Does anybody need a distraction?

[fraidycat]

If so, and if you are interested, I would like to crowdsource the hive mind for a backyard landscape design.

We bought a house last fall, and the back yard is big... and full of vegetation, and random. Not pretty random like wild, but random like plunk a tree, bush, or plant here and there and see what happens random. It looks like it had a "design" at one point in time, and with that comes a lot of work - raised plant beds with plants, trees, and weeds. Lots of weeds.

What I'm hoping for is lower maintenance (less weeding and raking of branches), but mowing and some raking & weeding is fine.

The deck is rotting, so we're debating replacement at same size, smaller + patio, or just stairs to a patio. This will depend on lumber prices coming down in the next year or two and design ideas we settle on.

Ultimately, it will probably take a few years to completely finish it (budget + lots of DIY), but I'd like to, at least, "lay the foundation" this year - removing what needs to be removed, land leveling where needed, etc.

So, to you, I turn for inspiration & ideas.
 

I like trees, bushes, & vegetation. But, i also want to be able to use the yard for backyard gatherings, firepit, etc. so more along the perimeter and not smack in the middle, like the current crooked apple tree is. 😁

We are in Zone 4a for hardiness.

 

[fraidycat]

Photos are from deck, middle of yard, back alley and midway of each side facing house/sideyard(s).

[pinball]

Wow, that is a great size!

can you live with it for the summer and see what it’s like when everything comes up?

also...is that a St Francis statue?

if you don’t want it, a couple posters expressed interest in obtaining one in the garden thread I started a few weeks ago! LOL

[fraidycat]

14 minutes ago, pinball said:

Wow, that is a great size!

can you live with it for the summer and see what it’s like when everything comes up?

also...is that a St Francis statue?

if you don’t want it, a couple posters expressed interest in obtaining one in the garden thread I started a few weeks ago! LOL

It might be! There are a few statues that I have not even really looked closely at them. Was busy moving in, then it was winter. 😁

[pinball]

2 minutes ago, fraidycat said:

It might be! There are a few statues that I have not even really looked closely at them. Was busy moving in, then it was winter. 😁

I do like the path and the arch at the end of the path...but it looks like it leads to nowhere, really. Starts nowhere, too. LOL

but that bird bath with the angel is gorgeous!

id probably take those evergreen bushes at the back corner of the house out ASAP. They look like they are too close, plus over grown

[fraidycat]

Yes, those evergreen trees are definitely going. Like I said... it's random. We already pulled out some at the front of the house that were even closer!

The path through the arch leads to what, I think, used to be the garden. But now, it's just a raised, lumpy area of the yard with a random cherry tree in the center of one side, between the evergreen trees in the planter and the cherry trees that line the back alley. 🤪

[Faith-manor]

I don't have good advice. I have no talent at this kind of thing. But one thing we are exploring is more environmentally friendly landscaping for our retirement house in Alabama. Though expensive, we hope to go with a moss "lawn" or ground cover for no mowing or only a play area of grass for the grandsons, and then no mow everywhere else. In a perfect world, I would like an English garden, and an area of dense wildflowers to attract pollinators. I just have no idea how to accomplish that.

One thing to consider would be calling your local extension office and asking to talk with the person in charge of the master gardener program. These folks do know the best species of plants to grow in the local environment. They might also have some 4H kids looking to work on a volunteer botanical project. I am going to explore that option once we move. At this point, we have been outbid four times on homes we would have liked usually offering $10,000-15,000 above asking price. So I have no idea when we will find our home. I am happily distracted by this thread and will live vicariously through whatever ideas you get or plans you make!

[fraidycat]

@Faith-manor, here are gratuitous pollinator photos from the bush beside my garage that I discovered today on my yard walkabout. 😂

 

[fraidycat]

And a couple from last year that I snapped in my sister's garden.

 

[Terabith]

I think you need a giant inflatable dragon to make your yard pop!  

[fraidycat]

6 minutes ago, Terabith said:

I think you need a giant inflatable dragon to make your yard pop!  

😂

[Faith-manor]

21 minutes ago, fraidycat said:

@Faith-manor, here are gratuitous pollinator photos from the bush beside my garage that I discovered today on my yard walkabout. 😂

 

Thank you!!!!! 💜

[PeterPan]

3 hours ago, fraidycat said:

It looks like it had a "design" at one point in time

Yes, and not only that but it was someone else's style and vision, maybe someone at a different stage of life, kwim? What are the ages in your family? Do they want space to run, throw a football, etc? You want a pool?

2 hours ago, fraidycat said:

now, it's just a raised, lumpy area of the yard with a random cherry tree in the center of one side, between the evergreen trees in the planter and the cherry trees that line the back alley. 🤪

So the short version is I think personally I would pull everything but those fruit trees. Even the crookedness of the apple tree seems charming, and sometimes older varieties are interesting. To me the evergreens in the picture look like something that made sense for the previous owner's design when they were keeping up with it. But those gnome trees (what I call them, haha) get TALL and they just outgrow themselves and are no longer cute. My inlaws had some and when I got married they were adorable, maybe 5'. Fast forward 20 years and they were GIGANTIC and not cute. Now can they be cut back? Beats me. But why bother? If you want to put a pool and bbq there or have room for football and nice soft grass, do it, kwim? They're just plants and it's not murder.

https://www.gardenloversclub.com/plant-finder/perennials/zone-4/  I'm not up on zone numbers but I am on low maintenance, haha. So I found this with google and am comparing it to my reality. I think your idea to pull out all the clutter from the middle, smooth out all those former beds, turn them into soft grass, and have your landscaping at the perimeters is nice!! And from this link I would be choosing things like:

-hostas. Although they naturalize and spread, that's also they're strength. They come in all manner of colors and sizes of leaves so sorta make a blend. Maybe try some Walmart hostas on the cheap and one or two $$$ ones from a nursery and blend to get a nice effect. I like them all. Walmart plants start smaller, hence the lower price. sometimes nurseries have more interesting varieties, but still Walmart is FINE. Hostas are shade plants, low light, so you need to watch the yard across the day to find the right places. 

-phlox--I have creeping phlox (love, it naturalizes/spreads/survives), dwarf phlox (my new thing, it has survived a year and I think I got it at Walmart), and even natural/wild phlox (random). There's also Dame's Rocket, which blooms earlier and can be seeded into your beds if you want. But creeping phlox is AMAZING in it's survivor power, highly recommend. Walmart will have it or any of the Home Depot/Lowes and of course nurseries. So any price point and you can be in on phlox. It spreads so well that just a dab will get you started.

-irises--these are bulbs you buy, definitely great

-coneflower/echinacea/bee balm--So walmart has this and it's good and fun. It naturalizes. Problem is, when it comes up I can't tell it from weeds. So plant smarter than I do because you need to be able to tell where it was when it pops up looking weedy and vegetal, lol.

-day lilies--Our deer eat these. I protect them with rose bushes. They naturalize and the ones from Walmart are fine. They need reasonable light or they don't flourish. They're a lot of bang for your buck.

-peonies--I'm sorta peony queen, haha. My OCD side loves dead heading them and that and water so they don't burn are all you need. Can't go wrong and all varieties are fine (Walmart, nurseries, whatever). I get these emails from Michigan Bulb that I never got aroun to ordering from but must have thought had nice stuff. If you want specialty varieties, there you go. You could create one large circle bed of JUST roses and peonies. My grandmother had this. The roses give some support to the peonies and that way you have blooms of something all through the summer in the bed. 

-bleeding hearts--They list this, but it's invasive. I wouldn't. I did and it's ok to pull. Just saying I wouldn't. 

-black eyed susans-- Walmart or some place had these short versions of the daisies and I had been doing REALLY well with them. Then the dog went through and stomped them down and dh unceremoniously "weeded" them out. I was so skunked. Anything in that family is easy, hardy, and naturalizes.

I'm surprised they didn't list lilacs. I guess echnically they're not a perennial flower? Oh well, lilacs are cheap at Walmart.

To me the challenge is to layer and add slowly. If you don't, you end up with a lot of death and waste. Like I have this one profanity bed that just KILLS anything big you put in it. I swear dh used junky fill dirt there, because anything with deep roots dies. That's why your first time around, kill Walmart plants, kwim? Hahaha. Like clean it out this year and just go slowly. You might not even get spots cleared before the Walmart/HD/Lowes plants are gone. But you could clear now and plant bulbs in the fall. 

[fraidycat]

Our kids are 15 & 18, so we don't need kid play areas, but tossing a football or playing catch with a ball and glove is definitely still a possibility with DH and DS. Also, the slackline will go in somewhere, too.

No pool or hottub or water feature! That's way more maintenance than I am looking for. Lol. I am lazy, lazy. 😁

Wants for the space: BBQ/Firepit for entertaining when that is allowed again, and peaceful for relaxing with a book or meditating and watching the wildlife. The birds and jackrabbits love our yard as it is, so I'd like to keep them feeling welcome. 😎

Edited May 13, 2021 by fraidycat

[Sherry in OH]

Regarding patio versus deck - I would keep at least part of the deck.  That way you aren't exiting the sliding door directly onto a flight of stairs.   At a minimum, you want enough room so you aren't balancing on a step while turning around to close the door.  A deck large enough for a table would be better, that way you have place to set items when you open or close the slider.  

 I would not make drastic changes to the yard this year.  I would remove or trim the shrubs threatening the house and maybe try to transplant some of them. Otherwise, I would observe the yard and gardens, taking photographs and notes.   The evergreens screen your backyard from the neighbors.  Are you sure you want to give up that sense of privacy?    Think about how you want to use each space before cutting down or removing trees.  

I would hang a hammock between two of the trees close to house and put up a few bird feeders.  Let your children work out the slack line details. Could they play catch between the evergreens and cherry trees?

How big are your family gatherings?  I would make cardboard cutouts of the approximate size and shape of fixtures you are imagining and move them around the yard to get an idea of where you want to put them.  Depending on the style of fire pit you want for example, it could go on a deck or patio, or in front of the St. Francis statue, or you could rework the garden area into a paver patio with the fire pit and seating as a focal point.

 

[fraidycat]

Will definitely have at least a landing area right out the door Probably at least big enough for the BBQ for summer cooking.

Privacy is less of a concern because there is not really any between us and the neighbors to either side. Behind us, the neighbor across the alley has a 6ft. fence, and there is still the row of cherry and other miscellaneous trees lining the alley at the very back of the yard. I could try to transplant those juniper(?) cedar (?) bush/tree thingies from by the house closer to the back to help fill it in a bit. We may eventually put up a fence, too because we might foster/adopt senior animals in our retirement years. So I want to keep that in mind when we're planting & transplanting trees & bushes.

[PeterPan]

With that shed you could achieve your dream of chickens. Just saying. 

[Ausmumof3]

I’m not much use because I kind of love that once loved slightly random look - it looks like a place adventures are waiting to happen.  Or maybe it’s just that it looks kind of like my grandpas garden and also it’s nice to see something green!  

[Scarlett]

I am all for trees and I rarely want a tree taken out...but you have a lot of randomly and poorly placed trees!  It definitely has a lot of potential. Have you sketched it out?  That should help you see what should go and what should stay.  

[Indigo Blue]

I would do things gradually to see how it looks as you go. The bush right in front of the deck would go, but I’d leave the small trees that are near the deck.

Id take down all the tall, overgrown shrubs against the house and in the yard. Id take away all the landscape borders, roundup some of the weeds to make a defined edge between grass and natural area, and spread thick pine needles in these areas. Lastly, for the area against the house, I’d carefully choose some fresh shrubs that are small to medium in height and are in varied shades of green and purple and arrange them in a pleasing pattern with small in front and larger ones arranged in the back row. 

Redo the deck and leave the patio. Maybe a bigger deck with enough room for table and chairs. Maybe give the patio a power wash and /or paint. 

These things I’d do first, and gradually work outward into the yard. I’d probably take out all random shrubs in the middle of the yard. Leave all the taller trees, decide how that looks, and take out more if needed. I might would take out the arch thing and all those shrubs and open up the whole yard more. I’d leave anything on the perimeter that gives privacy. 

With this all done, I’d gradually add in or take away more things until things looked nice and the whole “random” theme is gone. Refresh the grass if needed and landscape around larger trees. (No landscape timbers.) Maybe choose azaleas in two (only two) different colors and put them under trees in a shady area with pine needles spread around to make a natural area. 
 

Very last, after every tree/shrub was removed that I didn’t want, I might plant one or two fast-growing maple trees in very stragic locations for beauty and shade. Maybe near the patio but not too close. 

I don’t like to use roundup, but you may need some initially to define edges for natural areas. Then the pine needles will keep the weeds away. Choose natural areas carefully so as not to have to spread out too many pine needles every year.
 

 

[Indigo Blue]

Honestly, it’s really such a pretty yard. Even if you only removed old landscape timbers  and and freshened the natural areas with mulch or pine needles...and maybe removed a few random shrubs from house and yard, it would really look nice. 
 

All the above (long post) is just how “I” might do it. 

Edited May 13, 2021 by Indigo Blue

[Pawz4me]

It will be more work and take more time to get to a (sort of) finished product, but I wouldn't do anything drastic right away or on a big scale. I'd do a lot of pruning and tidying up--clean up what's there--then I'd start working on re-doing the beds around the house (if you can do that before deciding what to do with the deck or patio) while I took my time assessing what I wanted to do with the rest of it. Instead of a wholesale kind of thing all at once, for us that would likely mean removing a tree/shrub here and there and then re-assessing as we went. I'd think long and hard before removing anything that reduces privacy, but that's my priority and might not be yours (and that's okay, of course). Your yard definitely has lots of potential, and I hope you have fun working on it!

[pinball]

11 hours ago, fraidycat said:

Yes, those evergreen trees are definitely going. Like I said... it's random. We already pulled out some at the front of the house that were even closer!

The path through the arch leads to what, I think, used to be the garden. But now, it's just a raised, lumpy area of the yard with a random cherry tree in the center of one side, between the evergreen trees in the planter and the cherry trees that line the back alley. 🤪

Do you mean leads to what used to be vegetable garden?

cuz I’m thinking...it’s all garden, LOL

[fraidycat]

Lol, yes. Vegetable garden behind the arch.

@Indigo BlueTo give an idea of how difficult it is to see scale in the current photos, I had to get out the measuring tape, but the surface of the current deck is 12 feet by 18 feet. I could set up a table & chairs for eating, and a few outdoor sofas with tables in a seating area leaving plenty of room to walk. 😁 

I forgot to mention, too that the concrete pad/patio that is there will need to be, at the very least mudjacked if not replaced, due to settling. The slope needs to be corrected away from the foundation. 

You all are being so helpful and giving me lots to think about - great ideas! I have no idea what the names of any plants are, so having a list to google for info and image search is also super helpful for planning purposes.

[Faith-manor]

2 hours ago, Scarlett said:

I am all for trees and I rarely want a tree taken out...but you have a lot of randomly and poorly placed trees!  It definitely has a lot of potential. Have you sketched it out?  That should help you see what should go and what should stay.  

Sketching it out is a great idea!

[Indigo Blue]

I could envision beautifying the arch area as is and clearing and leveling the area beyond the arch and putting a nice canopy or even permanent structure with tables and grill underneath. A nice, sunny, open yard area for throwing balls and cooking out, leaving all the shade and gardens for the other side of the arch at the house. That’s would be a “someday” type project, I guess. Or just me daydreaming. 

Edited May 13, 2021 by Indigo Blue

[fraidycat]

I need to find someone with a drone to take aerial photos so I can add measurements of different areas,  then overlay possible changes to get an idea of how it might look at different sizes. 🤔

[pinball]

8 minutes ago, fraidycat said:

I need to find someone with a drone to take aerial photos so I can add measurements of different areas,  then overlay possible changes to get an idea of how it might look at different sizes. 🤔

If the drone doesn’t pan out...you can get a measuring wheel and make a plan on paper

but drone pics would be awesome

[fraidycat]

Here's another photo to show the size of the plant bed beside the deck.

It is also 12 feet deep from the house to the edge on the back of the house, then goes 4 or 5 feet out along the side.

Edited May 13, 2021 by fraidycat
Clarity

[KungFuPanda]

I would live with it for an entire year before doing anything big.  I know you are excited to get started, but you'll make different decisions in a year's time than you will right now.  You don't know how the garden will behave through the seasons just yet.  You could rip it all out and find out that those central gardens were serving as a wind break to make the yard more enjoyable.  I really like how it looks and would be curious to see how it changes through the seasons.  what looks confusing now could be a butterfly haven by summer.  You probably have perennials underground that you don't even see yet and plant combinations that behave differently than you expect.  If you can stand to, I'd wait and take notes before making big changes to an established garden.  In the meantime, once you weed an area you can mulch it to cut way down on your future workload. You would likely save money in the long run if you get a master gardener to do a walk-through to help you make sense of what's happening there. 

[fraidycat]

Wow! How time flies. It has been almost a year already. We looked at the house and made an offer last June. We closed mid-August, but still were on lease until the end of September in our rental. I do know that the plants are beautiful when they are all in bloom. But that center bed is huge and would require almost daily maintenance to keep it looking beautiful. Before we even made the offer, we commented that the plants were beautiful, but most would not be staying because neither of house have any desire to do the required upkeep.

Sidenote: I am "allergic" to the sun. I don't think it's a true allergy, but I get an itchy, itchy rash if I get more than about 15 minutes of sun, then practically scratch my skin off the rest of the day, so spending a lot of time on upkeep (weeding, deadheading, etc.) is not in my future and DH works long hours. Sunscreen doesn't seem to help, either. The idea is to build something that is enjoyable early morning and in the late afternoon/evening where I can hide in the shadows and shade until it's dark and we light a fire. The rest of the time I will just enjoy the view from the house. I don't want to have to spend my limited outdoors enjoyment time on "work". I haven't priced it out yet, but mulch for that big of an area could get really pricey and our weeds are hardy and grow in anything & everything so it still needs to be maintained. We do a lot of walking and see a lot of "good intentions" in other yards with mulch, gravel, rocks, etc. The weeds usually win.

I am not one of those people who looks forward to the garden centers opening in the spring and digging in the dirt. I honestly can't recall if I've ever bought a plant in my life. 🤷🏻‍♀️😂 Aside from a few bouquets of flowers for gifts.

I have been gifted house plants before. I have a black thumb for indoor stuff, plus cats, so am hoping if I find the right outdoor stuff it will basically take care of itself. 😎

[Spryte]

Wow, so much potential!  

If you are looking for a place to hide from the sun, good in morning and evening... a pavilion type structure?  Is that in the budget? You could even throw the grill inside it, if you wanted. Ours has electricity for lights and ceiling fans.  I will try to attach a pic.

I’m a big fan of yards with little vignettes, so rather than using the whole space I usually divide things up. Firepit area, pavilion, herb garden, sitting area, deck, fairy garden, veggie garden, path through the woods to pond, that kind of thing. We have grass but also some large mulched areas and flagstone paths, patios.  The mulch gets pricey but we found an amazing company that delivers and spreads it for a very good price.  We plan for it once a year.Your yard has a lot of potential for that type of space.

I would want to spend a good solid spring/summer with it all, to see how things come up and look in bloom and leafed out.  Maybe take time to plan.  

For the hiding-from-the-sun, here’s my version, excuse the weeds.  

 

 

 

Edited May 13, 2021 by Spryte

[athena1277]

14 hours ago, Terabith said:

I think you need a giant inflatable dragon to make your yard pop!  

And a monolith 😜

[KungFuPanda]

41 minutes ago, Spryte said:

Wow, so much potential!  

If you are looking for a place to hide from the sun, good in morning and evening... a pavilion type structure?  Is that in the budget? You could even throw the grill inside it, if you wanted. Ours has electricity for lights and ceiling fans.  I will try to attach a pic.

I’m a big fan of yards with little vignettes, so rather than using the whole space I usually divide things up. Firepit area, pavilion, herb garden, sitting area, deck, fairy garden, veggie garden, path through the woods to pond, that kind of thing. We have grass but also some large mulched areas and flagstone paths, patios.  The mulch gets pricey but we found an amazing company that delivers and spreads it for a very good price.  We plan for it once a year.Your yard has a lot of potential for that type of space.

I would want to spend a good solid spring/summer with it all, to see how things come up and look in bloom and leafed out.  Maybe take time to plan.  

For the hiding-from-the-sun, here’s my version, excuse the weeds.  

 

 

 

Can I change my answer to this?  I want one of these!  Forget the firepit, put a chimney on one of these and you can have fire even when it rains.

[Spryte]

11 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

Can I change my answer to this?  I want one of these!  Forget the firepit, put a chimney on one of these and you can have fire even when it rains.

Oooh, I’ve seen some really cool ones with stone fireplaces!  Maybe put a pizza oven in, too?

 

[KungFuPanda]

6 minutes ago, Spryte said:

Oooh, I’ve seen some really cool ones with stone fireplaces!  Maybe put a pizza oven in, too?

 

NOW I WANT A PIZZA OVEN TOO! 

 

My husband says I can't play with you people any more.

[bibiche]

I will always always always suggest a consult with a landscape designer before making any decisions. Well worth the investment, because one can make very costly (both time and money) mistakes due to lack of experience/expertise. It’s kind of like measure twice, cut once advice garden style.

[Pawz4me]

8 minutes ago, bibiche said:

I will always always always suggest a consult with a landscape designer before making any decisions. Well worth the investment, because one can make very costly (both time and money) mistakes due to lack of experience/expertise. It’s kind of like measure twice, cut once advice garden style.

I know that's common wisdom, and of course several have already mentioned it. So I'm just using your post as a jumping off point for a different POV --

We did the landscape architect/professional landscaper bit years ago at a previous house and very much regretted it. It was a really large waste of money, probably the second largest financial mistake we've made in our married lives. Now a big part of that was our own fault--we can't easily envision what the finished product will look like from a blueprint/drawing, and we were too gung ho to say "No, that's way too floozy/fancy for us, let's do away with at least half of it." One good thing is that we did learn from the costly experience. Now we know that the best method for us is to do things ourselves, go at our own pace, take it one area at a time. That works very well for us.

Anyway . . .just another POV.

[fraidycat]

36 minutes ago, Spryte said:

Oooh, I’ve seen some really cool ones with stone fireplaces!  Maybe put a pizza oven in, too?

 

I was pinteresting (is that a verb like googling?) last night, and I definitely fell in love with a few pavilion with fireplace ideas. That is a longer term possibility. Hence, the "laying the foundation" now.  Like, planning and designing the pation for possible eventual pavilion building.

@KungFuPanda is your husband also against Pinterest? Because if you search backyard fireplace you can fall down a very deep hole into dreamland. 🤣😂

[fraidycat]

22 minutes ago, bibiche said:

I will always always always suggest a consult with a landscape designer before making any decisions. Well worth the investment, because one can make very costly (both time and money) mistakes due to lack of experience/expertise. It’s kind of like measure twice, cut once advice garden style.

This is definitely in the plans, especially to make sure the drainage is accounted for properly in whatever we decide to do. But, I need to get some preliminary ideas to work with so they can give advice on how to make it work, and what needs to change or be tweaked.

[Faith-manor]

I have been thinking about it. I believe you need a pair of Mandarin ducks waddling about the place. They are so decorative! 😁

 

[fraidycat]

9 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

I know that's common wisdom, and of course several have already mentioned it. So I'm just using your post as a jumping off point for a different POV --

We did the landscape architect/professional landscaper bit years ago at a previous house and very much regretted it. It was a really large waste of money, probably the second largest financial mistake we've made in our married lives. Now a big part of that was our own fault--we can't easily envision what the finished product will look like from a blueprint/drawing, and we were too gung ho to say "No, that's way too floozy/fancy for us, let's do away with at least half of it." One good thing is that we did learn from the costly experience. Now we know that the best method for us is to do things ourselves, go at our own pace, take it one area at a time. That works very well for us.

Anyway . . .just another POV.

Good point. I don't plan to have someone else design anything, just do a consult for proper irrigation & drainage, especially near the house where the deck/patio will be.

[fraidycat]

1 minute ago, Faith-manor said:

I have been thinking about it. I believe you need a pair of Mandarin ducks waddling about the place. They are so decorative! 😁

 

My goodness, they are cute! They may not appreciate 40 below temps come winter, though. 🤔

[bibiche]

7 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

I know that's common wisdom, and of course several have already mentioned it. So I'm just using your post as a jumping off point for a different POV --

We did the landscape architect/professional landscaper bit years ago at a previous house and very much regretted it. It was a really large waste of money, probably the second largest financial mistake we've made in our married lives. Now a big part of that was our own fault--we can't easily envision what the finished product will look like from a blueprint/drawing, and we were too gung ho to say "No, that's way too floozy/fancy for us, let's do away with at least half of it." One good thing is that we did learn from the costly experience. Now we know that the best method for us is to do things ourselves, go at our own pace, take it one area at a time. That works very well for us.

Anyway . . .just another POV.

I can see how that could happen. I didn’t mean hire someone to design the yard, but more hire someone to do a walkthrough to give you an idea of what should stay in their expert opinion “this is a valuable specimen tree and good for blablabla” or go “this is a shrub that needs full sun and it has been planted in the shade so will never look good,” if there might be reasons that certain plants are situated where they are “this is a wet spot and this planting helps mitigate the problem,” etc. But no, don’t blindly follow someone else’s vision if it doesn’t match your own. 

[PeterPan]

3 hours ago, Pawz4me said:

We did the landscape architect/professional landscaper bit years ago at a previous house and very much regretted it. It was a really large waste of money, probably the second largest financial mistake we've made in our married lives. Now a big part of that was our own fault--we can't easily envision what the finished product will look like from a blueprint/drawing, and we were too gung ho to say "No, that's way too floozy/fancy for us, let's do away with at least half of it."

Yup. We've done it twice (different houses) and the stuff dies, we don't do the maintenance, we don't want to pay the fees for them to do the maintenance. One guy didn't realize deer would eat all his stuff. And it's just personality mismatch. 

The best way to figure out what you like is to catalogue the houses in your area. Look at how they do stuff and see what you like!! Do you like lots of layers/heights or something simple? Do you want to weed/maintain or do you like something that is lower key, maybe that you can weedwhack? 

Once you realize your personality and what you want, you can start to find things that fit that. Me? I'm a no weeding kinda person. I try to plant masses of ONE THING because then it controls the weeds and doesn't need a ton of attention. I rock hostas and peonies. Occassionally day lilies, definitely lilacs. I have some barberry bushes that are amazing for this. So I pick something that will work in that area and that whole section is that one thing, boom. I'm very low key, so that's how I do it and all I'm willing to maintain. Know yourself. There's a way to make look pretty and intentional whatever you're willing to do. I think the tidyness is more important than the perfect plant choices.

[pinball]

6 hours ago, fraidycat said:

Wow! How time flies. It has been almost a year already. We looked at the house and made an offer last June. We closed mid-August, but still were on lease until the end of September in our rental. I do know that the plants are beautiful when they are all in bloom. But that center bed is huge and would require almost daily maintenance to keep it looking beautiful. Before we even made the offer, we commented that the plants were beautiful, but most would not be staying because neither of house have any desire to do the required upkeep.

Sidenote: I am "allergic" to the sun. I don't think it's a true allergy, but I get an itchy, itchy rash if I get more than about 15 minutes of sun, then practically scratch my skin off the rest of the day, so spending a lot of time on upkeep (weeding, deadheading, etc.) is not in my future and DH works long hours. Sunscreen doesn't seem to help, either. The idea is to build something that is enjoyable early morning and in the late afternoon/evening where I can hide in the shadows and shade until it's dark and we light a fire. The rest of the time I will just enjoy the view from the house. I don't want to have to spend my limited outdoors enjoyment time on "work". I haven't priced it out yet, but mulch for that big of an area could get really pricey and our weeds are hardy and grow in anything & everything so it still needs to be maintained. We do a lot of walking and see a lot of "good intentions" in other yards with mulch, gravel, rocks, etc. The weeds usually win.

I am not one of those people who looks forward to the garden centers opening in the spring and digging in the dirt. I honestly can't recall if I've ever bought a plant in my life. 🤷🏻‍♀️😂 Aside from a few bouquets of flowers for gifts.

I have been gifted house plants before. I have a black thumb for indoor stuff, plus cats, so am hoping if I find the right outdoor stuff it will basically take care of itself. 😎

Would you like most of the area to be lawn and just some flowering bushes and shrubs along the periphery?

Just maintaining a lawn would be a lot of work, in that size yard. Especially if it is not something you can enjoy bc of your sun allergy

[fraidycat]

41 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

Yup. We've done it twice (different houses) and the stuff dies, we don't do the maintenance, we don't want to pay the fees for them to do the maintenance. One guy didn't realize deer would eat all his stuff. And it's just personality mismatch. 

The best way to figure out what you like is to catalogue the houses in your area. Look at how they do stuff and see what you like!! Do you like lots of layers/heights or something simple? Do you want to weed/maintain or do you like something that is lower key, maybe that you can weedwhack? 

Once you realize your personality and what you want, you can start to find things that fit that. Me? I'm a no weeding kinda person. I try to plant masses of ONE THING because then it controls the weeds and doesn't need a ton of attention. I rock hostas and peonies. Occassionally day lilies, definitely lilacs. I have some barberry bushes that are amazing for this. So I pick something that will work in that area and that whole section is that one thing, boom. I'm very low key, so that's how I do it and all I'm willing to maintain. Know yourself. There's a way to make look pretty and intentional whatever you're willing to do. I think the tidyness is more important than the perfect plant choices.

I wholeheartedly agree, which is why the middle planter for sure will go, and the ones near the house will be de-fussed (lol, less stuff), at the least, and possibly shrunk, or removed altogether. 
 

Know thyself. I know I will not maintain what is currently here, whether I live with it for a year or 10, no matter how pretty it is (or could potentially) be.

I am all about low maintenance. But, i like greenery, so will have to find the balance that works for me ... and the birds, bunnies, and bees that like to also enjoy the yard. 😄

[fraidycat]

7 minutes ago, pinball said:

Would you like most of the area to be lawn and just some flowering bushes and shrubs along the periphery?

Just maintaining a lawn would be a lot of work, in that size yard. Especially if it is not something you can enjoy bc of your sun allergy

Yes. Most likely, this will be the ultimate goal. Lawn and patio mostly - that the mower can drive right over/on so less weed-whacking. Greenery around the edges. I'll possibly keep a couple of the mature "random trees" to keep it from getting too sterile looking. I like the idea of a few different "zones".  Firepit area, dining area, toss a ball area, and some seating or hammock under some mature trees for reading a book.

You guys are really helping me to figure out and articulate my wants and needs here. I love all the suggestions, even if they help me say "no, because...". I really appreciate all of the input!

[Faith-manor]

6 hours ago, fraidycat said:

My goodness, they are cute! They may not appreciate 40 below temps come winter, though. 🤔

That's when they become house ducks and live in your bathtub! 😂

[Faith-manor]

Anyone know if tulips and peonies live in Northern Alabama? I have never been there in spring, and would really like to have these at our retirement home. I am worried that may it is too far south though.