Side of House
Highland Jeannie
Posts: 381
I want to plant something down the side of our house, the width is about 4' 4" max.
It faces south, but as you can see has a house on each side. It's something that we won't see as we enter the house from the right & the road is a cul-de-sac. I have a photinia Red Robin in a tub just now, it's about 2'+ in diameter & can't think where else to put it. I also have a golden sambucus growing at the back which needs to be moved which could go there & several other shrubs, eg weigelias, spireas, etc.
Something easy wihtout much maintenance.
Below where the flue is there is some edging, that will be also set across the grass, perpendicular to the house & fence, with chips or bits of slate between that edging & a bit of fence to be put in front of the shed. That area is damp & the grass is dreadful, the area is about 6-8' in depth. Had thought of putting down weed mat under the chips or slates & planting the shrub(s) through that. Or plant the shrub(s) first??
The soil is probably fairly compacted as it hasn't been dug.
A closer view.
Our front garden is very bare & I need some ideas for that, but thought it best to do a bit at a time.
If it's a suitable place to plant something, when would be best?
Other problem - the landscaper is family & you know how long it takes them to do a job!!
How come the 1st piccy uploaded immediately but the 2nd one (from the same folder) took about 30 attampts??!!
Cheers,
Jean.
Posts
I have avery old GW mag with an idea for a space such as this. I will search it out and attempt to copy it - no idea how.
It is more for an entry but space is about same
Give me time to sort it out
I would put Fatsia japonica at the back with Aucuba japonica and a Mahonia at the front laying bark underneath as a mulch. Almost no maintainance.
Thanks Rosa, that's very kind.
Take your time - it's taken over 2 years so far.......!
Hi Hollie, yes I thought shrub(s) would be best -keep it simple. I've got plenty to do in the back & really just wanted something to look a bit less bare.
After lots more attempts!! A longer shot of the front showing most of the front garden. We're planning to (eventually) get the edging all along the left boundary so that it stops at the base of the lamp-post. The boundary with next door is an escallonia hedge & we'll fill the gap between that & the edging with slate bits as have next-door round their heathers.
Lots more to think about regarding the main part of the front garden to come later at some time!!
You'll be surprised what you can do ...no help to you but the experts here will have the answer.
Rosa I have I scanning document thing on our pc, do you have a printer/scanner?
iPad ? Take pics ?
I don't really know how much sun this area gets throughout the year as we don't go there - that's why I want it to be low-maintenance. It probably gets 3-4 ?? hours a day (when it shines....) Probably not much in Dec/Jan due to the low sun behind the houses opposite.
You have a really exciting prospect ahead of you in creating a garden. Over the last ten years, I've done the same, making lots of mistakes but learning a lot. I have a long, narow area along the side of my bungalow. My husband used strong wood to put in a narrow raised bed along the boundary wall which I planted with perennials and the rest was covered with membrane and chippings to create a narrow path. At the end there is a gate which we don't use, but which creates a focal point and suggests flow into a further part of the garden. The area looks good as a frame for the bungalow and is now transformed from a depressing a bit of wasted space into a place we like to go and admire the flowers. It gets a surprising amount of sun (when it shines) and is low-maintenance because, after the initial preparation, we just allowed the plants to fill the space. I weed there once a year and occasionally enjoy myself moving things around or pinching bits for the rest of the garden because it makes a useful plant nursery.
You could make a windy gravel/brick path whicj would uggest that it leads somewhere and use both perrennials ans small shrubs, or you could plant up your wall - not clinging climbers. I like the ideas of Gardening Grandma - bed and path . PS still looking