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Posted: Mar/26/2009 4:31 AM PST
Thanks for reading my post. Before you read any further...I made a mistake with my zone...USDA puts me in Zone 7, but the Sunset Garden Book puts me in 2B. I don't know which one to use. I live in the mountains near Big Bear, California, so I get snow in the winter at least a couple a feet for each storm, and we get several each year. Occasionally we get a rogue storm. This year we got two, which dumped over 3 feet each time, and left us with 5' berms. We have a warm summer (70's to high 80's), and a long growing season. Please check out my blog (www.mountainsprite.blogspot.com) so you can see the situation I'm dealing with. My yard has remained almost untouched with the exception of moving the rock pathways a few times, because I just don't know where to start. HELP!!!! The backyard is mostly in the shade all day with the exception of one side that gets sun most of the day. There's a hedge of trees growing on that side. I think they are Incense Cedars. They are small (about 6-10 ft) right now. Because the terrain in the yard is very uneven I have been able to create "rooms" by winding paths around the obstacles. I love this feature! The backyard is realtively small but it looks out over a large forested meadow, which during the rainy season has a creek running through it. We have a chain-link fence that doesn't hinder that view. Having said that, we have a dog run that I would like to conceal. Is there some kind of vine I can plant that won't overtake the yard? The backyard is the only place we have privacy on the lot so I like to think of it as my "secret garden", and I have my garden gnomes and faeries peeping out wherever I can. I like foxgloves and tried planting them on the side of the yard that gets the most sun and they died. I planted 4 dwarf hydrangeas, 2 in the sun and 2 in the shade. One died in the sunny area and one died in the shady area. I can't seem to make sense of my yard... The front yard is larger than the backyard and is in the sun most of the day during winter, and in the shade most of the summer because the trees leaf out. I have a definite sloping yard. I don't like formal gardens, but a woodland one would be nice with soft lines rather than delineated plantings, which are more formal. I love hostas. I have alot of vinca major in various places in the yard. I think the former owner was trying to cover the entire yard with it. It has become more of a weed than a blessing. I have a white picket fence up by the street, and the house has a lot of curb appeal but there isn't any privacy in the front yard. I'd like to plant something colorful that would give me my privacy back, but without ruining my curb appeal. A colorful hedge behind the fence that would still look pretty but hide the house from the street level would be nice, that way when people walk down the path they would get a surprise when they see the house. I have no idea what type of shrub would do that for me. I don't want one that has to be pruned. Next to the house I planted some Rhaphiolepsis indica 'indian princess', and they are right below the roof line so whenever it rains or there's snow melt-off they get plenty of water, and they seem to be thriving. I even got some flowers on them last year. The trouble is I don't know what to put in front of them. We have a parking pad at street level and I would like to plant some type of shrub that would hide the house from the street and the cars from the house, but I have no idea what to plant there either. The house next door to us is in terrible condition and is an eyesore on the block. Once again, I'd like to plant some kind of vine that would cover the chain-link fence, but won't take over the yard. If any of you out there have some suggestions please let me know...[/font] |
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Posted: Mar/27/2009 6:11 PM PST
Pictures!? Would definitely help. I don't know your area, so my suggestion of bittersweet to cover the chain link fence may not help.. These bushes take a bit to get going, but grow profusely and have covered a chain link fence in my back yard AND provides berries for the birds AFTER I have made some decorative wreaths for my front doors. You need male and female plants for the berries to develop. For non-pruned bushes, I have used barberry in the front yard - they are only a year old, so no privacy yet, but they are pretty fast growers and CAN be pruned, but don't need to be. I am not a tree person, so someone else will have to advise you on taller privacy! |
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Posted: Mar/27/2009 8:06 PM PST
Thanks for your patience with me. I'm new to this site, and am still trying to learn how to operate all the bells, and whistles. I have another blog site where I've got tons of pictures of my yard, and house in case I can't get them up here's the address: mountainsprite.blogspot.com. I was told to start with a small area rather than look at the big picture because it can be overwhelming, so I thought I'd start here. I babysit my grandkids a lot every week so I don't have the time to be out in the yard everyday, but I wouldn't mind messing around on the weekends. The area here gets full sun all day. When the shrubs grow in there's shade on the slope. One of the shrubs is an amputated maple tree someone cut down, the other shrub is a black locust that suckered there once we cut the tree down in the side yard. They do a great job of hiding the neighbors house, and giving us privacy in the summer, but in the winter we live in a goldfish bowl. I need to do something about that. The path is used frequently as it is the only level way into the back yard the other side has stairs, and this is how we get our firewood to the stackers in the back. There is a small area to the right which I thought might work for some bulbs, but I've never planted them, and I don't know if they can be contained to such a small strip of soil. I like Lily of the Valley, tulips and crocus. There is a Prunus cerasifera 'Krauter Vesuvius' in the circle of bricks, and it gives some beautiful pink blossoms in Spring, and turns a vivid red color in Fall. I think it makes a nice contrast with the red front door other than that I haven't done anything except try to keep what was here when we moved in alive. There's vinca major on the slope and it could easily take over the yard. I don't know how to get rid of it or if I even should... Attachments:      |
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Posted: Mar/29/2009 3:10 AM PST
Ah, you've got pix. That helps give us an idea of what you have to work with. The beds seem to already be laid out for you. I see that you have a trellis. What was on it? I see vines left there. A climbing rose would be nice if you have sun there all day. I love the Zepherine Drouhin (spelling?). It has no thorns, but it only blooms in the spring. Other rosarians here might have a better suggestions. I'll think on this some more and maybe others will come in with some more ideas. |
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Posted: Mar/29/2009 3:28 PM PST
Boy, a blank slate is always hard to start with, but ah, the opportunities! If you want to complement the red door and shutters, perhaps some red flowers interspersed with more neutral plants? What effect do you want with the various beds? As for protection from the neighbors in winter, short of a living evergreen hedge such as arbor vitae, I don't know. There are other hedges that will take several years to grow tall enough (and some may not grow that tall in your neck of the woods, I don't know) but they are deciduous and would only cut down vision into your yard in winter (eg privet, barberry). |
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Posted: Apr/04/2009 3:00 PM PST
Witt, I've got a beautiful Virginia Creeper growing on the trellis. It was there when I moved in. I love the fall colors on it. A climbin rose sounds pretty, but it too will go dormant in the winter. The tree that you see there is a Prunus 'Krauter Vesuvius'. I think I'm going to have to cut it down though. It's a fairly young tree, as you can see, I don't know if I can replant it somewhere else in the yard. I read that they can get 12 to 15' high and 6' to 12'wide. I've got a power line directly above it. Also because it branches so low on the trunk it will hide a portion of the house, which I don't want it to do. I'd really like to keep it because it turns a firery red in the Fall, and it really compliments my Virginia Creeper. Is it possible to move it? How difficult to you think that would be? I don't have any idea how deep the tap root goes, and if I sever that won't it kill the tree? Attachments:   |
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Posted: Apr/04/2009 3:10 PM PST
Karslinky, I'm not sure about a hedge. The problem is that it can't be to deep because I need room for the dogs in the dog run on one side of the yard, and on the other side I don't have any room between my yard, and the neighbors; that's why it was suggested that I plant a vine like lonicera periclymenum 'serotina' - WOODBINE. You asked what kind of plantings I would like in my flower beds. I saw this picture that is really pretty for the Fall. I thought this would look good in the planting areas up on either side of the front door. I think those are mums, asters, and I believe the puple is kale. I don't know what the grasses are. I thought I could plant the tulips (see pics)in the planter when the mums die out to keep the color scheme going, but that will only last until spring. What can I plant in summer? Will I have to replant the mums every year in my zone? I have Rhaphiolepsis indica 'indian princess' planted in front of the bedroom window (lg window). They seem to be surviving, but I won't really be able to tell until a little further into Spring. Some of them are starting to get some flowers. I have no idea what to plant in front of them. That little area is just ripe for something pretty. I love the pinks, reds, burgundys, puples, and golds shown in the photo. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Attachments:     |
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