Help! Front yard update needed

9 years ago

Looking for landscape layout help for the front and left
side of our one level house in Birmingham, AL.
I am certain our yard is the eyesore of the neighborhood and we are
eager to change this. The current scattered plantings are remnants of the
previous owner and I am not attached to any of it. Looking for a simple casual
landscape to match the style of our home.

As you can see the beds are defined by the walkways and the
ground slopes down to the driveway on the right side of the house. Relative to the street, the house is up on a hill. Our entire lot is nearly 25,000 sq feet, just
over a half acre, with the perimeter of our sloping lot covered in ivy.
Everything to the right of the driveway is ivy.

Need help with layout of plants within the already defined beds in front of the house. Also want to wrap the bed around the left side of the house, or do something to update the haphazard planting of shrubs.

Last photo is the left side of the house.

Thanks so much!

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Comments (4)

PRO
Yardvaark
9 years ago

I know that if I lived there I would be sectioning off the lawn from bed and getting rid of grass everywhere there was slope or shade. I see a little of that going on, but not near enough given the terrain and tree cover. In making such "islands" one wouldn't want tree trunks to be at or near the edge. They should be solidly in the island. Since you already have English ivy and the areas look to be quite sizeable, I'd continue with it. It is easy to grow a lot from making cuttings so you wouldn't need to buy it.

The picture is advice on where to put trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials and groundcover. The color doesn't mean anything more than being able to differentiate between type plant and another.
cfd79
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks Yardvaark. Nature has definitely helped eliminate grass from the yard. We have several pine trees at the perimeter. With these photos below would you be able to help outline beds? Perspective: photos taken from right bedside the front door steps.

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cfd79
Original Author
9 years ago
From Google street view from before we
purchased the home, removed some trees and painted it. Unfortunately, most of
the ivy is not as lush as it once was.
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PRO
Yardvaark
9 years ago
The main thing is collecting all the trees such that they are well into the island, not at its edge or outside of ... and, all heavily shaded areas where grass wouldn't grow well should be included in the island, as should all areas where slope is too great to mow. The bed edge should be as few curves as possible such that it is a long and flowing curve, or set of curves.