Landscaping: Need advice on where to start on a foundation planting

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gen2026 Camden, AR August 28, 2009 03:47 PM	I am wanting to do my foundation planting myself on the front of my home. The house is 104' long including the garage.... and I think I have a plan in mind. I am not certain that I will be able to do the entire project at one time due to the high cost of mulch in my area....but, can someone offer some suggestions on where to start? Should I just lay out a design with a water hose and put my metal edging in place and then start a huge lasagna bed? or should I spray the area with RU? I have a LOT of misc grasses there now including lots of nutgrass or nutsedge. I have considered trying to plant this fall, or I could lay out the bed, start a huge lasagna bed project and plant in the spring....any ideas which might work best? I have heard a lot of people say they have more success starting the fall so the plants have a chance to get established before our extreme heat hits....... I am in South Arkansas in zone 7b. Thanks Genna
bugme Barnesville, GA (Zone 7b) August 28, 2009 06:01 PM	I would first get rid of the unwanted grasses and other weeds with RU. Wait a few days and start your lasagna bed. Planting perennials in the fall is a good idea, however, that would be ideal in a ready-made bed. Since you're just beginning, your lasagna bed idea is probably the best. That way you'll be able to research what you want as foundation plants.
flowers_delight Leicester, NC (Zone 8a) August 29, 2009 05:58 PM	gen2026, don't forget to put landscape fabric down before adding mulch. I didn't and am now sorry I didn't. I would suggest waiting until spring and introducing only a few plants at a time. mostly perennials. This way if they don't make it you can try something else until you get it right. Bulbs are nice and can go in now and by the time they are done blooming in the spring the other plants are ready to do their thing. I like this approach opposed to putting everything in at once because you always see that perfect plant later that you wish you had room for lol. It also gives you a perspective of space left when you see how much room one is gonna take. This is stuff you probably already know.
gen2026 Camden, AR August 29, 2009 06:35 PM	Thanks for the suggestions.... I don't have my complete plan laid out, but I do have several of the plants narrowed down. I appreciate the suggestions - it is a big project to take on and doing it a little at a time will allow me to do it myself. Thanks Genna
flowers_delight Leicester, NC (Zone 8a) August 31, 2009 11:33 PM	gen any outdoor project can become overwhelming at times, just stop to smell the roses from time to time and remember "Rome wasn't built in a day" Happy Gardening! There are great folks here that have all the answers if you run into a stump so to speak just ask.
estrail1rider Blacksburg, VA September 01, 2009 12:35 PM	I have been doint the same thing this summer. I have beds all around the house now and on one side of the garage. I started out by looking at and printing off garden designs I liked on the Better Homes and Gardens landscaping pages. Then I went through a book I found and copied the ones I liked there. After that I started substituting the plants I liked better than the ones they had on their list. For example: One plan called for dahlias. I like oriental lilies better so I took the dahlias out and put the lilies in. trying to keep similar heights and kinds of plants. Another example: it called for an Easter white cedar. I put in a white tipped spruce instead. In the front, I planted one side of the house front with the plan I liked and then flipped the plan over for the other side. Just some things I am doing with mine and finding the right places to put the things I like best in. debbie
flowers_delight Leicester, NC (Zone 8a) September 01, 2009 02:40 PM	Debbie you have the right approach for sure, my problem is I got in too big a fizz and wanted instant gratification.
gen2026 Camden, AR September 01, 2009 03:25 PM	Well, I gave up on instant gratification years ago....LOL.... this October we will be in the house 6 yrs - and NO foundation planting yet. So, I am past instant gratification, but would at least like to have a START! I tend to get bogged down making decisions about how many plants and what to put where! I start second guessing myself and end up doing nothing instead. Even got a local guy who is supposed to be great to do me a plan - but I hated it !!! So, I am trying to take the few things about the plan that he drew that I did like and modify the rest................. :) Thanks for all the suggestions and ideas! Genna
flowers_delight Leicester, NC (Zone 8a) September 01, 2009 04:32 PM	I don't have a problem with picking out the plants I like but have a real block when it comes to design,
themoonhowl Prairieville, LA (Zone 9a) September 02, 2009 07:56 PM	Gen, how far out from the house are you planning on starting your bed? What kind of roof do you have? Do you have eave overhangs or gutters? Gee guess what I am asking for is a picture taken from the street so we can see the whole area to get a better feel for what you want to do. So, Gen, can you take a couple pics and post them?
gen2026 Camden, AR September 03, 2009 11:32 AM	I will try to do that this weekend. I live in a rural area so I am about 200 - 250' off the road that goes in front of my house. I have a few flower beds started in the yard including a large circular one about 40' from the house that inside a circle gravel drive. One holdup on the front landscaping has been the lack of a sidewalk..... I really have not wanted just a straight concrete slab going out toward the drive, but I have not been able to come up with anything better....so guess that is what I will end up with! The landscape will need to accent the sidewalk as well. I haven't decided on a firm distance from the house....but I have composite singles on the roof and no gutters. so, I know I will have to allow for waterflow away from the house since I am on pier and beam.
themoonhowl Prairieville, LA (Zone 9a) September 03, 2009 12:22 PM	Cool. Looking forward to the pictures. You don't have to go all the way to the street, just back far enough to photograph the area in front of the house that you want to plant. For the side walk, give some thought to a curve, and maybe concrete pavers or flagstone with a little space in between them for very low growing plants like mother of thyme or moss or corsican mint. Gives a softer sweep from driveway to front door.
gen2026 Camden, AR September 03, 2009 12:40 PM	Yeah, my neice has a sidewalk that curves, and I tried to lay something out with a water hose, but was never happy, so I have just waited. Would love to do brick pavers or something.... and I love the idea of flagstone or flat rocks with dirt inbetween so that there could be a ground cover....!! No idea how to do that though. Would I need to dig the whole area up and put down sand first? Guess that might be a whole different thread..... :) Thanks for the help. Genna
themoonhowl Prairieville, LA (Zone 9a) September 03, 2009 01:19 PM	Genna, a little reading for you...grin http://www.ehow.com/how_2104374_build-flagstone-path.html http://video.about.com/homerenovations/Flagstone-Patio-and-W... http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/257002/diy_flagston...
gen2026 Camden, AR September 03, 2009 01:46 PM	Wow - thanks!
themoonhowl Prairieville, LA (Zone 9a) September 03, 2009 01:53 PM	Very welcome...hope that answers a few of your questions and helps you decide on a "kinder, gentler" garden walkway. Grin

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