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lindsroc

Please help with landscape ideas

lindsroc
11 years ago

I posted last year when we bought our house and we were looking for some landscape ideas. A lot of people said to wait a season and see what grows in, as when we moved in we didn't have a single shrub or piece of grass. So here we are now and still nothing. We did remove a huge ugly tree from the center of the yard, and planted a redbud on the front corner of the house. I have a few pics to attach but it seems as though I will need to post in multiple posts as it will only let me choose one, maybe because I'm on an iPad? We are on the corner of a semi busy road. As you can see from the pics, we would benefit from some privacy. I was thinking of doing a cluster of some evergreens with height and some different shrubs and grouncover on the front left corner of the yard. We are going to get rid of the tall weird tree by the stop sign. I also want to do a couple of fast growing flowering trees, one in the middle of yard and one towards the front right corner. We have a row of hostas that will grow in over the rock wall, and we do plan on rebuilding that wall over the summer. The mulched in front of the walkway has perennials but I would rather something with height.
Any advice is appreciated. I am at a loss of where to begin. We don't have a huge budget but do have some money to spend. We are south facing and the yard gets full sun in the afternoon.
We really want privacy, every window we look at is a view of the street. We plan on focusing on the front this year and the back next year, the back is even worse as far as landscaping. Lol.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and post.

This post was edited by lindsroc on Mon, Apr 1, 13 at 9:48

Comments (12)

  • lindsroc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    This is the view from driveway

    This post was edited by lindsroc on Mon, Apr 1, 13 at 9:49

  • lindsroc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Another view from street

    This post was edited by lindsroc on Mon, Apr 1, 13 at 9:44

  • lindsroc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    To give an idea of how much space we have

    This post was edited by lindsroc on Mon, Apr 1, 13 at 9:43

  • lindsroc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    One more

    This post was edited by lindsroc on Mon, Apr 1, 13 at 9:51

  • lindsroc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Ok pics were not upside down when i posted them! If you click on them, it shows them right side up.

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    10 years ago

    Other than their being upside down (for which you are not faulted!) it's a nice set of pictures that gives a good idea of the overall space from different viewpoints. Wish everyone would supply a set that good.

    A clean slate is nice. But there is one element that could be much improved: the stone retaining wall. It's fine that it's there, but it's a substandard example of dry stacking stone. If its face and top were smooth and uniform, it would be an attractive asset. Now, it seems rough, crude and doesn't correspond accurately with the grade. That's' where I'd start because it sets the tone for the whole yard. It could seem refined, but now looks a little bit Boy Scout camp-ish.

  • lindsroc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Ok I think i fixed the pics by deleting them and re-uploading them! :)

    I agree about the wall. In the back we have a giant slope that has about 3 levels all with these rocks that were used in the front. We are going to dig that out and level the yard and build a new retaining wall in the back. when we do that, we will take the rocks from the back and rebuild the front wall. its been there since the 50's and im sure has never had any work done to it. when we bought the house it was condemned so it was a complete overhaul.
    aside from the wall, any advice on what and where to plant to give us a nice look in relation to the 1 level house and offer some privacy? thank you for your reply.

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    10 years ago

    The rock wall rebuilding would occur before any planting. It's not something you could do after. You could plant areas other than near the wall, but this would not address your need for "privacy."

    I doubt the wall was a nice wall in the 50's. Rocks in a wall don't change that much so it's a good bet that it was crudely built in the beginning.

    If you could, describe what you are trying to achieve with "privacy" in the front yard. How much of the house do you wish will not be seen from the street? What activities will occur that require privacy?

  • lindsroc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    We would like something nice to look at from in the house, other than the road and cars going by. Our street that we are facing is not the problem, its the street we are on the corner of. So maybe instead of saying we are looking for privacy, i guess you could say we are looking to block the view of the street from inside. Does that make more sense?

  • nappa
    10 years ago

    Hi

    Congrats on your house!

    I dont have a fully plan, but I have to say that decorative stones are some of my favorites when shining up my garden!

    Best, nappa

  • nappa
    10 years ago

    In fact Iôve just ordered some beautiful decorative stones called Cherry Vanilla. You can see them at www.gravelshop.com

    Here is a link that might be useful: gravelshop

  • lindsroc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you!