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hyjenist1

Designing help please!

hyjenist
9 years ago

We bought our townhouse about 2 1/2 yrs ago. As beautiful as the front yard was it was very overgrown. We have thinned out or removed most things. Now we need to redesign. And we are clueless! The area is about 7 1/2ft wide X 17 ft long. Closest to the house we have an adorable dwarf peach tree that we love. In the center is what we believe to be a hearty hibiscus that I am fascinated with, my boyfriend wants to yank out:(
And feedback or suggestions would be much appreciated.

Comments (6)

  • hyjenist
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Oops Hardy Hibiscus! See....clueless!

  • Exceller97
    9 years ago

    I'm by no means an expert, but I like what you have here for the most part. I might take the shrub (one in front of the brown bag) out as it seems to take away from the hibiscus (definitely keep), and in its place maybe a low profile organic structure (group of interesting rocks(no more than 3), small stone bench, etc.). I am thinking a border along the neighbor's side down and across to the mailbox, consisting of spurge (something low) maybe, to define the area. Hopefully others will have some ideas to help you as well.

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    9 years ago

    Landscaping is correlated to a house similar to how makeup is correlated to facial features. In the picture shown, it cannot be determined what the architectural organization and features are, so it would be difficult or impossible to determine what plant forms and arrangement would be useful and desirable. You should provide a picture where one can see the house as a backdrop and one showing what is behind the tree. Using landscaping to enhance the entrance is usually a feature of front yard landscaping. Here, it cannot be determined for sure where the entrance is.

  • littlebug5
    9 years ago

    I agree with Exceller that whatever that tall-ish shrub is near the mailbox needs to go. Isn't it blocking the view when that red car tries to back out?

    If you feel that something has to be placed there, it should be no taller than a foot or so. I would definitely NOT put a bench. Not enough space. And I think it would look odd. Would someone actually sit there?

  • hyjenist
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for the feedback. This is a photo from the spring before we moved in. We have not touch much of anything from behind the peach tree. The tallish shrub is actually a group of three knock out rose bushes. Do you think I should remove all three? Or rearrange them(springtime?).

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    9 years ago

    Seems like hiding the utilities below the window would be an advantage. A 3' shrub (big leaf hydrangea, Jap spiraea, etc.) placed so as to provide some clearance would do the trick. What's blooming pink in the second picture seems fine. Envision the tree's ultimate form and begin controlling it to conform. With a cone shape trunk system, you'll want a certain degree of spread. If a trunk falls outside of the designated spread, it needs to be removed. (Seems like this is happening in the first picture.) Tall plants in the portion of the yard adjacent the drive seem obstructive to me. It would look more unified and welcoming as low groundcover material. (It looks like that's what you've removed.) My preference would be for a single evergreen species. If you wanted to subdivide into organized layout it would not be the end of the world.

    Reflecting on your comments about the "before" state ... it does not look "overgrown" to me. Maybe it has weeds in it that need to be removed (photo too fuzzy to see) but the plantings themselves don't seem out of bounds. I see the hibiscus is cut down. I think its being gone looks better for the yard and house.