Design ideas for front bed?

6 years ago

Looking for some opinions on what I could do with my front beds. These used to be rock beds, but I got rid of the rock because it was attracting snakes, and then the sidewalk got redone.

Someone had suggest a couple years ago that I "frame" each window with a rounded bush and keep it clean with some groundcover. i actually really liked this and I bought a white pine bush, but it died over the winter. So I thought I'd just see what other suggestions I get before I rush out to get new bushes.

The previous owner of the house had wildflowers in the front. I'm a HUGE flower freak, but decided I want my front yard (and around the house eventually) to look much cleaner, have lower maintenance than flowers, and perhaps give the house a touch of "modern." There is a lot of grandma throughout the whole house and yard =)

Any suggestions?

As long as we're at it, can you give me your favorite landscaping "rules of thumb?" or design tips? I have loved gardening for a long time, but I realized I'm going to have to learn to work with shrubs to fill up all the space I have. Shrubs and trees scare me...they are so permanent! This is just one of many projects I have.

Featured Answer

Embothrium

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

The matching pines were probably suggested because the geometric symmetry of the house façade calls for a matching formal garden layout - whether the person making that suggestion was consciously aware of this aspect or not. Meanwhile the rounded, off center island bed and curving walk will always be at odds with the main part of the house because of the differences in angularity between the façade and these other two elements. So short of replacing the bed and walk with ones that have outlines (and placement, in the case of the bed) that link up with the uniformly rectilinear façade the thing to do is probably to use only informally balanced planting. That is with no matching pairs or straight lines etc. of plants that will serve to emphasize the otherwise conflicting geometry of the façade behind.

The island bed might best be planted with a combination of shrubs and perennials, as in a mixed border - the previous effort probably come off as messy because of it perhaps being all flowers, with no woody material included. Evergreen shrubs could be grouped at each end to bookend it, with deciduous shrubs at the back and flowers at the front. Otherwise it could be all shrubs, including a percentage of low, carpeting types.

Adding various evergreen shrubs to the island bed as well as the section to the right of the steps, on over to the corner of the house would also make the exposed foundation less apparent. As it is now the front of the house looks pretty stark, due to the lack of planting - you will have to overcome your antipathy to long term plants if the place is to ever look finished. What specific kinds to choose is a factor of what the places you choose to shop are (or will be) presenting to the market, what characteristics you see mentioned that fit your needs.

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Comments (12)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
most white pines end up huge plants ... so you may have dodged a bullet there ... when you find a plant.. you should try to find out what its potential is.. and then site it accordingly ...

too many peeps.. buy this tiny baby TREE!!! .. thinking it will stay tiny forever ... they dont ... so you have to be very careful about planting conifers.. which are trees.. to close to the house ...

usually plant tags include a latin name.. and that latin can be used to find out about the future .. this would be my best guess on your pines.. with no further info .. and as you can see.. they should be planted starting at least 5 to 6 feet from the house ... :

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=pinus+strobus+globosa&t=ffcm&iax=images&ia=images

where are you ... what direction does the house face ...

i would probably come out on the other side of the walkway.. and plant a nice shade tree of some kind.. depending on where you are ...

ken
grabembythegreenthumb thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
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BeverlyFLADeziner
6 years ago
IMO I might suggest lacy small leaf plants to contrast your home's siding, however, I also think you need to address the metal railings before you begin planting. I think your steps should be wider & that dors needs a canopy to keep visitors and the front stoop protected.

Even an awning would be better than nothing.
grabembythegreenthumb thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
PRO
Yardvaark
6 years ago
Could you retake pictures? ... no farther away than the second pic, but line up with the front steps. Take 3 slightly overlapping pictures that pan across the front (while standing at the one spot). Try to include as much space beyond the ends of the house corners as possible (meaning barely overlap pics.)
grabembythegreenthumb thanked Yardvaark
grabembythegreenthumb
Original Author
6 years ago
Hope these pics are a little better.
grabembythegreenthumb
Original Author
6 years ago
Ken - I have the "max" sizes of the white pine bushes somewhere. I realize they won't stop at that size necessarily, but they were slow growers, taking about 10 years to get to the estimated size (which I think was something like 8 x 6.). I'm in southern Minnesota. The house faces the south, but the bed with the picture window does not get much for sun because of mature trees on the yard.

Can you clarify what you mean here?

"i would probably come out on the other side of the walkway.. and plant a nice shade tree of some kind.. depending on where you are ... "
grabembythegreenthumb
Original Author
6 years ago
Embothrium

Can you elaborate on this idea? I like the sound of it. I definitely want to get over my antipathy to shrubs! There are many beautiful shrubs I'd love to have. But everything I plant, I move! I have a huge perennial garden in the back, and I move things constantly. And I can't do that with shrubs.

What type of evergreen shrubs would you do? And would you do different shapes? Some short, some tall?

One of the things I considered as I started thinking about this again in spring was to try a North Wind Japanese/Korean Maple in the border. I've been wanting one for some time. I understand they are actually great foundation plants.

The island bed might best be planted with a combination of shrubs and perennials, as in a mixed border - the previous effort probably come off as messy because of it perhaps being all flowers, with no woody material included. Evergreen shrubs could be grouped at each end to bookend it, with deciduous shrubs at the back and flowers at the front. Otherwise it could be all shrubs, including a percentage of low, carpeting types.

Adding various evergreen shrubs to the island bed as well as the section to the right of the steps, on over to the corner of the house would also make the exposed foundation less apparent. As it is now the front of the house looks pretty stark, due to the lack of planting - you will have to overcome your antipathy to long term plants if the place is to ever look finished. What specific kinds to choose is a factor of what the places you choose to shop are (or will be) presenting to the market, what characteristics you see mentioned that fit your needs.
grabembythegreenthumb
Original Author
6 years ago
Just bumping this up.
PRO
Yardvaark
6 years ago
I see I already made suggestions in a prior thread, so have nothing new to add.
PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I would check local nurseries what they have for your area, and would go with scrubs and evergreens.
PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Embothrium
6 years ago
Regarding these last two pictures I'd put the pointed blue conifer over on the left, at the corner of the house instead of in front of the window. Unlike the first planting the second is too low and flat, with nothing in it that is tall enough to soften the house façade. Or really even do much to conceal the exposed foundation.