkway where the hosta is now that is still going to be low? That area gets about 3 hours of morning sun.

3. Any other suggestions?

I really appreciate the help. I have hit a mental block.

(By the way, I know the shrubs on the far right that hide the bay window are hideous looking. Next spring's project is to take out the viburnum and evergreen shrubs, put in an arbor next to the little piece of house that juts out and then add a flagstone path to the backyard and a shade garden)

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Comments (5)

keesha2006
18 years ago
WOWWWWWWWW!!!! Wonderful transformation...especially is such a short time. I like the hosta personally...just add around them.

The stone is a wonderful addition and soo cottagey.....and I love the blue...you brought that house out of the 50/60's to today.

The first thing I noticed tho when looking at both the before and after pictures is the lopsided issue with that pretty front window. The house is so off balanced. What about some kind of trellis with clemetis or rose on it on that empty corner to balance? Or a large flowering sprawling tree even? Something to balance out the window weight? That is really my only suggestion, everything looks great. You should be proud of your accomplishments and I am sure your neighbors were excited too!
estreya
18 years ago
Wow. This is an amazing transformation. Congratulations!

I so admire people who have your vision, and the skills to back it up!

Gorgeous job ...
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kailleanm
18 years ago
You've done a ton of work! It looks great. What a transformation.

I agree with Keesha that the left corner needs more oomph to complement your lovely stone entry. Is that one of your weigelas planted there? If so, that will eventually fill that space nicely, but a climber would be a good temporary addition. Another suggestion would be to use wider shutters, if the budget allows.

If you don't like all the hostas in front, you might try moving some of them under the evergreen. The continuity throughout the two beds would be an added bonus. My hostas are planted with Coral bells and it looks nice. Also Brunnera goes nicely with hosta. Mine tolerant relatively dry conditions once established.

I would really focus on the two beds you want to join. You will be amazed how much your new plantings will grow in the next year or two and then you can divide and move things around as you please. In the meantime, you'll have built the structure and bones of your garden.

I know it's hard to be patient. I'm living in a new to me house too, and I want everything done now! But I'm just blown away by how much my plantings from last year have taken off. It's giving me all new ideas about where to move things to and shape new beds.

One thing I am glad I did was to visit the nursery often last year. I was kicking myself at the time for all those impulsive purchases of lovely blooming things I really didn't need. But now, I'm patting myself on the back. It's making for a lovely succession of bloom. As one thing fades, another is coming in to its glory. So that worked well. Even though I ignored all the common wisdom about having a plan and limiting my choices. :-)

Enjoy creating your garden - you're off to a lovely start!
msscarlet
18 years ago
You have done a wonderful job transforming your home into a warm inviting looking cottage! Love the stone! It adds so much warmth to the facade of your home!

I agree that you need to balance off the front window and the weight of the stone. Not sure how well clmbing roses would do with only 3 hours of morning sun there. What about a big Sweet Autumn Clematis billowing up there. With only 3 hours sun it woul not get crazy big but should still fill up that area. I also like the thought that it would be white so not too "showy" so it would not compete with your stone "focal" point.

I would also put some flowery thing on the door. Perhaps a basket of silk flowers or even a bag of live impatiens. The door is very dark and I think you need to highlight it without painting it.

I would add some astilbes either under your tree or in with the hostas. I think their feathery flowers would soften the hardness of stone and the straight corners of your house and still be low growing. I also like the idea of lirope under the tree.

You have done a great job so far. I am sure whatever you put in will look wonderful. Make sure to take photos and post them for us!
diana_noil
Original Author
18 years ago
Thank you so much for all of your kind praise! This has been a real labor of love for me and it is nice to share it with people that appreciate the effort. (In addition to my neighbors)

I love all of the suggestions and please keep them coming! I'm starting to get a vision in my head as I am reading through all of your posts of the things I can do.

There is one thing I should mention. When you look at the 2nd picture, all the way to the left you can see my mailbox. The wall that you can't see that faces south has a trellis that I had built that completely covers that wall (it's 6x10 maybe?). I planted a New Dawn climber and a Ramona clematis so my hope is that wall is eventually covered in bloom. I thought I would wait to add anything to the front wall the house of that nature until I saw the Weigela grow to full height which will be to the height of the window all the way across.

Thank you again so much!