I am starting to wonder why I wanted to buy a house.
Hello, behind our home is....to be Blount terrible. I have very little knowledge of plants and landscaping besides what I have learned here and researched. I literally almost started to cry when I looked at the amount of money and work this space needs, worst part our home is new. Less than 3 years old. I would like to keep it simple and neat. I know I need some sort of foundational plantings.. maybe a hydrangeas bush under that window... from there I am unsure. The space gets lots of sun during the later part of the day. I would like to expand the landscaping up the tiny patio to maybe give it something. On the left side under the window I would like to plant something tall on a trellis that I could maybe see while washing dishes. please help.. Please
Kommentarer (28)
Cee Smith
Författare6 år sedanWow Doug! That is very incredible! Is it okay to put mulch so close to the foundation? Also as far as edging is concerned any suggestions?
PROCee Smith thanked Dig Doug's DesignsUser
6 år sedanCee, just don't let the mulch touch the siding. It is okay to touch the concrete foundation.
Cee Smith thanked UserCee Smith
Författare6 år sedanThank you. I had bought some rocks to line that area first just in case.
Cee Smith
Författare6 år sedanLast question would it be wise to bring this up the entire side of the patio or just half way?
User
6 år sedanRocks are hard to work with and weed around. If you have a source, I actually like pine straw as a mulch, since it doesn't wash off in a heavy rain like the wood chip mulch.
Cee Smith thanked UserCee Smith
Författare6 år sedanÄndrades senast: 6 år sedanThat actually answers another question I have. We were going to mulch a steep slope for now and next year work some landscaping into the budget for that space.. so we decided to go with pine straw for now but mulch companies were saying to go with hardwood..
User
6 år sedanI like your trellis. Where did you get it from? If you can keep people, kids, and pets from running through the bed, it would be pretty all the way to the front. Just watch the curve for mowing. I made some of mine too sharp and the mower won't follow the curve.
Cee Smith thanked UserUser
6 år sedanÄndrades senast: 6 år sedanAround here, pine straw costs more than mulch! On a steep slope, hardwood mulch will be at the bottom of the slope after the first heavy rain! If you have a Botanical Garden that saves leaf mulch like mine does here, you can get composted leaf mulch for a base and then top dress with the pine straw for looks. If not, then just lots of pine straw and just add a little bit to it each year.
PS. I like Doug's arch. That would look good with a rose or clematis.
Cee Smith thanked UserCee Smith
Författare6 år sedanHm.. I have three kids under 5, no pets however. I may try to plant something towards the front that can take some foot traffic.. thank you for the tip on the curves.
Cee Smith
Författare6 år sedanPs I purchased it at aldi, I need to put the cover on it. It really helps cut the direct sun in the kitchen in the warmer months.
Cee Smith
Författare6 år sedanÄndrades senast: 6 år sedanWould it be silly to put a flower box under the kitchen window on the other side of the house? Far left..
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
6 år sedanI love flower boxes, but they are very difficult to keep looking good-think lots of time and effort. I would probably put plants in their pots in the box-you wouldn't see the pots and easy to change one out if the plant starts to look bad!
Cee Smith thanked cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)Cee Smith
Författare6 år sedanI’ll pass. The space is small anyway. I have enough difficult things going on in my life lol
Cee Smith
Författare6 år sedanThe small area to the left of the patio.. should I imitate the right just fewer plantings? Also if you were to extend this patio with a floating one.. where would you put it?
Lindsay
6 år sedanTo keep it simple, easy, and beautiful, why not a row of hydrangeas against the house to start? Something pretty big, although perhaps a dwarf variety below that window so it doesn’t block the light/ view. That will ease your pain somewhat and you can fill in over the coming seasons as you find the time, money, and inspiration.
Fall is really the best time for planting shrubs, although if you’re really good about watering and mulching the hydrangeas will probably survive. Keep an eye out for deals...I have planted a couple of $50+ shrubs in my front yard that I found for $20 on the sale rack!
For the trellis, on the right side (emerging from the hydrangea area), maybe a climbing rose/clematis combo? Several nurseries offer pre-planned flowering vine combinations.Cee Smith thanked Lindsay
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
6 år sedanWhat is easiest is shrubs, well mulched with an organic mulch such as pine straw or shredded bark mulch and underplanted with a ground cover. Be sure it is well edged with a buried edging to keep the grass out. Make beds at least 5'-6' deep.
In order to get reasonable suggestions we need your general location and hardiness zone. Here is how to add that to your profile so that it posts automatically next to your name like for cyn427 or mine and you don't need to remember to add it for every post. It will add to all your previous posts as well.
Go to Your Houzz in the upper right of every page, click Edit Profile, and on the left side click advanced settings. Well down the advanced settings page is a blank labeled Climate Zone for Garden Forums, along with a link to find your zone.
You can add info on your state or the nearest large city either here or on the profile page under the name posted, and you will get even better information since zone only relates to average coldest winter temperatures.
Then return to the top of the page and click Done Editing.
We also need info on the conditions in that spot. Does it get any shade such as from your house or other buildings or trees? If so, what time of day does it get shade? What is the soil like? Clay, sand, or just ordinary loam? Is there is hose bib AKA spigot close enough to make watering easy? Each kind of plant has its own preferred conditions, so choosing ones that will be happy there will make your life easier.Do you look at this spot in the winter? I'd so, consider adding something everygreen so it isn't only dead-looking sticks all winter.
Cee Smith thanked NHBabs z4b-5a NHCee Smith
Författare6 år sedanHello,
Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback. I do not feel hydrangeas will perform well in this space it receives morning shade and afternoon sun. I do not view this spot often in the winter however I feel evergreens are a good foundation option. I would love to incorporate a staggered row of 1-3 small evergreens and another row or two of annuals for color. The layout plan confuses me because I wanted to extend the space up the side of the slab patio. I also played with the idea of adding a floating patio ... somewhere so we could have the option to eat outside as well as lounge. The current patio size it too small to function as both. Another part of me also says keep it simple & just use what you have. Thank you so much for the tip about adding my zone. The area is sandy clay and luckily a hose is nearby. It is under my kitchen window as well.
User
6 år sedanI used these. They are not hard to put down if your yard is fairly level.
I spaced the first set 1/2 inch apart, but I like them better just up against each other. It is easier to clean. I did not dig out for a base. I don't have a deep freeze line here, and I didn't care how permanent they were,
I used this tree ring if you put in some trees for shade. Keep trees at least 20 feet away from house.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Rubberific-Brown-Recycled-Rubber-36-in-Tree-Ring/3199897
Cee Smith thanked UserUser
6 år sedanThere is a huge amount of ways to use them.
https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=square%20concrete%20pavers&rs=typed&term_meta[]=square%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=concrete%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=pavers%7Ctyped
PROEmerald Sod Farms
6 år sedanI really like the color of your house. It is simple and light. And I think your idea is perfect. You can make the land more beautiful by growing grass and placing colorful flower pots. It will be an ideal place for kids and lovely animals play together.
Cee Smith thanked Emerald Sod FarmsCee Smith
Författare6 år sedanHi Sherry, when you spaced them close together was that to create a patio? A walk way? Thank you for the tip.
User
6 år sedanÄndrades senast: 6 år sedanThe pavers are 11 3/4 inches by 11/3/4 inches. If you space them 1/2 inch apart they will cover a 12" x 12" space. I did that first in my greenhouse which is 8 ft x 16 ft. I don't like it, because leaves, dirt and trash get in the space and is hard to clean out. It does look good when clean. I may try to fill in with small rocks and that poly cement.
The ones I put close together are at the lake (we put our RV in a permanant campground after it got to be to hard on my husband to travel) under my outdoor grill and outdoor gas stove. It is under a portable canopy. I like it better because it is easier to sweep off. I didn't put down landscaping fabric first, so I do have a few weeds that come up between the pavers. They are easy to pull up. The grass around is bermuda and I have always had bermuda grow through the landscaping fabric anyway.
I am going to extend my outdoor cooking area at home and I am going to place them close together. I will probably try the fabric underneath. I bought some of the professional like you see at the nurseries that has the yellow lines in the black fabric. I think it was this one.
I haven't made a walkway with them yet.
They are fairly easy to move and change if you don't like them. You can get a few and add to them later. I would show you a picture, but the greenhouse is trashed right now and we haven't been back to the lake this year.
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