Help with curb appeal landscaping?

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

Sometimes I love my front flower bed and sometimes I hate it. Right now, I'm leaning towards hate because it is transitioning between spring and summer flowers.

Here is a crude drawing of the shape and the main plants in it.

In the spring, the part with the lantanas looks like this

By the time the daffodils and phlox are spent, the lanceleaf coreopsis begin blooming (they aren't on the drawing) and the lantana begin greening. When the coreopsis are finished, the lantana have reached full size and are blooming. And they cover the foliage of the dying coreopsis and phlox which turns brown in the high heat of summer.

That is the way it is supposed to work, and used to work. But over the past few years, some other plants have worked their way into the scene. A few fall obedient plants turned into a thick stand of them. A couple of red salvia greggii blew in with the wind or maybe birds. That blasted weed that looks like a mimosa vine and nearly impossible to get rid of is popping up everywhere. Some shasta daisies that I didn't have the heart to get rid of when I dug them out of another spot spill over the sidewalk. When something appeared, I let it because I kind of like the wild and free look. But now that I need to think about what will sell this house, I know it needs to look neat and uniform, so I'll pull out everything except the phlox, lantana, and coreopsis there.

But here is the problem area I need help with.

It's on the other side, the part in front of the porch and beside the sidewalk. Also the narrow strip between sidewalk and house. That area had Asian jasmine and I killed it off last year with black plastic and have spent most of this spring digging out stubborn hangers on. I was impatient though and had plants I needed to get in the ground, so I planted the desert willow and dwarf yaupons last year while I battled the jasmine. Then, I had the bright idea to transplant some frog fruit as a ground cover around the yaupons. However, it is long and leggy and really looks pretty weedy. It is thick and compact in the backyard and I think it may be because I mow it there. So now I need to pull all that out I think. Sorry, no picture of that. It started raining just as I went out to take pictures.

Next to the willow and yaupons is the former jasmine bed and it is mostly empty. I say mostly because some pink and some red salvia greggii have found their way in there too, along with some widow's tears. Actually, the widow's tears had sprouted up in the jasmine and the black plastic didn't kill it.

I need to fill that blank area with something that will fill in quickly. Do you think I can achieve that with new lantana plants, or should I fill in with the pink and red salvia greggii? I have to dig some red out of the front anyway, and I know the pink spreads like crazy.

I hope this isn't as rambling as it seems and you can tell what I'm asking.

Featured Answer

missouribound
Original Author

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

Thanks MizGG (sorry, I got your name wrong in my original reply), that's basically what happened with our last house, that the new owners ripped everything out. I think I'll just fill in the blank area with the salvias then.

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Comments (7)

User
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
My reply is only in regards for re-sell, not what I'd do if I was staying long-term. This is based on feedback I got when we were selling our former house. Did I read correctly that you're planning to sell? If so ...

I learned fast that not everyone likes gardening/maintaining extensive beds full of flowering plants. I know, what?! LOL. But seriously, even us on this board can get overwhelmed, and it's our passion. Most of our "lookers" were intimidated and said so. The eventual buyer told me (we did FSBO) she loved our landscaping, and it's what sold them. Guess what? She ripped out almost everything, including perennials, cedar arbors, shrubs, stone paths, mature Crapes, low stone walls, decorative fencing, plus made the beds smaller, etc ... replaced with grass and put up a big privacy fence. Go figure.

So--my advice is to not add more flowers, or anything that adds more upkeep, you have plenty of nice ones. I would instead add dwarf shrubs (yaupon, non-spreading nandina, fringe, pittosporum, salvia, as you said, ornamental grasses, just to name a few). Not in a row, but scattered around to fill in some spots. In the last picture, I'd get a small iron obelisk, which you could have a Mandevilla, etc, on. Even without a vine, it provides a bit of height and interest, without blocking views. Or, a birdbath, stepping stones going to a bench, a large decorative pot with/out something in it ... just something to break up the low expanse of the bed, and add decoration with very little upkeep.

I know others here will have great ideas!
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carrie751
10 years ago
When I sold a house a number of years back and told the buyer in advance of the sale that there was a small shrub I would be taking as it had been a gift from a departed relative. She was okay with that but stood watch while I dug it out lest I get something else. However, after the sale was finalized, she pulled out six beautiful azaleas and threw them on the curb for pick up. Just never understand destroying something you could share.
User
10 years ago
It's heartbreaking driving by a loved yard and seeing everything gone, isn't it? Ugh. I know it's theirs to do whatever, but still hard to see, especially structures my late husband built so lovingly for me.

I've always made sure to put in contracts (and make clear before that point in time) that certain things aren't included--mainly decorative items. Obelisks, pots, benches, etc.

Good luck with your sale, missouribound!
missouribound
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you MizGG. Yes, it is heartbreaking, although, the older I get, the less I want to do it myself, so now I understand better. However, I am going to give the new owners a list of names they can call who will come dig up anything they are going to mow over. I spent too much $$ on hard to find natives to just turn my back on them. ;)

MizGG, I messaged you also.
bossyvossy
10 years ago
carrie751, that is a horrible story about that new owner doing that. I have dreams of having landscaping stipulations in my real estate sales agreement but if I'm anxious to sell, those stipulations will fall by the wayside. I would probably pull out all that is precious to me as neatly and discreetly as I could.

I have yet to hear of a gardener that didn't go back only to see their life's work destroyed, rearranged, bulldozed, etc. I don't think I have the stomach to witness that, so I think I just wouldn't go back...
Lynn Marie
10 years ago
I agree with low maintenance shrubs/grasses/etc.