Your planting is a hodge podge. Planting same variety in odd groups of 3, 5, 7, etc. You might want to invest a five gallon container stock because your house is a sore thumb on the lot that it will take forever for the plants to put the house in scale. Arborvitae will do nothing for your front doors, you need more small flowering tress to bring down the size of your house. So what happened to re-locating the fence gate?

Here is a link that might be useful: Propagating Perennials

Just one thing to note, Burning Bush should no longer be available in Massachusetts nurseries. It is considered invasive and on the list of banned plants recently enacted. If you're not in Mass you may be able to get it but I would think twice about using it. There are native alternatives to Burning Bush that you can get at NEWFS.

Here is a link that might be useful: MA Invasive Plants List...

Oops sorry didn't see that the burning bush is an existing plant...

We went back and forth on moving the gate, but decided to keep it where it is and just expand the driveway. The cost was getting up there and then we'd have to deal with all the area that was being torn up where our driveway used to be. The way it is, the $$ is about 50% more then what I was hoping for.
BUrning bush is a funny story. I was looking for a larger plant last season as I bought all tiny ones and it was on sale. SO I got it, but have heard that it's no longer available.
As far as flowering trees, I planted the dogwood last year on the right corner of teh house. I"m not sure where else to plant a tree near the house as the driveway is right in front of it.
I agree to the hodgepodge of it, but don't know what my alternatives are. ARe you saying to just plant 3 things in a row?
I wnat to be able to walk through this area to get to the window boxes, and also for when we hang X-mas lights, so I need spaced out plantings of shrubs if that makes sense. I don't have a huge budget to work with, but do want to try and get larger containers.
If we don't do arborvitae, what would we do?
I guess I still need some serious help! :)

Can someone post some pics of ideas. I"m seraching the internet now, but not having much luck....

Sorry guys, I didn't realize there had been some contacts posted in my original request for help! I'll work on that angle and maybe have some nice pictures to post in the future!

This is an excellent example of why we use foundation plants. Foundation plantings help "ground" the house and help the house relate to the land on which it sits. Visually weighty and heavy shrubs will help your house seem more grounded. Some other home owners can get away with minimal foundation shrubs and some use them out of convention, not out of necessity. But for this house, I'd say substantial foundation plants will be really help improve the look of your home.

Having said that, I like the general plant ideas (with the exception of the hosta in front of the shrubs...this is not a good idea, in my opinion. Hostas are gone in the winter and look really awful after the first frost until they go away. I like hostas in flower beds, but not in this application.) Make the beds deep and put the plants at least 3-5 feet away from the house. If you want to put something else in front of the rhodies and japanese hollies and azaleas, make the beds extra deep (6 feet plus) and front them with low growing junipers or pachysandra. However, I'd think a good deep bed with the shrubs and a nice mulch will really be fine too.

Rhodies will very quickly give good weight to your house, as will japanese hollies. Azaleas will be nice little spots of color as well. Get the most mature plants you can and group them.

Enjoy the process.

Bullthistle is right... try to plant in odd-numbered groupings of the same plant to repeat the color and texture of that plant throughout your garden.

Same with barefootinct's suggestions that foundation plantings "help to ground the house and relate it to the land on which it sits." With that in mind, you should probably ditch the Arborvitae, which get really tall and wide. They will just overpower and hide your house in a few years and also their upright shape will accentuate the tall flat front of your house. And absolutely place all plantings at least 4-5 ft away from the house itself or they will end up covering up the house and encouraging mold, etc. Plus you do need to get near the house for to care for it.

With all that said, you might want to consider extending the perimeter of your design to make it larger, like between the #1 and #2 begin the foundation bed but have it curve inward like the top of a U until it meets your drawing... where the #3 is and then continue a long, sweeping S-curve to the right of your #7 and #4 so that your garden bed ends at the edge of your first photo.

Then make sure to berm the dirt , perhaps where the s-curve begins and somewheres out from your front window and to the right of the #7. Don't have the bed the same level all the way across... raised, gently sloping "hills" will help to settle your house into the ground and will provide visual interest. Just make sure that all of the berms do NOT make water run toward the foundation. That's another reason for a wide foundation planting area.

Before you even begin, use some garden hoses to outline the perimeter of your whole front bed. Then look at the new "garden" from many different perspectives... front walk, driveway, the road, inside window, and from upstairs down. I think that was what bullthistle was getting at, making your house seem to be snuggled into the landscape.

As for plantings, take your time. Start with the biggest you can get. You may want a tree to the right of the burning bush, maybe a Japanese maple or another softly-shaped flowering tree. Also consider some low, spreading evergreens which will give year round color/texture and help to anchor the yard. I'm not sure where you are, but we're in zone 6 also and Rhodies and Azaleas sometimes look creepy in the winter when their leaves curl from the cold. You probably will need other greens to balance them.

Go slowly... it is an expensive project. So start with some things that you really love and make sure they not only compliment the color of your house but also check their eventual height and width. You can drive around the neighborhood and check other folks' yards. Look at garden magazines in the grocery store. Also the landscaping site is a good place for ideas.

Good luck and have fun!

Molie

Thanks for the ideas.
As far as more trees, we have to be careful beacuse there is no backyard to this property so the sides/front of the house are where my kids have to play. We've only owned it for about 2 1/2 years and I thought it was rather odd that there are lots of trees on neighboring properties but not ours. However, a previous owner did have a pool to the right of the house so maybe they took down the trees to get more sun? ALso, just FYI our neighbors behind us had some trees almost fall onto their house in some serious storms we had last year, so I'm a little nervous about a big tree near our house.
I do like the idea of curving the bed for some more visual interest.
I keep looking around the area and most people have just a few plantings straight in front of their house or hedgelike plantings. Definitely a LOT of alberta spruces in the area though.
I am in touch with a garden coach to help me, and I"m sure it will take years (both work and $$) before it's where I'd like it to be.

Just FYI, here are a bunch of pics of houses in the area (they're from the MLS) similar to ours:

The second to the last planting I almost like. It has a little artistic balance to it. One thing I always think to myself looking at houses is how much I don't like shrubs.

Here are some thoughts:
-If want to stay with small trees, you might look into a Juneberry (aka Serviceberry) tree. I don't have one but it was recently recommended to me as an alternative to the Japanese Maple. I do have a Kousa dogwood which I love but it doesn't get leaves until very late in the season and they don't do well in dry spells.
-I like the mixed border idea. I think Hostas would be nice but also consider adding more perennials of varying heights for a more natural feel. You could make a couple of pathways front to back and leave enough room to walk behind the bushes for the window boxes. If you aren't ready for it at least keep it in mind for the future when you make the bed.
-In the pictures you posted I like how the white house (3rd pic) extended the front bed to trail off to the left into the driveway. I think doing something like that plus similar beds at the entrance of the driveways would start tying the yard together a bit. The front of the driveway could be simple, maybe evergreen shrubs on each side with some other tough evergreen ground cover like pachasandra. Basically the shape you already have on the left at the entrance of the driveway, but bigger.
-On the size note, my biggest regrets are always being timid and going too small. I do all of that work to make a new bed and it ends up underwhelming. Your yard is big and you can have some good sized beds while leaving a lot of room to play. In fact, because it will be more aesthetically appealing it will be a place, kids will want to play.
Besides, it is a lot of work to make a bed, an extra couple of feed isn't that much more work. It really isn't hard to restore some of the bed back to lawn if you decide the bed is too big.
-It has helped me to look at garden design books. After looking through a lot I bought and often refer to The Perennial Gardener's Design Primer by Stephanie Cohen and Nancy Ondra
-Also, browse around the garden design forum on this site. There are so many great ideas and photos. I wouldn't encourage a beginner to post plans there though. There are many nice and helpful people but some are just ruthless and mean. No doubt you can find other before and after examples that are just like yours.
Good luck with your project!

Here is a link that might be useful: picture of Juneberry tree

gfult's point about the problem of "going small" is really great - especially with a house like this. A skinny foundation planting will not look good here! Gordon Hayward suggests that the garden area in front of the house should be the height of the front wall of the house. His book, the Welcoming Garden, would be a great resource. I think you need to try to think out of the box - the box in this case being the kinds of gardens in the photos of neighbors' houses.

>Foundation plantings help "ground" the house and help the house relate to the land on which it sits. Visually weighty and heavy shrubs will help your house seem more grounded.

I think this can be an oversimplification. Having heavy-looking shrubs in front of a house doesn't automatically tie house to landscape, especially with this kind of house, which seems to tower above the flat ground around it; unless the range of plants include some taller ones to the side, they can make the effect even stronger - sort of a tutu effect. The photos of other houses in the neighborhood seem like great examples of where this "weighting technique" fails - none of them looks integrated into their surroundings (or especially appealing).

This house needs something to make it relate to its surroundings, but I think some strong verticals are called for, since it appears so tall amid the flatness. I'd think about including a taller tree to the right, which would somewhat balance the entry way to the left.

>our neighbors behind us had some trees almost fall onto their house in some serious storms we had last year

Many people go for trees that are completely unsuitable near their houses, trees with brittle limbs, that grow fast and are therefore inexpensive, or trees that have been over-bred for flowers and not at all able to withstand storms. People also often plant trees improperly, in soil that's been amended to the point that the roots don't leave the planting hole, so the tree is not firmly anchored in the soil. If you select a sturdy type of tree that's not known for losing limbs, and plant it correctly, you should not need to worry about it falling or dropping limbs on the house.

As far as kids playing in the yard, a tree is not going to interfere with that - though you'd need to protect the root area of the tree from those feet - and shade's pretty important, especially these days.

I'd love to hear what your garden coach has suggested, too.

Absolutely true... let us all know what your garden coach suggests and send along pics as your design progresses. I think a lovely looking side yard will encourage your family to spend time there.

There was really good advice in the postings above this one, especially about not being too timid. As the photos of listings in your area show, most of the unappealing landscaping around homes results when all the plantings are slapped up against the house in a line.

That's a great yard to work with... nothing to take down or pull out... and you should be able to come up with a design with lots of movement for the eye. Once you have the lareger elements of the basic design in you can have fun with perennials or annuals... whatever you love.

Molie

Went to the local nursery and am a little disheartened with how pricey everythign is. That's why I wnet with such small plantings last year. THere's no way I can justify spending $200-300 just for 1 tree. Even the shrubs are expensive. I don't know how I"m going to be getting larger shrubs to help fill in the area on my budget. ARe there any other places to find larger shrubs/trees for a bit cheaper?

If you live near Hartford, you can go to the regional market on Brainard Road early early (5:00 a.m.) Saturday mornings. There you can find most shrubs and perennials for about 1/2 price. Unfortunately, it might be "late" in the season to purchase shrubs and trees (those seem to be out earlier). Still, there should be some selection.

The regional market takes place on a large parking lot where vendors sell of their trucks. I shop there every year and that's where I get most of my perennials and annuals. My first visit of the year will be next Saturday. Yay!

The local conservation plant sales were mostly this past weekend, at least in MA; those are a great place to get native shrubs at a good price. In the coming months there will be lots of local sales - garden clubs, master gardeners associations and libraries hold them, and there will be plant swaps too. Don't rule out places like Lowes and Home Depot, either, they sometimes have really nice stock, as long as you get there early and don't buy stuff that's been sitting there baking and un-watered for months.

If you have a good plan, and you're willing to take your time, you can either buy lots of tiny little plants (that's what I do) or buy one or 2 per year. I have a nursery bed in my back yard, which used to be a veggie garden, where I "grow along" young trees until they're ready to go into permanent homes. No point in rushing, this is supposed to be a life-long process, and it's supposed to be fun, too!

We don't know where you live, so we can't really offer much specific advice about where you might look. But - there will be bargains all around as the season gets going, so wait to find the right plant at a price you can afford.

NEWFS has lots of natives and their prices are very good. At least last year and the year before I could find shrubs there in the spring for between $20-$30. They were not huge shrubs, but I always heard you were better off starting off small and letting them grow in the garden than buying a plant that was growing in a pot for 3 or 4 years. You don't get an instant effect though.

I enjoyed this post, especially the photos of surrounding homes. Thank you.

We have a new house in RI that needs foundation plantings. It sits a little higher on the lot because of the water table. They had to put stone under the new foundation for proper drainage. Only one evergreen tree is left on the smallish lot near the left front corner of the house.

Those photos show a home similar to ours in style. The photos all reflect what not to do for foundation plantings.

I have been working at a garden center this season and the main reason is to get that employee discount on purchases so I can landscape the RI home for a few less $$.

When I redid the foundation plantings at my home in MA, I had to do it in stages because of the cost. The plants grow quicker than you think. So I wouldn't worry about size.

Nadine... check the yellow pages in your area for nursery growers. I used to live in Clinton, CT, and every year around Mother's Day the Clinton Nurseries would hold a huge sale of the things they plant. I bought many rhodies and azaleas for my last house. You might find that a grower not far from you has a seasonal sale on some big-ticket plant. I agree... buying plants can be a huge investment.

Of course, you could do what my mother used to do... dig things up from the woods. If you go that route you need to make sure the owner will let you, research the plant, and expect to go home with something small. Like the previous poster, my mom would put these plants in one area of her yard and let them mature. Usually she put them into larger gallon pots. Then just wait.

Molie

If there's a Mahoney's near you, they have nice things on sale way at the back of the nursery yard; it's the "red tag" sale. I think it's all things left over from last year; a lot of the plants looked really good, at least at the East Falmouth store.

I'll definitely try out Mahoneys. Here's some update dpics with the new drivway in, and a stab at what it would like like with some plantings (the colors on the shutters/door are a bit off...maybe a deep maroon? and the flowers would be in the inside of the fence):

Nadine, the bushes you are choosing are not particularly hard to find; you're a new gardener who is looking for something servicable without busting the bank.

(I am ducking now as I suggest this as I know some here will be mad!)

Find out what day Lowes gets their shipments and then go there. Keep checking throughout the season. You can find a nice tree for $60, sometimes $20! Rhodo's and azaleas are a dime a dozen. Also euonymous, spirea, forsythia, and others. They do very well on their own, are cheap, and that's why you see them in everyone's yard.

I had my yard professionally designed and installed, spent at least $20,0000, adding a few things from Lowes too. An extra hosta here, an extra hydrangea there----and now I can not tell which came from Lowes and which from the nursery (although I know in my head, the nursery plants are doing no better). What matters most is: a). is it healthy, and b). DID YOU TAKE CARE OF IT WHILE IT WAS YOUNG AND VULNERABLE??? Also, check Craigslist--there are people out there who want to get rid of mature bushes and try something new. If you had posted last year, I would have given you mine!

Nadine, your plan looks very nice and certainly is doable, especially if you take the advice of being patient and shopping for bargins. Just make sure not to plant anything close to the house... 5+ feet from the center of the plant to the side of the house. The trees certainly will balance the house and the flowers will bring color to your yard.
Molie

Hi Nadine,
I like the last picture, especially the depth of the foundation plantings. It's a good start, and later you could decide to expand the bed somehow. Have you considered using the small space between the new drive and the house as a potted herb garden (potted only because you probably don't want to eat herbs from a garden with lots of new driveway runoff)? They would be right outside the door for you to grab when you are cooking, and they smell nice for passerby.

I would change a couple of things. First, I personally can't stand Bradford pear trees, mainly because the flowers smell really bad, but also because they have soft wood (from being fast growers), so they are prone to breaking branches. Also, they have become so popular in commercial plantings that I am simply tired of them. Personal opinion, sorry to anyone who has one and loves it. For something like a tree, I would take my time and do some research before deciding.

I do agree that spot cries out for a tree. If you want a flowering tree, some to consider (that have the necessary weight, or texture, to help anchor your house) are kousa dogwood, flowering cherries, yellowwood, magnolia or crabapples (although I don't think a crabapple would get tall enough to be ideal). Alternatively, a maple like 'Autumn Blaze' would grow relatively quickly and add shade and nice fall color. Another option is a Katsura tree, which have beautiful foliage and grow quite tall. One question - - are those power lines directly over where you have the Bradford pear situated? If so, plan for something short.

Have you considered spray painting the fence green? I have a chain link dog fence in my back yard spray painted dark green (with special metal paint), and it blends in so much better than the bare metal.

In front of the fence (on the street side), I would do something simple for now, like a row of tall ornamental grasses fronted by echinacea, daisies and/or black-eyed susans - - carefree and don't need much water. You could get those cheap or even free at a swap, and with just a few starter plants you could divide them every year and expand the beds for free. On the back side of your fence, facing your house, I would do a row of shrubs, perhaps lilac (depending on sun), which get quite tall and full. Again, you could plant one at a time as your resources allow.

Also, unless you are planning to change your trim color, I wouldn't go to the expense of changing the shutters. I think they are fine the way they are, and changing them will simply highlight the brown trim. Instead, I would focus on planting a couple of gorgeous trees to add the necessary color and depth to your yard.

I agree that Gordon Hayward's "The Welcoming Garden" would be a great resource for you. It's all about building a front yard garden, which will apparently be your focus (and is also mine). Another great book, and my favorite, is "The Well Designed Mixed Garden" by Tracy DiSabato-Aust. She gives very concrete advice about colors, textures and types of plants and great combinations. She is a zone 5 (pushing 6) gardener, so the plants she uses work well in New England.

I took "The Welcoming Garden" out of our library and read it. DiSabato-Aust's book is one I purchased, because I use it as a constant reference.

Good luck and take my advice for what it is worth to you!

I second paige's comment on bradford pears - don't plant one, they are junk trees. Not a solid investment! Read about them on the tree forum, just do a search there.

The small space between the house and deck walkway was all potted anuals last year. Only thing though is that I had them all sitting on the ground so when the cars are parked you can't see them. The tree to the left is just a place holder. I don't think it will be planted for a few years as there is a sandbox just to the left of where it would be. I haven't decided on what type of tree yet.
I'm *hoping* to paint teh fence black, but that may not happen till next year...we'll see.
I really don't wnat to plant anything directly in front of the fence (street side) as that's where cars sometimes park. I may just mulch it or something to make it look a little nicer.
The shutters are definiyely getting changed out as I bought new ones that don't touch for the top windows. I have a couple other color ideas here:

Nadine,
I do like the shutters that don't touch much better. As for color, what if you went with something in a tan, right between the brown of the trim and the cream of the house? That way you would create a monotone look without further highlighting the brown trim.

I like the maroon as well, but I don't like the different colors for the door and trim. I would stick with one color.

additonal update for those of you following this saga.....
New shutters went up this weekend, and I decided to leave them brown. I saw some great round arbovitae this weekend for a decent price and was tempted to get them but decided to wait until I have a final plan.
I like the idea of a trellis on the left side of teh house,but not sure what type of planting to go with it? I need to do more photoshopping.
ANyway..here's the new shutters and new sod we added next to the driveway.: