Hi folks,

Well, I just purchased a house, and it's on a 1.2 acre lot with a few
nice trees, but no landscaping at all. I want to do some landscaping
in the front and back yard, but I have no idea how to start. This is
my first home, and I definately don't have a green thumb (that I know
of anyway).

Are there any good books that might help? I'm working on getting my
yard drawn out and I'm getting a soil sample tested to see what will
grow best out here, but after that, I'm not sure what to do.

Just a small background on the house. I'm on 1.2 acres, and the house
sits about 50 yards from the street in middle of lot. House is a
square brown/white ranch-style house built in early 1980's, and the
entire back yard is fenced in with 5 foot chain-linked fence.

What would be best?? I've picked-up some books, but most seem more
geared for landscaped/terraced yards outside my price range or those
fancy mansion yards. I'm looking for something that looks nice, but
something that'll fit my middle-class neighborhood. I've even thought
about calling a landscape person out, but I'm sure that'd be way too
much. Do they come out and do advising for a small fee?

Thanks for any suggestions or help.

You might want to have a certified landscaper develop a landscape plan for
you that you can implement over a very long period. We moved into our place
6 years ago and had a plan done for around $1500. We've since been adding
to the yard little by little, mostly concentrating on the trees and the beds
(1 or 2 trees every spring and fall), but also have the veggy garden,
pumpkin patch, bramble rows, orchard and corn area started (we're big into
fruits and vegetables).

"Keegan Alex" wrote in message
m...
Hi folks,

Well, I just purchased a house, and it's on a 1.2 acre lot with a few
nice trees, but no landscaping at all. I want to do some landscaping
in the front and back yard, but I have no idea how to start. This is
my first home, and I definately don't have a green thumb (that I know
of anyway).

In article ,
(Keegan Alex) wrote:

Hi folks,

Well, I just purchased a house, and it's on a 1.2 acre lot with a few
nice trees, but no landscaping at all. I want to do some landscaping
in the front and back yard, but I have no idea how to start. This is
my first home, and I definately don't have a green thumb (that I know
of anyway).

When one has so much room to garden & no one previously planting much of
it, it is overwhelming to imagine where to begin. The trick is to imagine
the shapes of things already hinted out by the features already present,
or which you may need to add to meet your own sundry requirements. I think
it's easiest & best to focus on some existing landscape feature (hump of
group, two old trees, little drop-off, & boulder) & struture a garden
around it. You say you have a few nice trees -- that's ideal because it's
hard to have a mature tree right away unless they've already been there 20
or a 100 years. Look at the space between two trees & figure out how THAT
space can be gardened, ignoring the rest for a while. As each feature of
your landscape becomes gardened, it becomes itself an extended feature
that suggests ways to extend left or right & upward or back.

Most people see no feature to their property except the house itself, &
end up planting right up next to the house in a boring square. The house
is certainly a high-importance feature, but look at where trees or nearby
natural features either exist or could be added, & imagine gardens
extending away from the house rather than just up next to it.

If there's a natural & attractive place to build an entryway arbor, or a
grape arbor or pergola, that becomes another feature that helps define
what sorts of plantings are needed. If you have or intend to build a shed,
make sure it is itself something handsome like a rustic shingled wee house
(not one of those plastic put-together pieces of s--t), & that will be a
most remarkable feature to garden around.

Footpaths are extremely important features. It's actually very interesting
to watch where paths occur "organically." It'll depend on where you park a
vehicle or how you leave the property to walk around the neighborhood or
what there is on the property to go see, but footpaths will soon become
apparent because of the human tendency to make paths even without thinking
about it. Paths ALWAYS appear even through "nothing" because we're such
creatures of habit or so require familiarity -- & most curiously, these
organically occuring trails are almost invariably aesthetically placed. A
"planned" path is often artificial, often square like city blocks, or in
some manner unnatural, & waiting to see where human feet unthinkingly want
to walk again & again will reveal a new feature of even the flattest
emptiest landscape. Accept these subconsciously selected trails & plant on
both sides of those.

As "features" you should include Light & Shadow, remembering that "Empty
Space" is also a feature & may not always need to be filled up (lawn
areas, places for picnic barbeque or playing baseball with chums, suggests
another "feature" to build around). If you want a veggie garden, some area
that is not much shaded by trees now must be preserved as a bright-sun
area -- use again defining what can & can't be planted nearby -- you don't
want to install a horsechestnut tree & expect still to grow veggies to eat
where it will in time block out the sun. Areas already somewhat shaded or
have dappled-shade are already begging to be shade-gardens. Moisture &
dryness are additional "features." Where water can be provided most easily
will probably be where you want the more refined shade gardens, but where
it would be a hassle to reach with hoses will be low-maintence plants, in
most cases sun-lovers. Things off your preoperty you either do or do not
want to see define planting areas too. Privacy hedges where you don't want
to see or be seen, & shorter shrubs that won't rise to block any pleasing
view from garden "viewing stations" or from windows of the house.

You mention having a chain link fence. Too bad it wasn't a beautiful
rustic wooden fence that provide dreamy backdrops to shrubs & easy
surfaces for climbing vines, but if you want to keep the chainlink, that
becomes a major feature, & one you'll probably want somewhat disguised.
Any number of fast-growing vines might do the trick -- a collection of
widly varied flowering vines could be loads of fun to have. Those which
are floweriest & have rich perfumes are perhaps best of all.
Strong-scented vines can be oppressive on a porch or deck, but at the
property line the stronger the redolence the better. But the point is, the
fence is a landscape "feature" & it tells you what needs to be planted
there. Ultra-fast growing vining annuals that shoot out to 20 or 30 feet
in a single season but don't come back the next year can be instant
fence-fillers while slower-growing more permanent plants are wending their
way in & out of the chainlink over time. Sometimes you can get both rapid
growth & permancy simultaneously, as with jasmine, akebia, or purple
passion vine.

A rough wooden fence; a gate; a mere property-corner; a driveway; a
street edge; a garage wall; a rusty vintage tractor; a fallen
tree....everything becomes a focal point for a concentrated gardening
effort. If a tree fell down in the past & its roots are sticking up in the
air DON'T get rid of it (keep at least the upturned roots) this is not
something messing up the property, it can be a beautiful feature around
which a garden is structured.

It doesn't have to be done all at once, think long-term, as new features
will develop over time demanding some plants to surround or hide or
highlight this or that. You can create new features if there are too few
-- the wooden shed, a chickenhouse, a concrete koi pond (please, no sunken
plastic, do it right or forget it -- having no garden there yet means it
is a great moment to do it right).

There is such a thing as "over planning" because if you plot out all the
gardens all at once you'll be overwhelmed by the expense & by the
workload. When someone says to get pencil & paper & work it all otu
beforehand, I think they must be nutty. One looks at the landscape &
projects possibilities, not a blank piece of paper for scribbling. An idea
of what one really wants is important & that can be worked out a bit on
paper, but only as generalities -- if you love shade-gardens then pergolas
& trees & enclosed areas & whatever makes more shade can get mapped out
approximately where, baring in mind that some other area will need to
remain full-sun for veggies or roses or whatever loves the sun foremost.
For that a mapped reminder not to plant a Cedar where the veggie garden
goes is perhaps a good idea, but endlessly drawing it all out in detail is
not going to be so much helpful as it will be in the way of actually
getting it done.

Also think in layers -- a garden has a low level (groundcovers, bulbs,
clukmping perennials), a mid level (shrubs), & an upper level (trees &
vines). Don't start planting truckloads of perennials & bulbs until AFTER
you have a substantial number of flowering shrubs or young trees & other
"bones" of your gardens in place, as these are the knitting "features"
that tell you waht to plant between. Shrubs & trees will define what can
be planted under & around them. If you plant a whole garden of clumping
perennials first, they'll be disrupted when you belatedly acquire shrubs,
or you'll have nothing to show for your labors late autumn & winter when
nine-tenths of the perrenials dies back, or something small that was so
happy by itself in full sun will suddenly be startled that shrubs appeared
& stole the sun, so that constant translpanting to get shade-lvoers here &
sun-lovers there will be stressing the plants.

So, focus of landscape features & garden finite areas bit by bit,
beginning with woody shrubs then working downward with perennials & upward
with vines when the shrubs are correctly arrayed.

Are there any good books that might help? I'm working on getting my
yard drawn out and I'm getting a soil sample tested to see what will
grow best out here, but after that, I'm not sure what to do.

Just a small background on the house. I'm on 1.2 acres, and the house
sits about 50 yards from the street in middle of lot. House is a
square brown/white ranch-style house built in early 1980's, and the
entire back yard is fenced in with 5 foot chain-linked fence.

What would be best?? I've picked-up some books, but most seem more
geared for landscaped/terraced yards outside my price range or those
fancy mansion yards. I'm looking for something that looks nice, but
something that'll fit my middle-class neighborhood. I've even thought
about calling a landscape person out, but I'm sure that'd be way too
much. Do they come out and do advising for a small fee?

More likely for a big fee. If there's someone in your neighborhood whose
garden looks great, you could knock on their door & praise their garden to
high heaven & when they're good & buttered up, walk them over to your
place & take notes as they dream up what THEY'D do with that much new
space to garden in.

-paghat the ratgirl

Thanks for any suggestions or help.

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

On Mon, 31 Mar 2003 20:17:04 -0700,
(paghat) wrote:

[...]

Orig. poster: What would be best?? I've picked-up some books, but
most seem more
geared for landscaped/terraced yards outside my price range or those
fancy mansion yards. I'm looking for something that looks nice, but
something that'll fit my middle-class neighborhood. I've even thought
about calling a landscape person out, but I'm sure that'd be way too
much. Do they come out and do advising for a small fee?

Paghat:

More likely for a big fee. If there's someone in your neighborhood whose
garden looks great, you could knock on their door & praise their garden to
high heaven & when they're good & buttered up, walk them over to your
place & take notes as they dream up what THEY'D do with that much new
space to garden in.

Fee might not be that onerous. Check with several local nurseries.
They usually have lists of landscape folks whom they recommend because
they have delivered in the past. They wouldn't want to antagonize a
potential customer by recommending a loser.

I got my lady through local nursery. She was very reasonable and gave
good advice. I didn't follow every single suggestion, but at least it
stimulated me to start thinking and creating whereas I was frozen with
fear g at first after I decided to take the plunge.

Before you go the consultant route, however, absorb the wisdom Paghat
has dished out, and do a LOT of reading on your own. Libraries and
bookstores bulge with reference works on landscaping. I looked at
some books at Home Despot, and tend to agree with you that many of the
popular magazines are kinda lightweight; like they're geared to
pricey situations. Also, they show the plants in full, mature,
"filled-in" pictures, whereas you will need to leave space in your
installations for plants to grow & fill in.

I'd say your first task is to decide what look feels right for you.
Japanese? New England? Tropical? Succulents? Eclectic?
That's where extensive reading can help.

Send me a plane ticket. I dig a mean hole!




--
Polar

Hello Keegan

You don't say where you are, so it a bit difficult. HOWEVER, the chain
link fence has to go or has to be hidden. Forsythias are cheap enough
from any nursery (usually 4- 6ft balled bushes go for about $30.00)
Space them 8 ft apart and in a few years you'll have a nice hedge.



Keegan Alex wrote:
Hi folks,

Well, I just purchased a house, and it's on a 1.2 acre lot with a few
nice trees, but no landscaping at all. I want to do some landscaping
in the front and back yard, but I have no idea how to start. This is
my first home, and I definately don't have a green thumb (that I know
of anyway).

Are there any good books that might help? I'm working on getting my
yard drawn out and I'm getting a soil sample tested to see what will
grow best out here, but after that, I'm not sure what to do.

Just a small background on the house. I'm on 1.2 acres, and the house
sits about 50 yards from the street in middle of lot. House is a
square brown/white ranch-style house built in early 1980's, and the
entire back yard is fenced in with 5 foot chain-linked fence.

What would be best?? I've picked-up some books, but most seem more
geared for landscaped/terraced yards outside my price range or those
fancy mansion yards. I'm looking for something that looks nice, but
something that'll fit my middle-class neighborhood. I've even thought
about calling a landscape person out, but I'm sure that'd be way too
much. Do they come out and do advising for a small fee?

Thanks for any suggestions or help.


--
.... __~o
.. \ -\,
......(_)/(_)....................... http://www.VoodooInk.net

te amo mucho mi amor

Your best bet is to talk to a Landscape Designer. Generally, they charge
$45-60 per hour for a consultation. Some will do a 1 hour or require a
minimum of 2 hours. Express your favorite colors like fall leaves or soft
evergreens, favorite colors of bark or soft grasses and ask that they
incorporate that. Your own personal likes go a long way in helping a
designer give you what you're looking for. They can also draw a plan to
scale for you so you can see what it will look like (extra charge for this).
You have the option of letting someone install it or doing it yourself at
your own pace. It's well worth the money if your totally confused as to
what to do, but want something nice. Usually, a very nice garden
center/plant nursery will have designers on staff. Let them know your
budget on plant material. Don't be afraid to tell them that you don't have
a lot of money to invest after just purchasing a house. They should be able
to accommodate you without any issues.

Good luck.

Penny
Zone 7b - North Carolina
"Keegan Alex" wrote in message
m...
Hi folks,

Well, I just purchased a house, and it's on a 1.2 acre lot with a few
nice trees, but no landscaping at all. I want to do some landscaping
in the front and back yard, but I have no idea how to start. This is
my first home, and I definately don't have a green thumb (that I know
of anyway).

Are there any good books that might help? I'm working on getting my
yard drawn out and I'm getting a soil sample tested to see what will
grow best out here, but after that, I'm not sure what to do.

Just a small background on the house. I'm on 1.2 acres, and the house
sits about 50 yards from the street in middle of lot. House is a
square brown/white ranch-style house built in early 1980's, and the
entire back yard is fenced in with 5 foot chain-linked fence.

What would be best?? I've picked-up some books, but most seem more
geared for landscaped/terraced yards outside my price range or those
fancy mansion yards. I'm looking for something that looks nice, but
something that'll fit my middle-class neighborhood. I've even thought
about calling a landscape person out, but I'm sure that'd be way too
much. Do they come out and do advising for a small fee?

Thanks for any suggestions or help.

(Keegan Alex) wrote in message om...

What would be best?? I've picked-up some books, but most seem more
geared for landscaped/terraced yards outside my price range or those
fancy mansion yards. I'm looking for something that looks nice, but
something that'll fit my middle-class neighborhood. I've even thought
about calling a landscape person out, but I'm sure that'd be way too
much. Do they come out and do advising for a small fee?

Thanks for any suggestions or help.

Here is some advice from someone who bought a nearly undeveloped two
acres: make it simple for yourself and make it comfortable for
yourself. It will still take a few years before things fall into
place. Things that will make you comfy at home:

- a veg garden. Reserve the sunniest area for it. Warning, it is
addictive and may end up wanting 1/4 acre just for it. A well kept
garden is a lovely sight. Ditto for fruit trees. Make a note of
possible wildlife threats (deer? rabbit?) as they may require
different levels of fencing.

- a pergola for those hot summer days

- a brick patio in full sun for those near winter weekends (unusable
in summer)

Things that will make it easy for you to look after the property:

- use perennials only (bulbs, shrubs, coneflower, small trees)
- use ground covers where there is too much shade for grass to grow,
or where it is difficult to mow. A good way to figure this out is to
notice where you have to put your mower in reverse, the first time you
mow. Those are places where you want a ground cover. Make curvy
borders for ground cover areas, they look better and you can mow
better around them
- mulch heavily once a year (your beds and shrubs and trees). Have a
tree company come in with a truckload of woodchips every year. A
backbreaking job once a year is better than many jobs later in the
year
- Dig under fence, remove sod, replace with weedblocker covered with
gravel. Birds drop seeds and tunr fences into jungles that need work
every year. Use sod to make raised beds.
- get a mowing tractor, a cart, some tarps for hauling things around

Some landscaper will come for a small fee the first time, in the hope
of getting your business. Once you start getting ideas (how do I make
a patio? how do I make raised beds? how do I make a shade garden in
the frontyard?) post again for more advice.

The message
from (Keegan Alex) contains these words:

Hi folks,

Well, I just purchased a house, and it's on a 1.2 acre lot with a few
nice trees, but no landscaping at all. I want to do some landscaping
in the front and back yard, but I have no idea how to start.

My last garden began as nearly 4 acres of open rough grazing, and even
though I'd been gardenng for many years I hadn't a clue where to start
on that scale. Someone who had done it before, gave me this excellent
advice:

"Secure the boundaries early on", otherwise wildlife will spoil plants
as fast as you put them in. You've got a head start there.

"Paint boldly, large swathes with a big brush". He meant, plant the
same thing together in groups (odd numbers are better than formal rows),
which looks far better than dotting a lot of different things around
like a mixed fruit cake. Cheap ways to do this include propagating easy
cuttings, divisions and seeds, buying bulbs by the sack, and buying
trees/shrubs very small from a tree nursery (a fraction of the price of
garden centres, and because small transplants make better root systems
they catch up in size very fast and soon overtake potgrown specimens).

Janet.

Hi Cathy,

I'm sorry, I just re-read my post before reading the replies, and I
noticed I left that detail out. I'm in Central Texas, just south of
Austin. We have lots of clay and limestone in my area, so no larger
trees. The biggest tree in my yard is a 20 or so year old sycamore
tree, but the previous owner said it's about reached its livespan, so
I want to get other trees going in the yard so when/if it dies, I have
others to fall back on for shade and to block the wind.

One item I also left out was I want to get bigger trees/shrubs around
the yard for privacy. I have a small pool in the back yard, and
though the houses are spread-out quite a bit, when me and my family
are in the back yard, I'd like to feel isolated from the neighbors.

One reason I moved to the country (i'm about 30 miles out of town) was
for the dark nights. I'm a stargazer, but my first night here I found
that the neighbor to my right has a huge flood light that lights up
that entire side of my yard. On the left side of my yard, I have a
wall of large red-tipped leaf bushes (not sure what it's called, but
it's very popular down here), and they are probably 15-20 feet or
more. I want to do something similar along the right and back sides
of the fence, which will give privacy and hide the chain-linked fence.
I checked into forsythias, but several websites on them only show
folks in the north growing the plant.

Sorry I wasn't a bit more detailed on the property in my initial post.
Let me know if this helps in any suggestions... and to those that have
replied, thanks a ton.

Take care,

Keegan.


Cathy wrote in message ...
Hello Keegan

You don't say where you are, so it a bit difficult. HOWEVER, the chain
link fence has to go or has to be hidden. Forsythias are cheap enough
from any nursery (usually 4- 6ft balled bushes go for about $30.00)
Space them 8 ft apart and in a few years you'll have a nice hedge.

On 1 Apr 2003 13:41:48 -0800, (Keegan Alex)
wrote:

The biggest tree in my yard is a 20 or so year old sycamore
tree, but the previous owner said it's about reached its livespan,

My mother has a sycamore tree that in over 100 yrs. old.
·.·´¨ ¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
jammer
((¸¸.·´ ..·´
-:¦:- ((¸¸

Think about it will take three to five years what ever you plant to really
start to look good.Think about perennials they come back every year and
require less of your time.Think about flowering trees they add more beauty
to your yard and will most of the time in a few years really give you a
show.(Dogwoods).Try to plant some native grasses to your area in large
bunches they really make a good contrast to a big yard. Think about planting
your yard in rooms like you would on the inside of your home each room is
something different and separate from the other.Above all else enjoy and be
(PATIENT) Best regards Tom C.





lar" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 31 Mar 2003 20:17:04 -0700,
(paghat) wrote:

[...]

Orig. poster: What would be best?? I've picked-up some books, but
most seem more
geared for landscaped/terraced yards outside my price range or those
fancy mansion yards. I'm looking for something that looks nice, but
something that'll fit my middle-class neighborhood. I've even thought
about calling a landscape person out, but I'm sure that'd be way too
much. Do they come out and do advising for a small fee?

Paghat:

More likely for a big fee. If there's someone in your neighborhood whose
garden looks great, you could knock on their door & praise their garden
to
high heaven & when they're good & buttered up, walk them over to your
place & take notes as they dream up what THEY'D do with that much new
space to garden in.

Fee might not be that onerous. Check with several local nurseries.
They usually have lists of landscape folks whom they recommend because
they have delivered in the past. They wouldn't want to antagonize a
potential customer by recommending a loser.

I got my lady through local nursery. She was very reasonable and gave
good advice. I didn't follow every single suggestion, but at least it
stimulated me to start thinking and creating whereas I was frozen with
fear g at first after I decided to take the plunge.

Before you go the consultant route, however, absorb the wisdom Paghat
has dished out, and do a LOT of reading on your own. Libraries and
bookstores bulge with reference works on landscaping. I looked at
some books at Home Despot, and tend to agree with you that many of the
popular magazines are kinda lightweight; like they're geared to
pricey situations. Also, they show the plants in full, mature,
"filled-in" pictures, whereas you will need to leave space in your
installations for plants to grow & fill in.

I'd say your first task is to decide what look feels right for you.
Japanese? New England? Tropical? Succulents? Eclectic?
That's where extensive reading can help.

Send me a plane ticket. I dig a mean hole!




--
Polar

In article , jammer wrote:

On 1 Apr 2003 13:41:48 -0800, (Keegan Alex)
wrote:

The biggest tree in my yard is a 20 or so year old sycamore
tree, but the previous owner said it's about reached its livespan,

My mother has a sycamore tree that in over 100 yrs. old.

Oldest sycamore in Egypt is called the Virgin Mary Tree of Matariya. It
pretends to be 600 years old & further pretends to have been grown from a
sucker of an even older one that grew in the very location when Mary,
fleeing from Herod the Great, lingered underenath its branches & nursed
her infant son. This tree (really a series of trees) put Matariya on the
pilgrimage map for centuries & without it they'd've had far fewer tourist
profits. Of course, it's a big fraud. In reality the present-day sycamore
was planted in 1906, from a cutting of one that had been planted in 1672.
But the part about it causing miraculous cures & Mary herself floating
around in its branches, that I suppose is just BOUND to be true, just
don't forget to leave a donation.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

(paghat) wrote:

-- the wooden shed, a chickenhouse, a concrete koi pond (please, no sunken
plastic, do it right or forget it --

Why concrete? I would have assumed that if a person made a large pond
it would be better to have no lining at all.

In article ,
says...
I've even thought
about calling a landscape person out, but I'm sure that'd be way too
much. Do they come out and do advising for a small fee?


Ask around at your local nurseries. One near my office offers free
designs, no strings attached, in the hope that you'll come back and buy
plants from them.

I took them a half dozen pictures of my house and property and spent an
hour or so talking about what I wanted out of the landscape. A few
weeks later I received a very nicely drawn (with architectural templates
and color) garden design. The designer spent another hour with me going
over it, answering questions, and had a suggestion for one plant in the
design that I did not want.

--
Robin

(Trying out a new email system. This address *does* (well, "should")
work.)

On Sun, 6 Apr 2003 19:01:27 -0400, Robin
wrote:

In article ,
says...
I've even thought
about calling a landscape person out, but I'm sure that'd be way too
much. Do they come out and do advising for a small fee?


Ask around at your local nurseries. One near my office offers free
designs, no strings attached, in the hope that you'll come back and buy
plants from them.

I took them a half dozen pictures of my house and property and spent an
hour or so talking about what I wanted out of the landscape. A few
weeks later I received a very nicely drawn (with architectural templates
and color) garden design. The designer spent another hour with me going
over it, answering questions, and had a suggestion for one plant in the
design that I did not want.

Man, you lucked out! All that service for nada, niente, nothing, gar
nicht! So then did you buy the plants from them? Did you pay
wholesale or retail?

I, too, inquired at my local nursery, and was referred to a
landscale person whose fee was $60 per hour. She worked out pretty
well, all things considered, design-wise, and wholesale plant-wise
(though on some of the plants, I could have done as well at the
neighborhood nursery).

Of course I installed everything myself! With all the roots & stuff I
had to dig out, it would have cost the national debt to have her
install the plants! It was a LONG and taxing job, but I had the
satisfaction of placing things where I wanted them.


--
Polar