Concrete block chimney Looking for ideas to improve

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

We are in the process of purchasing this 1970's rambler for retiring in :) Would love to give it little more curb appeal, and the chimney looks like it could be improved. Painting? Veneer?. It's located in Zone 5 climate, so gets pretty cold.

Thanks in advance!

Featured Answer

partim

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Resist the urge to pull out your overgrown shrubs. I can see that many of them are yews, which can be cut to pretty well any size and shape, right down to the bare wood, and they will sprout anew. In a few months you will have beautiful full-size shrubs. The alternative is to pull them out and plant much smaller new plants which will take years to reach a good size. And although it's not a small job to cut them, it's a lot easier than digging them out and planting new. And less expensive if you're paying someone to do it.

Here's a picture, looking down from the top, of a yew bush where the top third was sawed right off, down to the bare stems. You can see all the new growth coming in a month later. This was done in mid-June in a city near Niagara Falls, so a similar climate to yours. The best time to do it is in late winter, while everything is still dormant. Don't do it just before winter as new growth will be tender. The yews in my 45-year old neighborhood often get this treatment and it always works. Don't cut them in a ball or square shape, always leave them wider at the bottom than on the top or the lower area will be shaded by the top and not grow well. Cut them smaller than you want the finished shrub to be, because the new growth will tend to be near the ends of the cut branches.

Many deciduous shrubs can also be treated this way.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/shgen/rejuvenation-pruning-tips.htm

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Comments (9)

NancyD
6 years ago
While the wide chimney would look better painted (white, black), it’s landscaping, a walkway, and dimension (pergola, front porch) that your house needs. Is the slider your front entry?
crowinghen thanked NancyD
crowinghen
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago

That is the back of the house- yes , you are spot on about a lot of changes needed.- I guess I'm not sure where to start!

Here's the front of the house. I cannot WAIT to cut those shrubs back so there can be some light in the house. The front door is on the right, the walkway is through that maze of greenery.
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girl_wonder
6 years ago
If the chimney is in the backyard, is it an issue for curb appeal? (I assume you have privacy in the back yard. Maybe not). If so, for me, it wouldn't be my top priority. Sounds like you have a lot to consider. At some point I'd probably want to repaint the house, so it could be addressed then. But if the paint job is in good shape, I'd hold off and tackle other things that are pressing priorities. But that's just me. And I agree with the comments on improving the landscaping. When the eye has a lot of other pretty things to look at, it won't be going to the chimney. Another reason to wait: sounds like you haven't lived there awhile (if at all). You may find, in time, that you don't even notice it. Happy pre-retirement. Enjoy your new home!
crowinghen thanked girl_wonder
crowinghen
Original Author
6 years ago
You both give good advice- Thank you so much! Maybe I should start a thread asking for landscaping advice in general for this house, because I really don't have talent or experience in that area.
crowinghen
Original Author
6 years ago
Partim- I plan on just cutting them back- thank you for the resources!
partim
6 years ago
The most attractive shape is a cone shape, smaller than you want the final shrub. For old shrubs like yours you'll need a saw not just pruners. Be sure your cutting tools are sharp - it makes a big difference in the amount of effort!
crowinghen thanked partim
houssaon
6 years ago
partim took the word out of my mouth! My neighbor pruned rhododendrons that had grown to the second story when they bought their house. They look wonderful decades later.
crowinghen thanked houssaon
partim
6 years ago
It always makes me a bit sad when I read posts that say "I removed everything in my yard down to bare dirt. Now what?"