Lawn shrub recommendation

6 years ago

Hi, I'm looking for some lawn ideas. I currently have everything greens but would like to see some variations. This is located in OH (perennials or hydrangeas)?. Thanks in advance

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Yardvaark

6 years ago

It's hard to have an interesting foundation planting if it's going to be primarily a uniform hedge underscoring the whole house. Better to ditch that and arrange shrubs according to architectural features. Then, fill in with perennials, annuals and contrasting shrubs or accent plant forms. It's also hard to have an interesting foundation planting if the front walk is plastered so tightly against the home that there is no room for any plants to grow to their normal sizes, allowing only for them to be trimmed in a tight, sheared hedge form.

I'd opt to get the pyramidal evergreens and large shrubs away from the entrance as they are already crowding it.

Have as a goal that the trees are allowed to grow higher and their bottom limbs are removed in order to make them more practical (be able to walk below them) and to clear them away from shrubs. The landscape will look more finished and intentional if trees are trees and shrubs are shrubs ... instead of growing so much into each other that it's hard to distinguish them. A two-story house needs some larger trees near it.

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Comments (6)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years ago
I think we need some clarification ;-) 'Lawn ideas' and 'lawn shrubs' are kind of talking at cross purposes.

You already have a foundation planting established. Did you want to remove some or all of these to add more color? Or were you thinking about establishing some planting areas at a distance away from the house?

Lawn is lawn - turf grasses - and is going to be green no matter what except for during its dormant period. Only way you are going to change the color of a lawn is with spray paint :-)
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
do you use the front lawn for anything ... or can we work out in that bocci court???

i think you could use a couple small flowering trees out there... to break the expanse of boring green grass ... perhaps a redbud... a magnolia in tree form if you are warm enough ... etc ... most of OH wont do for crepe myrtle .. though you might squeeze one in down TN border way ... im not sure on that ....

and of course there are trees that have full season interest other than flowers... japanese maples come to mind ....

OH is quite diverse zone wise ... give us a big town name to narrow it down for us ...

if you are calling a redo on the whole front scape.. how invested are you in future maintenance ???

is this a DIY job ... if so read this: https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub

your window for spring planting is now .... but if you cant get it done.. plan on fall planting ... summer planting can be very problematic for a newb DYI peep ... it can be done.. but its just harder all around ... pros can do it whenever.. but be prepared to whip out the checkbook ... and include warranties ...

what she said ...

welcome to the forums ...

ken

ps: if there are any houses in the sub.. that show what you like ... snap us a pic ...

the key here... wonder why i already signed off ... is that you establish a GOAL ... a picture in your minds eye... of what you want to accomplish .... thats basically what you are asking us ... and once you have that picture.. just go to it ... but until you have it... actual plant lists are secondary ... what do you want to do ...????
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
also note.. you asked about shrubs.. and i answered in trees ....

shrubs can be pruned into tree shape ... but trees dont look great as shrubs .... the biggest difference might be in how you would prune one or that other ....

once we define the words.. it helps you move forward ...

ken

ps: there is a tree forum.. but its basically the same peeps as the shrub forum ....
Embothrium
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
It's hard to have an interesting foundation planting if it's going to be primarily a uniform hedge underscoring the whole house. Better to ditch that and arrange shrubs according to architectural features ... It's also hard to have an interesting foundation planting if the front walk is plastered so tightly against the home that there is no room for any plants to grow to their normal sizes, allowing only for them to be trimmed in a tight, sheared hedge form.

Yes!
emmarene9
6 years ago
What Yardvaark did.