Software
Houzz Logo Print
hzdeleted_2655804

Backyard design block

9 years ago

Finished construction about 4 years ago and since have been working on the landscape. South facing zone 5 and can be very windy. What I'm looking for are any suggestions regarding on how 'connecting' the fenced area to the woodline. Two maples out back we planted, also a serviceberry in bed right outside fence (see pic) and behind pool chairs outside fence there is a small ginkgo. I'm really in an idea rut regarding this middle zone outside of fence and feel it would create almost buffer between the mature trees to the house by using ornamental or smaller trees (20-30ft) but not creating a mess for the pool. So far have installed over 450 trees/shrubs/perennials and this fall would like to get some more going but for the first time nothing comes to mind-thanks

Comments (12)

  • PRO
    9 years ago

    The single photo does not convey the totality of what you're dealing with. It would be better if you could return to the exact spot where you too the photo and pivot the camera right, and then leftward, taking pictures that slightly overlap with the first one in order for us to see the wide view.

    From what I know now, it occurs to me that you might have already solved what you perceive to be a problem but that you need to have patience in order to see that it is so. The picture will change substantially as the trees you've already installed grow larger. Too, I don't think you want to bring more large trees too much closer to the pool. The pool should be "in a clearing." A very tall shrub(s) as exclamation points might be a solution, but let's see the wide view pictures in order to know if that would help.

  • 9 years ago

    I took 3 photos and pivoted in original post, do you see 3 photos just want to make sure they uploaded, or are you asking for even more pivoting to the sides? I tried to use the arbor as the slightly overlapping item for the 2 additional photos.

  • PRO
    9 years ago

    I missed the other photos if they were there earlier. Let's ask about your objectives. Are you trying to eradicate the feeling of a pool within a clearing as the surrounding lawn makes it seem? Or are you trying to make the pool area seem a little more protected, as an "oasis" within a clearing. I think I see the start of that with a couple of small trees just outside or inside the fence. You might need just a little more SMALL, multi-trunk trees just outside the fence. Do you have plan that shows this area so we can see what's there now?

  • 9 years ago

    I was wondering about if there's a need to comment the larger woodland area to the house? I think like you said I need some patience for what I did plant, on right side there are 5 arbs and a witch hazel and on left property border (neighbors 3 pine) my pagoda dogwood, river birch and some clethera. This is our forever house and I would like the feeling of being completely 'landscaped' off from any neighbor (neighbor on right hasn't planted anything in their sideyard so that doesn't help us. How could I incorporate more beds even for shrubs and color in the middle grass area or should that just be left alone? I'll post a picture soon of the hardscape plan we had done to show these areas and talk about areas for expansion, I'm a gardener and all the beds are done around the house and really in and around fence area so with this acre lot I need more room to plant. Also I really like trees and thought our lot could feel more wooded by getting more in. ( there's just a witchazel and some roses in a small bed just beyond the 5 arbs on right not the 4 as shown on plan)

  • 9 years ago

    Here's left side now there's also a pagoda dogwood also right before our mound system and beyond their last pine tree to continue privacy

  • 9 years ago

    Here's right side, lilac, arbs and witch hazel after arbs (know the beds are funny now, will eventually just be kidney shaped that's how I start them with sod cutter when I plant in spring)

  • PRO
    9 years ago

    I can't examine your plan in detail but can react to the overall. For me the bed lines are a bit on the wiggly side. I wish they were smoother. Smoothing them out could allow for thickening them in some areas, adding to your potential planting space. There is a nice sense of "flow" that you have going on in many places. It would be nice too keep/reinforce it with smoother lines. The top of the plan is cut off so can't react much to the back yard, which seems to be what we are really talking about here. It would be good if you can take another picture, but frame the entire back yard in the camera viewfinder. Include the back half of the house, too, so all of that is in a single picture. Taking only the back yard and half the house would make it larger and easier to read, too.

  • 9 years ago

    There's only 2 maples out in far back right, a septic mound system far back left (we don't want to plant on that) we are happy with existing beds surrounding house, beds on both corners outside fence could be made larger (already have haven't edged them) other beds have edging, we like edging with property this size and maintenance. My original question (couldn't fit plan in one pic) is for adding more beds/trees to the grass area just back of fence to woods and to side for privacy and future gardening. plan was made for hardscaping and subdivision requirements, so it shows connecting mulch bed under arbs wrapping all way back to woods. Right now just mulched under individual plants but imagine as they get larger could connect it all. However that areas between lots also serves as a swale of drainage no issues currently with damming or mulch being washed away and this has been the rainiest year ever.

  • PRO
    9 years ago

    Not trying to be difficult. You are there and can see everything easily, but it is very difficult to connect the pictures and things talked about to the plan, which is in pieces. In spite of my lack of confidence in understand what you have and what you're asking about, here's a suggestion for how you might smooth out the bed around the pool area a bit, by adding to the outside of the fence. (I think that's what you're saying you can do.) It's the yellow lines.

    I think you're asking about filling in the bed along the right perimeter so it connects to the far back plantings. (Blue arrow area.) If that's the case, I think you could make the perimeter a solid bed in & throughout that area. But I don't think I would bring plants into the broad grass path that surround the pool area and divides it from the perimeter. Does that address your question?

    BTW, in taking pictures to show what you have, it's important to stand at an area where you can see the totality of what is being discussed and asked about. Then you pan the ENTIRE scene. It looks like you started to do that with your first 3 pictures, but the camera is changing viewpoints (I tried to put the pictures together but they won't go) and it stops short of finishing the far left and far right ends of the scene (at least as far as I can tell.) The far right and left is what gives context and helps the viewer get the sense of where they are in the picture. This just FYI.

  • 9 years ago

    Sorry about the pics, yes this answers my questions, but of course I have one more. Area around 5 arbs is just mulched around each tree not one continuous bed. So in the future if we decide to create this continuous mulched bed from right side wrapping all way back abutting our neighbors lot do you leave any grass on property line or is that a straight line of mulch right up to their property? (And curved on our side) I like the idea of this massive bed that surrounds the outer edge of property and connects to woods. Would be a huge job just with the sod cutter, but think could eventually get that privacy feeling. Also like the outter fence bed enlargements, the one in the right already was expanded a bit. Thanks

  • PRO
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Where plants have an individual bed, separate from one another but in close proximity, it would look better and be easier to maintain if they were in a single, unified bed. While accounting for a plant's future size, it would be good to fill in of the empty mulch space with some type of groundcover. Since you are a gardener, the "groundcover" can be a variety of plants that suit your fancy if that's what you want.

    It is fine to have a solid perimeter bed enclosing your yard along the lot line.