Backyard Trees and Bed Landscaping Advice

8 years ago

Hey all

Looking for some advice for our back yard. Moved into our house this last July. Smallish backyard but big enough for our two dogs to run around in. The one area that we're not too happy with is the back bed against the fence and the trees that are growing in them. We border the backyard of our neighbor's property so the trees are kind of nice in providing some privacy. However, as you can see in the picture, the trees on the one side just aren't growing. The property is roughly 5 years old. Additionally, where the bed meets the grass is a pretty deep and wide ridge that makes it difficult to cut the grass in the area. We've played around with a couple ideas ranging from mulching the bed and putting up border stone edging between the bed and the grass or just letting grass overgrow the bed. We've also considered taking out the two or three trees on the right side of the property and putting in a flower bed or maybe even a small water feature.

We're certainly up for suggestions. Thank you for your input.

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Comments (5)

smileythecat
8 years ago
That's the back of the yard? If so I would leave them. I don't know what kind of evergreens they are, I mean if they want to grow to be 200 ft, then Yeah something else would be more appropriate. If you do leave them, you might want to cut a yard or so off the turf running the entire length of the yard to make mowing easier. Your yard is fairly new and you should seek out an Landscape designer to make a plan that you can add elements to as your budget and time allows. It is much easier following a plan than walking through nurseries wondering what to buy and where to plant it.
lefty47
8 years ago
HI -- I agree with getting advice from a landscape designer . If they think re-moving some of the trees for their design to work , they sometimes buy the unwanted trees . A design that reduces the lawn area and adds in some other kinds of trees and under plantings will give the yard more interest . Also having a nice seating /patio section makes more use of the space . Perhaps putting in a small screened summer house to get away from the bugs . There is lots you could do and some can be done over time like a 5 year plan or less .
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
8 years ago
Where are you?? For any sort of meaningful suggestions we need to know that :-))

The conifers are Leyland cypress and they look not too bad for being only 5 years old. The ones not growing as fast are probably not receiving as much water. But these can grow very large under good conditions - 60+ feet tall and 25' wide at the base and can dwarf a smallish backyard, although yours looks generous enough to accommodate these if you don't mind losing some lawn area. They are a very fast growing privacy screening tree, as long as not taken down by one of the diseases that can affect them in the southeastern part of the country or if not affected by a compromised root system, which is also common with these trees.

I agree that your space is large enough and your ideas nebulous enough that you would very likely benefit from the input of a landscape designer. Otherwise, you can just ad lib and do whatever suits your fancy.........many folks do just that :-))

ps. I know of NO designer that will buy plants from a client's garden....unless it may be something rather more unique and valuable like a Japanese maple. Certainly not a leyland cypress!!
Swift Cadence
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you all for your suggestions. We're in eastern North Carolina.
Sigrid
8 years ago
I'd put a collection of azaleas and rhodos in front of the cypress. There are plenty native to NC. That will cover your beds, give you some flowers. Pick a variety of heights and bloom seasons. As they grow and the cypress grow, you can lop off the bottom branches of the cypress. Pay attention to the final size of the shrubs and make sure you plant them with room to grow.