Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
storybookgirl

Help with curb appeal on normal revival/storybook house

storybookgirl
11 years ago

So we bought this house back in April. The pictures were taken in July. The landscaping needs work. We planted the boxwoods as soon as we moved in. They are going to take forever to grow in! We had planted begonias all along the the house where the small tree/shrubs are (it's curved along the house), but only a few survived. The ones that did survive are really pretty. Most of them died from the heat or squirrels were stepping on them! Darn those squirrels! So I put a little thin black fence from home depot all along where it curves where the squirrels were stepping on begonias. If the begonias continued along the whole curve it would be pretty, but that would only work if the squirrels didn't get into them!

I don't like the front landscaping at all! What can I do? I was planning on pulling out the lavender and that white bush next to it, but I don't know what to replace it with. I really like topiaries! The plants would have to be non allergenic because I have really bad allergies.

Also, I have been debating that security door. The original door behind it is really pretty wood with charcoal 1930 knobs and peep screen that has the design of a dolphin/phoenix thing?

Comments (4)

  • storybookgirl
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Tree on right is a giant golden rain tree

  • storybookgirl
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    The door. And u can see the begonia on the left.

  • deviant-deziner
    11 years ago

    I don't like the front landscaping at all! What can I do? I was planning on pulling out the lavender and that white bush next to it, but I don't know what to replace it with. I really like topiaries! The plants would have to be non allergenic because I have really bad allergies.

    Hire a professional landscape designer who is familiar with your climate.
    You'll receive valuable information that you'll be able to build upon for years to come and you'll be eliminating costly mistakes that you would be making on your own .

    you need a master landscape plan, not a few plant suggestions for here and there.

    A few things that popped out immediately that a professional would have been able to help you with at the start.
    1. the spacing on the boxwood is too far apart and it is planted directly in the lawn vs. having a bed of its own.

    2. A few smattering of red begoinia are not going to make any impact, which is probably a good thing because the color is incongruent with the colors of your home

    3, difficult to tell without actually being on site , but your foundation bed appears to be too narrow in width . If it was wider you would have an opportunity to build up a foreground , mid ground and back ground to create a more textural, colorful and curb appeal.

    4. solar lighting on a stick is ineffective . You have them placed along the left side of the house like they were grazing lights ( to softly up light the front of the house and landscape ) A good landscape designer can provide you with a knock out lighting plan that will enhance the value of your property.

    It's a charming home . It deserves a charming garden.
    If you work with a landscape designer you will also benefit from their years of skill and education , as well as receive huge return on your investment via financial and aesthetics.

    You're likely to receive the 'rinse , lather and repeat' advice here. Meaning the standard legless mop head tree in the corner, a circular fringe of green mac'paint surrounding it and a swash of green dots across the bottom front of the windows.

    The house deserves good on site design. Yes, it is an investment but it is apart of the architecture of the house, especially if it is done creatively and by a designer who is familiar with your local growing conditions.

  • KraB
    11 years ago

    A large evergreen on the left would compliment the big triangle of an architectural feature that is on the right. A low hedge in front would divide your lawn space from the public space. Two focal points on either side of the entry walk would frame the front door, at least from the vantage point of the camera and give you a spot to plant other than foundation plantings. The boxwood on the walk need to be planted in beds, also get some hard wired lights along the path. The solar lights aren't cutting it get some lights pointing up.

    Foundation plantings. Stick with 2 or 3 plants, I think lavender and something with silver foliage. Stick with blue, silver and one green. Keep it minimal. None of those sad shrubs are doing anything.