6b zone landscaping needing a refresh

last year

Our flowerbed is West facing. I would like to replace the old Alberta spruce with new Alberta spruce and keep the Japanese Maple and Ornamental tree, remove the Arborvitaes. I am undecided as to what I should have to replace the group of Arborvitaes under the window. I wanted boxwoods but the boxwood moth is in the area. Would Japanese Holly look ok?

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Barbara G.
Original Author

last year

Thank you kindly everyone. I agree with removing the Alberta Spruce. The small tree in the corner is not a Japanese Maple, it's a Sand Cherry. I was looking to use possibly Japanese Holly instead of boxwoods because of the Moth problem in Western NY. I would greatly appreciate some additional ideas for replacing the Arbs on both the left and right sides of the house. I do like perennials and have many in my backyard landscaping. Just want a nice look to be the envy of the neighborhood..lol :}

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Comments (9)

littlebug Zone 5 Missouri
last year
Is this the Japanese maple you want to keep? It looks tortured. It really should be moved into a much larger spot.
Barbara G. thanked littlebug Zone 5 Missouri
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
last modified: last year
What do you hope to accomplish by replacing an Alberta spruce . IMO the trees are not ideal so close to the house and honestly too big for the house . Japanese maples like space all around them and are best as speciman trees . I think what you need are much lower perennial plants to allow some color into the landscaping and allow the house to be seen .. The ornamental tree and the Japanese maple would be better moved out into the lawn area.
Barbara G. thanked Patricia Colwell Consulting
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cecily 7A
last year
Replacing the arbs under the window with boxwood or holly doesn't make sense to me. You're exchanging one green blob for another with a similar appearance.
Barbara G. thanked cecily 7A
Design Fan (NE z7a)
last year
last modified: last year
For the japanese maple on the right side, what is the variety/cultivar and mature size? When was it planted? How far from the house is the trunk?

Some of the small mounding JPs can get (surprisingly) wide as they mature. That JP is the star of the right side landscaping so you want to plan around its mature size as you update the landscaping around it.
Barbara G. thanked Design Fan (NE z7a)
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
Also .... Please let the weeping tree express its natural form. It doesn't look good chopped into an umbrella.
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
last year
Here is the house without the arborvitae and without shutters on the front window. IMO elimination is more important than adding to this plan.

Boy that yellow siding doesn't work with the roof color at all.
PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
last year
Some inspro
Barbara G. thanked Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
RedRyder
last year
Here are two other options. I have different Spirea around my house - three in the front. There are many variations. Holly has a bunch of varieties too. These work in your planting zone.
Barbara G. thanked RedRyder