landscape consultation

[applestar]

Wow just one season’s growths has started to fill in the space and you can easily visualize how the shrubs will feature against the big walls. I like the “echo symmetry” of the railing planters and the window boxes, too. Looking great!

[rainbowgardener]

Thanks for the kind words!

The house is completely not symmetrical, so I wasn't aiming for symmetry in the plantings either, but hopefully reasonably balanced. The American beautyberry on the right side of the stairs has grown amazingly. I had one in Cincinnati, so I know it can be a monster and will need regular cutting back. But mockingbirds (of whom we have many here) like those berries. Interestingly they are the only birds I have seen eating them.

[rainbowgardener]

Some of my photobucket pictures don't show any more

Here's a combined photo of what the house looked like when we bought it and then what it looked like last year after we repainted, added front steps and walkway, porch railings and shutters and baby foundation plantings.



Here's what the foundation plantings look like now, although it is hard to get pictures that do it justice:

[imafan26]

It is a big difference. I think the front door should be painted in a color that makes it pop more. The white rail, steps, and walkway guide you to the door, but the door itself cannot be seen. The whole entry is dark. I do love the landscaping and the definition of the beds. As it matures it should be even better.

My faucets (2 came with the house) were attached to the house one on either side yard. I actually had new water lines extended and put faucets where I needed them against the perimeter walls in the back and one faucet was moved from the wooden wall of the house to the end of the patio that had the posts replaced with a concrete partial wall and pillars. It is on the end of the patio so I can go down the side yard or the back. I did make a mistake and put back to back faucets up against a wooden 4x4 fence post. It did last 20 years but it also contributed to the rot in the post and both faucets are too close so only one can be used at a time. I did have a hose minder, and it did keep the hose neater, but since it broke the hose is back to being just laid out wherever it is when I am done watering.

The front yard hoses are coiled, but they are vinyl and not rubber hoses so they become permanently kinked, curled, and eventually too stiff. They are able to be hidden from view by plants most of the time. I do have one on a staked hose minder with a butterfly motif that was hand made. It keeps the hose neater as long as it is put back on the planter and not left out all over the place. I will never have another hose minder attached to a wall. We had some damage on the walls of the house when we purchased it. It took a while to figure out it was from the hose reel.

I hand water now. If I ever get around to fixing all of my sprinkler manifolds, I would have a lot fewer hoses lying around.