coug1002003
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need help with my front yard landscape please

hello, we just moved into our new home and would like to change the landscape put in by the builder so that it doesnt look like the others in the neighborhood. I am willing to use rocks, small boulders, plants, shrubs, etc
My wife likes japanese maples and some dwarf conifers etc but a design is just not coming to me especially since I need to hide the utility box and tie it all in so that its not obvious. I have callled and had the utilities marked so I'm ready to start except for the design.

I am willing to add new planting beds if needed to complete the look as well as hanging baskets etc any ideas or sketches etc would be great. thanks in advance.
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Last edited by coug1002003 on Wed Apr 16, 2014 11:18 am, edited 1 time in total.

coug1002003
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thanks for the quick reply... I am in the greenville sc area. My home has morning sun the smaller bed has sun until about 1pm the larger one starts losing sun around the top at 12:30 and slowly edges down from there.

I did indeed check with the utility company and they have marked off all the lines and gave me a distance of 2 feet around for access.

anything else that makes it easier let me know

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Make sure when you do your landscape renovations that you do not destroy the swale put in by the developer. It will help to keep your yard from becoming a swimming pool after it rains.

Make a plan for what you would like.

1. Decide on the style formal, Japanese garden, xeriscape

2. You already have a list of your favorite plants. Research them to make sure you give them the space they need to grow.

3. Consider putting in an irrigation system. It will be worth it in the long run.

4. Consider what you want to do in your yard.
Minimize grass- it takes the most water and maintenance, have enough for family activities
Outdoor viewing areas. seating, deck, gazebo, barbecue area
Points of interest, fountain, water feature, bench
Got pets? Need to make sure you have a space for them (kennel or potty area) and plants are pet
safe.
5. Consider maintenance, how much time you have to spend on it. Select plants that are easy to maintain.

6. Choose seasonal color to make it interesting, but try to limit palette to 4 colors or less and group plants 3 or more so they show up better.

7. Avoid straight lines, curves are more interesting. Curve beds and paths.

8. Don't plant too close to the foundation. Leave a two foot area (gravel or mulch works) so you can do maintenance on the house like inspect the foundation, paint or wash the windows.

9 Take the time to study the sun. It changes throughout the year. East side will get morning sun, south will get the most sun and north side the least. Choose plants that will do well in those kinds of lighting.

10 Take your time. Work on a master plan and do it in phases. It is much easier to change plans with an eraser than to have to dig it up again.

Ypu have a lovely home, make sure you have time to enjoy it.

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rainbowgardener
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What imafan said, except I wouldn't even say 4 colors. One main color and two accent colors. Gives a unified feel to your yard and gives the color a lot more pop when it is used in more masses.

Look for inspiration pictures. You can go into google images and just search on " front yard landscape images" and find tons of ideas. Go big and bold. The commonest landscape mistake people make is to put in a row of small plants that are all out of scale with the big house behind them.


Image
https://dhlwatches.com/wp-content/upload ... yard-7.jpg

Image
https://www.hickoryhollowlandscapers.com ... ing_ny.jpg

You can even specify in your search something like "front yard landscape images with dwarf conifer"

Image
https://www.hickoryhollowlandscapers.com ... g_ny_3.jpg

coug1002003
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Wow! Thanks for the great tips and advice. I may go a bit bigger
And take some advice maybe extend the larger bed to follow the walkway and maybe down towards the st
Then on the opposite side of the driveway match it up and take it around the utility box.
My wife says its too much but what do you guys think?

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

If you look at Rainbows sample pictures, you will see that the foundation shrubs vary a bit in form, texture and color. It gives the house a sense of privacy without obscuring it and curves and spaced plantings make a yard seem larger than it is. You fool the eye if you plant shorter plants in the front and narrow the view lines with darker taller plants toward the back.

Space the plants out so they have room to grow and you can see each individual plant.

Avoid planting in lines. It is best around a utility box, not to plant anything with large roots that might cause problems later.

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rainbowgardener
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Oh yeah, about that utility box. Have you seen the faux rock box covers they make?


Image
https://www.brookstone.com/webassets/pro ... 90619p.jpg

they come in different sizes depending on your box and a variety of different earth tone colors, grey, biege, etc.

I haven't seen them in person, only in the catalogs, but even if it looks a little bit fake or plastic (in ordinary circumstances I'm not a big fan of fake), that is easier to disguise with some plantings around it, than disguisinig the box. When they need to get in to the box, you just lift the cover off. It also makes sure you leave a bit of room around the box and can still get to it.


Image
https://www.drsfostersmith.com/images/Ca ... 1-pond.jpg

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rainbowgardener
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coug1002003 wrote:Wow! Thanks for the great tips and advice. I may go a bit bigger
And take some advice maybe extend the larger bed to follow the walkway and maybe down towards the st
Then on the opposite side of the driveway match it up and take it around the utility box.
My wife says its too much but what do you guys think?

Sounds good and you wanted it to stand out from the neighborhood. Show your wife the pictures (or other inspiration pictures you find).

Compare to the typical little row of little plants people do for foundation planting:


Image

We have seen so many examples like this posted here! Very boring and does nothing to enhance the house.

coug1002003
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Hi rainbow, I had seen those rocks online and gotten quotes from different
Companies ranging from $600 to $2600
It's outrageous. Oh and no returns, so if they look cheap I'm stuck
I'm looking into a blood good Japanese maple behind it to take the eye up and away from the box
with some other plants around it, it's just hard to draw out a plan. My wife is willing to pay 175 to a designer
For a plan but I think they will come back with the same ideas that I already have and be a waste of money.
What do you think?

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rainbowgardener
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That does seem like outrageous prices. The top one I showed is advertised by Home depot at $50 for •Large size (18-1/4 in. long x 25 in. wide x 19 in. high) or $80 for Extra Large ( 19-1/2 in. L x 29 in. W x 30 in. High). Is the problem that your box is really big? What are the dimensions?


If you are using plantings, remember that you are trying to screen it, not totally hide it, because the utility people have to be able to find it and get to it:

Image
https://www.we-energies.com/weimages/re ... pe_1lg.jpg

Re the designer, that's not at all an unreasonable price. I'd want to get references of other yards they have done that I could look at (not just pictures, which would be taken right when everything is planted under best lighting etc, if you can look at the actual yard, you can see how it has all held up). And be sure that what they will give you is a scale drawing with all the plants labeled as to what they are and where you can find them.

If I were doing it, I wouldn't use a designer, but I've been a gardener for decades and know a lot about which plants like which conditions. If that also describes you, then sure skip the designer and go with your own ideas. If not, bite the bullet and spend the money. The first yard I had, there was a grey stone wall dividing back yard from front yard. I thought a rose would look really pretty blooming against that wall. It would have too, except the wall created way too much shade and the rose died. :)

coug1002003
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Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2014 10:20 am

I was thinking something like this...
any changes pls feel free to do so.

its some boulders a tree some shrubs and a stone retaining wall on the side closest to my driveway.
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