better pics front, please a suggestion garage front, do I need height here? hate junipers. Thank you any thoughts!

This post was edited by johnnycabot on Sat, Oct 25, 14 at 7:43

rt side

This post was edited by johnnycabot on Sat, Oct 25, 14 at 8:16

left side.- Oct. Glory Maple front of garage apron.

This post was edited by johnnycabot on Sat, Oct 25, 14 at 8:18

"Want to expand right bed to walkway below 2nd step for smooth mowing." No idea what you're talking about. The picture might be at such a distance this does not show up for the uninitiated.

" Want partial privacy large garage window on left side, (yes we do have blinds inside.) can we bend that rule about no plants front of windows? seems like it needs softening to me-or is that a DIRE mistake?" Do you mean R side of house? Just checked again with Pope-mullah and covering the window without extraordinary reason is still a dire mistake ... full fledged sin actually. Why do you want to cover? "Softening" is a no-man's-land of BS so come up with something better. Windows don't needs softening, but blank, boring walls need added interest. So far, the window is THE thing that is adding interest to the otherwise blank, boring wall. The quoins help, too.

I am guessing the corner below the step is hard to mow because of shape or inability of mower to run over pavement a bit so you end up with uncut grass at that edge. In an attept to avoid that, H runs the miwer too close to the step--bad fir mower blades! If so, in order to avoid having to use a weed whacker, an edged extension of the shrub planting could help.

If you dont like to suggestions of your landscaper-ask for other options. If you still dont like them, find a new landscaper.

For the shrub plantings, i thibk you need more shrub shape variety. Now you have mostly rounded mounding shapes and it looks rather bland.
If your front yard is large, how about a planting area well away from the house to offer the privacy? You dont have to confine plantings to the foundation area only.

Yes, Phlowerpower this is area of bed I would like to widen to past 2nd step. ? DH prides himself on having no trimming of yard our acre front or back. Just mowing. (Function over beauty.) Frankly did not seem important until I look at these pictures. Line of bed does not flow well since we had walkway put in. I visualize low growing white roses each side of walkway at the steps for welcome. Yes garage front is boring. Other shrubs are too crowded. Can you suggest different pattern of shrubs across front of the house? And here I thought you were going to suggest a multi trunked specimen tree for interest. Actually I wanted a white lilac...
Yardvaark; I think of "softening" as plant interest against the square straight lines of the house, but I do wonder why local landscaper suggested such a sin as "in front of your garage window " himself. Obviously most Landscapers are not creative, just work the landscape.

This post was edited by johnnycabot on Sat, Oct 25, 14 at 8:20

It makes it easier to maintain steps if there are cheekwalls, which could be added. But there's always going to be some trimming somewhere.

Rarely has a "landscaper" been formally trained in landscape design. Usually, they come to it by happenstance so it's a mixed bag what their skill levels are. Heck, it's a mixed bag among those that have had some formal training. As we see here, there's a lot of disagreement about what constitutes good design. On the flip side, there seem to be a few things that ARE agreed upon.

I submit my suggestions saying, as I do here and there, that they are generalized suggestions having to do mostly with layout, plant heights, spreads and the like. Color means nothing other than a way for me to show that one thing is different from the next. The character a plant displays would depend on the actual plant used. I show one thing; maybe there are a half-dozen alternatives for this or that plant. Similarly, its character would be further defined by how one grows and maintains a plant. For example, the shrubs I'm showing below windows look like they could be Hydrangeas. But maybe it's more important in the owner's mind to have something evergreen and they want Yews and are willing to put up with the trimming. Fine. No problem.

Regarding wanting "white" flowering this or that ... white's pretty but for my taste it will seem a little washed out with such a light-colored house.

You have a fairly vast expanse of front lawn.

I'd think about breaking that up somehow ... for instance, with a nice tree. Because of the expanse, I'd suggest a tree that will attain a fair size.

Also, plant the tree out a fair distance from the house (at least half the depth of the lawn). You can position it so that the garage window is partially obscurred from the street (but not once you've made it half-way down the drive).

Either the Sunburst or Shademaster Honey Locust might work well for you here.

Also, I'd thin the number of shrubs by the house ... and allow what you leave to achieve a bit more size. Right now it looks like you're storing bowling balls.

Aegis500; yes those shrubs look like bad meatballs even to me, and being Italian that is something I will not tolerate. (soon) A tree further out front would break up the expanse of lawn but exactly what DH will not hear of. Thanks anyway for your suggestions. I know many readers will learn from my mistake and take what they can from these forums.
Yardvaart; You brought my landscape into balance and I appreciate it! Was letting huge spruce left side pic overwhelm the space mentally. I am drawing up a plan and think I will go with different evergreens. I can always add white perennials or annuals at intervals to pick up the continuity of the white fence to the right and evaluate the look. I see you gave me roses on the trellis, what a hoot. I have an over flowing huge rose there that I had to cut back and remove a ton of old dead wood from recently, almost that color. (!) You gave Glory something pretty to stand in, nice! Just to mention she is a wonderful tree if anyone is looking. Her color will be fabulous.
Understood your generalities are stated to give the poster opportunity to individualize their own projects to criteria and choice. Appreciate that very much and everybody's suggestions, thank you!

Does the elephant in this landscape (white picket fence and trellis) not bother anyone else? Guess it doesn't bother the OP, since she hasn't mentioned it at all. What's the purpose of the enclosure?

And apparently the man of the house is not interested in any landscaping that would result in the need for trimming in any fashion, be it along the sidewalk, around a tree, etc. Too bad. A well-placed tree or two in the front yard could add color, interest, and privacy.

Hey, hey, that white elephant of which you speak is my pride and joy! Thats my rose garden you are poking fun of. That's where you find me 7 days a week weather permitting because I love gardening. Didn't mention that part of the property earlier because I have no problem there. I do the landscape work too but had help this spring from my mower guy cuz I had back surgery. DH made meatballs out of the shrubs-they should be replaced anyway, gotta roll with it. He just mows 2x a wk.-we do no trimming for the last 25 yrs. Gotta run that big commercial John Deere. Its an old guy thing. He gets a pass here because he hates yard work and he's 80. It works.

This post was edited by johnnycabot on Sat, Oct 25, 14 at 8:00

In all the other pictures the "white elephant" looks pretty much barren of foliage so this is a good picture to see. The rose on arbor is beautiful!

Thank you, yes I am tying down, cutting back and "putting the garden to bed for winter". I wouldn't mind some white in front of the house to "marry" (my own term) my landscape (in warm months) to the fenced garden as it is visible from the front when you enter. I have lots of purple clematis in July along the white fence, so may extend that color in a lilac in front. Legged- up of course. (!) Frankly thought purple would not show up with the brick. Well I have new thoughts and a direction tp pursue. Won't bore you with gardening thoughts but it does influence the design.
Thanks Yardvaark.

This post was edited by johnnycabot on Sat, Oct 25, 14 at 8:21