Who watches Jersey Shore? Remember when they went camping and Deena stood on that picnic bench and said “the wilderness!”? For some reason it made me laugh. I’m from Jersey though, so it might be a you-had-to-be-there you-have-to-be-from-there thing. Anyway, we mentioned that we had lots of outdoor upgrades on the agenda this spring, so let’s get into it, shall we? Remember how our yard looked like this when we bought the house?
And then we limbed up the magnolia and transplanted/removed a lot of the bushes and painted the front door, to get it looking more like this?
Well, it has definitely come a long way, but it’s still a far (far!) cry from where we’d like it to be (to the point that we apologize to our neighbors way too often for weedy patches of dirt in the middle of the yard and dead flowers by the mailbox, etc). So when a deal came up on Living Social for a one hour consultation with a certified landscape designer named Katherine Brooks for $60 (instead of $125) we went for it.
It might sound weird for two people who are crazy about doing things themselves to pay sixty beans to a landscape expert, but we’re black thumbs. So someone who knows all about what to plant (or transplant) where, and can plant ideas (see what I did there? it’s a landscaping pun) that we’d never come to on our own accord definitely has value to us. For example, about five minutes into our consultation with Katherine (who was very nice by the way), she mentioned that we’ll never get any grass to grow under the giant circle beneath our limbed up magnolia because the roots are so shallow they crowd out grass. We had actually planned to seed that area in the spring and the fall and hope for the best, so she easily saved us sixty bucks worth of grass seed and water and a whole lot of time and frustration while offering up a nice alternative solution (more on that in a sec).
She also tossed out a list of plants that she thought would do best in certain areas of our yard, and a bunch of suggestions about what we could transplant (you know we love working with what we have), general sustainable landscaping tips for our area, how we could reconfigure our garden beds (she even brought one of those sprayer things to mark off the grass), and identified lots of existing greenery for us (knowing what something’s called means we could google how to care for it or transplant it). So we’d say it was money well spent – and you know we’re cheap, haha. When she backed out of the driveway we already had a four page plan scribbled down in a notebook. Here are just some of her suggestions:
- seed the yard asap in many of the bare spots that remain from digging up bushes last fall
- plant a few american holly trees and sweet bay magnolia tress in the back to add privacy
- hosta, coleus, kimberly fern, or small boxwoods would do well in the empty planters on our porch
- get the ivy off all of the large oak trees in the back yard (slowly over time it can hurt them and we don’t want that)
- transplant the periwinkle (a lush green groundcover that we have growing everywhere)…
…. around the base of the magnolia since it’s one of the only things that can grow there and hide that circle of dirt…
- transplant/remove the ailing boxwoods and azaleas crowding the path to the front door and replace them with more appropriately sized perennials that won’t encroach as much
- plant a bunch of things around the house’s foundation (there’s waaaay too much bare dirt and brick on either side of the porch) – she gave us a list of specific plants that would do well in those lighting conditions and that amount of space
- dig up the odd rectangle of brick that was laid right next to the driveway in the planting bed under the window, so the landscaping can look more balanced
- plant ground cover around the mailbox (we did our best with flowers there and it always eventually grew to look unkempt, so groundcover is a more realistic option for not-always-on-it-landscapers like us)
- plant trees on the side of our lot so it looks less like a weird gully full of nothing (she gave us a list of trees that would love that area, like dogwoods, redbuds, river birches, and even a few weeping willows)
- transplant a few bushes on one side of the patio to the other side of the patio so they no longer crowd the path
- plant more hydrangeas in our patio garden (we have three very happy ones there, so adding more to the completely bare side of the garden will bring balance and color)
- cut down two diseased trees and one completely dead rhododendron bush next to the patio
- remove the giant euonymus vines on the oak tree next to our patio (we originally heard from an arborist who said it was ok, but they have gotten even bigger and heavier and after hurricane Irene we realized it could have been trouble, so when she said they should be removed we took note)
- sell all the cobblestones we already removed (and plan to remove around the plantings in the back) – apparently you can get a few bucks a pop and they make it so hard to mow around plant beds
- cut back the ornamental grasses on the side yard and the butterfly bushes in the back yard (March is apparently the time to do that every year)
- plant aucuba on the left side of our house (there are no plants next to the house on that entire side – just a dirt planting bed with nothing but weeds)
- and at least ten other things that are too complicated to mention until we tackle them
So yeah… it’s quite a list. But we knew from our first house‘s slooooow curb appeal makeover (we worked on that baby for 4.5 years) that these things take time. And to keep them from feeling too overwhelmed, it’s best to take it one day (and one project) at a time. So one of the first things on our list was to get some plants for around the house’s foundation. Because garden beds full of nothing but dirt (and the occasional weed) isn’t a good look. We actually purchased a Living Social deal for a local nursery last fall, so we had $80 to spend before it expired in three days (we spent $40 for the deal). So we ran over with a list of plants-that-will-hopefully-live from Katherine, and picked our favorites.
We had a hilarious conversation in the car. Well, it wasn’t funny until the drive home. But on the way there we were saying “I hope we have room for all the plants we’ll get with our $80! We had taken the stroller out of the trunk and everything, just to make room. Then we got there and realized that nearly all the bushes were $25-50 a pop. So yeah… we left with two bushes. And they easily fit in the car. And we snickered because we envisioned the car full of lush plants as far as the eye could see… but plants are expensive. Haha. Here’s what we came home with. It’s hard to tell the scale from this picture, but they’re each around two feet wide, which is nice. They’ll still grow a few feet larger over time, but sometimes when you buy the cheap tiny things it takes years for them to even get two feet wide.
They’re otto luyken laurels, which came highly recommended by Katherine as a few of the bigger foundation shrubs we could add (she gave us info about how to space them and how far away from each other to plant them, etc). Thankfully these guys are guaranteed for a year, so if they give up the ghost we can get a credit towards something else. But we have no intention of letting them die (its been raining like crazy lately, which is hopefully helping them to settle in nicely).
As for where we planted them, we’re just starting on the garden beds to the left and the right of the porch (which clearly have a long way to go). So one got a nice roomy spot on the left…
… and the other scored some prime real estate on the right.
So when those garden beds come along a bit more (they each need at least five more plants) we’ll share all the before and after pics. We have a lot to clear out, including a big rectangle of bricks laid to create some sort of hose platform to the right of the bush above. Sounds like a sledgehammer job for Super $herdog. What are you guys doing outside these days? Any new plants or flowers going on?
Allie ~Theinspiredmomma says
I am so bad with plants and stuff that it’s sad. And I think that’s an great idea to get professional advice! I’ve been itching to do things to our landscape. But have no idea where to start. I think I might ask my mom in law to come over and tell me what I should do lol. She’s really good at keeping up her yard.
And BTW I think all the work y’all have done to the front of the house amazing. It looks so pretty!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Allie! Good luck with yours, you mom in law sounds like she could be an awesome help!
xo,
s
E.D.R says
My only comment is that you should plant the holly where there is no chance small people with bare feet will go. The leaves are terrible for walking on. We just removed two hollies from our yard for that reason.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip! Those will go deep into the woods at the very back of our almost-an-acre lot just for privacy, so it’s not a place we walk around or play.
xo,
s
E.D.R says
Awesome! Birds love the berries, and kids love watching birds, so maybe when Clara is a bit older, she can do some birdwatching back there!
YoungHouseLove says
So cute!
xo,
s
Catie says
We are sprucing up our curb appeal, too! We’re working on laying down weed blocking fabric and covering it with landscape rocks this weekend. We used to have four bushes there, but three of them died when we had a big freeze last year. And I only pulled them out a few weeks ago. :) Luckily, I got on that already :) I can’t wait to see how much cleaner and “organized” the front will look when we are done!
Amanda Wells says
First of all, I’m still super obsessed with your yellow front door. Second of all, I’m obsessed with hydrangeas. Can’t wait to see the finished product!
http://www.amandadovewells.com/?page_id=45
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Amanda!
xo,
s
josiedelaney says
Your list of garden woes sounds just like mine… however I’m in Texas and so drought tolerance is a huge issue. It’s been trial and error to find what works! Over weekend we planted sage and bouganvillia, and mowed, seeded and fertilized our yard. We still have a lot more to do, though.
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds like you got so much done!
xo,
s
Katherine says
DO NOT PLANT WEEPING WILLOWS NEAR YOUR HOUSE! They are gorgeous trees but their roots systems WILL find their way into your foundation and crack it. And anything else you have going on underneath your house.
YoungHouseLove says
Our property is almost an acre! So there’s a giant side area that’s set down with a bit more moist soil that’s 200 feet or more away from the house!
xo,
s
Kathy says
I actually tackled some landscaping work that I had been putting off a looonng time (well, at least a year since that’s when we moved into the house). We have a “wall” of forsythia bushes on the right side of property along the fence line that none of the house’s previous owners have ever taken care of so they’ve become SO overgrown a tangled. The tops of the plant are actually re-rooting into the ground it’s so bad. Last night I finally got out the clippers and trimed down one whole bush (out of about ten). It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be, either! Now I just have to sllllooooowly work my way down the wall. Eventually, we’ll chainsaw them down the bottom and dig them out in order to plant something that gives us more privacy with not as much maintenance.
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds like so much work! Congrats!
xo,
s
LauraC says
You have quite the list there! And I know from experience how much work landscaping is, good luck! Yard work was one of the first things we tackled at our place, simply because weeding, uprooting ivy, trimming and the like don’t cost money, just muscle power and time. We didn’t buy plants as much as get rid of all the overgrowth, but this year we’re hoping to get 6 roses to plant on the side of the house.
Ashley @ Modmamas says
We’ve just started to tackle our outside as well. Slowly, but costly! I have a bit of a black thumb myself and it seems a bit overwhelming at times. I would have paid the $60 too! I can’t wait to see what you guys do and take some notes.
Suni says
We just built a compost bin this past weekend, as well as some raised beds, to plant a vegetable garden, we are also working on removing and completely redoing the garden bed on the side of our house that Lily of the Valley’s have completely taken over ( VERY pretty but extremely invasive plant…just fyi) So needless to say we are busy bees outside!!
YoungHouseLove says
Go, Suni, go!
xo,
s
Morgan says
Thanks for the periwinkle idea for under-tree landscaping! Now I just have to find out if they’ll grow successfully in Minnesota. We have huge bare patches under two old trees in our backyard that look like crap. We also have two craaaazy dogs that run around non-stop and rip up the rest of our lawn. Needless to say, it’s a never-ending project. We’ve seeded and re-seeded the last two summers, with little success. I guess the next step is to try sod.
Lindsey says
Periwinkle grows just fine in Northern Michigan, so I bet it would be fine in Minnesota!
It’s a bugger to transplant though. The roots are like rocks–at least when I tried to dig some out of the woods to plant in my garden. I was a teenager at the time and I thought my back was broken by the time I was done. Hopefully yours will be easier to dig up, J&S! I don’t mean to be discouraging, I just think you might want to be prepared for a serious work out. Hopefully my situation was just because I was digging them out of the woods and it will be easier for you guys!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the warning Lindsey! We might have to tackle it a little at a time since that’s a big area under the magnolia to hopefully fill!
xo,
s
Devon @ Green House, Good Life says
I don’t have any experience with periwinkle, but it’s often easier to dig out roots from wet ground. Good luck!
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip Devon!
xo,
s
carly says
We just declared it the year of the exterior at our house! So many project to do outside, moving a garden, new plants, digging out old ones, etc. I can relate to being surprised how expensive plants can be!
http://www.thehousethatbuiltusstory.blogspot.com/2012/03/year-of-exterior.html
Di says
I hear you on the sticker shock! The nursery by me is crazy expensive!!!!
My favorite place to shop for plants is Lowes! Their selection is constantly changing which gives you a nice selection. You can get awesome flats of plants waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay cheaper than the nurseries (like 60% less….).
Sometimes the selection looks a little beat up so I asked & found out their delivery schedule. I try to go within a day or two of it to get the cream of the crop….
Have fun planting! We just got inground irrigation – so incredibly excited!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, we have noticed that some items at big box stores look a little beat up, but have found great deals there too! I joined the Home Depot Garden Club and get great coupons!
xo,
s
spiffi says
I live in a townhouse with a tiny back patio and an even smaller front stoop. I don’t get a lot of sun, and I’m not the best gardener either :)
Last year I went to a pricy nursery and bought a lilac bush and an azalea – planted the azalea in the back patio garden “strip” along my fence and repotted the lilac bush into a giant pot and put it in front of the house.
Within a couple of months, both of the plants were dry bundles of sticks. But I was lazy and didn’t give up – just kept watering occasionally.
My lilac bush didn’t die! It’s full of leaves and I *think* I see a few flower buds!
YoungHouseLove says
Yay – so glad it didn’t die!
xo,
s
Melissa says
Have fun with the process! Once everything fills in it will look wonderful! Also hostas and other plants grow like crazy and you can split them in the spring or fall and replant them as well. I know my husband got some crazy good deals at a local nursary in NH towards the end of the season. We lucky had a very mild winter so the plants should be fine but we were prepared to make “shelters” for them if not! So my advice… check toward the end of the season! Also ask friends and family – they might have something these that can be split as well :)
YoungHouseLove says
Great tips Melissa!
xo,
s
Janel P says
We had to replace 3 porch colums (due to rot) on the front of the house and we decided not to put the hand rails back up. The front porch looks so much more open. We also took out 4 big bushes and dug up lots of weeds along the front of the house. We plan to put down some river rock and some container plants. I’m still sore from all the digging.
YoungHouseLove says
So pretty! I love open porches!
xo,
s
Kelly says
My husband and I just put down a pretty penny for a brand-spanking new fence. I can’t wait until installation start woohoo!
Also, I am absolutely no professional gardening consultant, but I am the owner of a very old house with a very damp basement so I just wanted to throw out a word of caution against planting things around the foundation of your house. It may look pretty and I see millions of houses that had gardens adjacent to the foundation, but our inspector threw a s*&# fit when were were in the processing of purchasing our house because of it. There were beautiful tulips and daffodils, potatoes, onions, crocuses — the whole nine yards next to our house that we had to dig up and still have to regrade with polyurethane and gravel. Basically, he said every time you water those plants, that water makes its way in and around your foundation. If your weeping systems is new or you have a french drain or sump pump, go for it! We don’t so boo n us, just wanted to FYI :)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Kelly! We do have a few french drains as well as gutters that come down and are routed away from the house by way of underground pipes!
xo,
s
Kathy says
so happy I was reading through the comments and saw your tip, Kelly! I have some planting on the agenda this month and one which involved a flower bed at the front of our house (and in front of our crawl space).
Caitlin @ Hardly Housewives says
This is very timely for me – we just moved from NYC to the sticks and have SIX acres that is in pretty ratty shape. I know we need to just get started, but it’s hard to start when you are looking at doing so much.
Thanks for sharing the tips & ideas… I need to find our own professional landscaper!
Deborah says
Do your boxwoods smell like cat pee when it rains? At work, there’s a long hedge of them around the walkways into the building, and I hate walking out there after it rains because it smells like a bunch of cats just came through and marked their territory. I’m a cat person for sure, but that’s a bit much for me!
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha, I never noticed! Maybe it’s some sort of fungus on those? Or I just haven’t smelled it yet? Haha.
xo,
s
Kate says
Last winter I took a 6 week landscape design class through a local arts center for $120. It was hands down the BEST $120 I have ever spent. I learned SO much and walked out with a full set of plans by the instructor (a landscape designer). There is no way I ever could have done it on my own.
I think landscaping older homes is far more challenging because, at least in my case, you’re working with 50 years of different landscaping visions previous owners have had. So there’s a lot of removing, triming, and working around to do.
Excited to watch your landscape evolve!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s awesome! What a cool course! And I totally agree that older houses come with removing and transplanting lots of stuff- although it can come in handy if you can reuse something instead of having to buy all new stuff!
xo,
s
Meredith @ La Buena Vida says
Once the constant downpour stops around here, we have some plans for outdoors too! We have a quarter acre lot, but the backyard is all clay and star thistle right now. We’re probably not going to grass the whole thing, but we ARE going to bring in 50 yards of dirt and seed a portion of the backyard so Lizzy can have a place to play. Last night, she also told us that “We need to buy a swing set.” I told her that wasn’t in the budget this month and she responded, “I’ll call grandma.” LOL.
Anyway, I don’t know if you guys have anything like this in Richmond, but there are two local high schools here that have huge plant sales every year for their FFA/Agriculture classes, and you can get plants for SUPER cheap–$1 or $2 for the plants that are $5 or $6 at the usual stores. We’ve started buying our garden starts from them, ’cause it’s easier on us and a great way to support our local schools!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, Lizzy is so cute! And thanks for the plant sale tip – so smart! And the school right near us has one each spring!
xo,
s
Bianca C. says
Oh I’ve been doin nothing but gardening! My grandpa, grandma, and I have been outside almost everyday doing something or other. My grandma just had a hip replacement, and it dislocated twice and have another hip surgery and a barely a month later she working hard in her garden haha :) yesterday I pruned her enormous rose garden, which have gorgeous blooms, my grandparents have done countless things to their home all by themselves since my grandpa was an electrician he does nearly everything himself, from building (and digging) their own pool, to two decks and soon a bedroom balcony, to building their garden while my grandma make the garden come alive, they inspire me. :)
YoungHouseLove says
That’s amazing! Your grandparents sound amazing! And that rose garden must be awesome!
xo,
s
Trish says
Hi John & Sherry,
I am a perennial blog reader (pun intended) but rarely comment, though I love reading post and other’s comments! I would also suggest if you are looking for a wealth of free advice/information anything garden/yard related find out where your county’s Cooperative Extension agency is, they have folks there known as Master Gardeners who will be able to answer almost any question you could think of related to your yard/garden. Most county’s have a ‘plant hotline’ that you can call and talk to someone and they will get your questions answered. You can also go to the agency with questions etc. We live in Wilmington, NC and soon after we bought our home, I took the Master Gardener course to help build my knowledge of what works here in the coastal area (we moved from Asheville) so that was a big difference as far as learning about what grows/works best here. I have a very small, humble blog that I do not often update but have a few pics, examples of things we have done in our yard: http://www.trishburnett.wordpress.com . I am still learning alot and any work involved in the garden takes time and paitience!
YoungHouseLove says
Love it!! Thanks for the tip Trish!
xo,
s
Teresa @ wherelovemeetslife says
That is money well spent for sure!! I have a black thumb as well, and although I try, I just don’t know what to plant where and how to care for it. I can hardly keep potted indoor plants living. She gave you a ton of information in a short amount of time. I would have been tempted to video tape it so I wouldn’t forget it all. LOL
On side note: I bet it will be fun to work outside with Clara this spring!! At least there are some parts of this “make-over” that she can help with. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, she loves being outside! And has already developed a love or worms. aha.
xo,
s
Rachel says
I recently won two hours of a landscape designers time at a silent auction. I met with her last week for a few minutes. She took pictures, heard what I wanted, and then parted ways. She’s going to spend most of the time drawing up a legit plan for the yard complete with a garden. I’m so excited to see what she comes up with and have a real plan for our yard.
YoungHouseLove says
So exciting!!
xo,
s
sallie says
i love posts about landscaping! we live in austin, tx and it’s super hot and dry in the summer. the drought was so bad last year that our grass didn’t survive. we are in the process of digging up a lot of the dead grass (we have a teeny tiny yard) and planting lovely, drought tolerant perennials. less to mow (we have a reel mower) and less to water!
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds so pretty!
xo,
s
Devon @ Green House, Good Life says
Sallie, do you have a blog? I’m in Austin, too, and I love exchanging landscaping ideas!
katalina says
I am better at designing the yard than picking interior paint colors. These are the best tips I have learned. I am designer/photographer so I am visual like you…
1) when you are inside look out to your yard and see if you want to screen anything as well as see a beautiful tree with feeders from the back window when you sit at the kitchen table
2) I have a raised berm that goes the length of the back neighbor’s fence when I have bushes, flowering bushes and trees and alliums and tulips
3) look at books for ideas on what you like–plant wise
4) have a variety of plants that bloom throughout the seasons
5) those laurels can get huge–neighbor have them and they were very tall–20-25 feet
6) don’t plant too close to the house– I tend to plant too close to each other
7) if you see healthy happy plants in your neighborhood–they would probably be happy in your yard
8)mix leafgrow with your soil and mulch with va fine pine
9) I did not know you should water throughout the winter and lost some new plants planted in the fall
10) sweet bay is one of my favorite–plant near your patio in back and the lemon scent is incredible. also love native fringe tree. Hollies are slow growing and deer ate them. I love flowering bushes.
11) this is a good tip for you–think of your yard as rooms!
12) plant flowers that you would love to have inside cut–like big orange tulips!
good luck-k
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for all the advice Katalina! Our type of laurels are the low lying type (they only grow 3′ feet tall and 4′ wide!). We planted them 3′ from the house like Katherine recommended, so they should grow in to fill the area but not be too close to the foundation. Whew.
xo,
s
Maria says
I can’t believe she could tell you all that in just an hour – that’s amazing and fantastic!! And what a list.
We don’t have a yard yet (renting) but I can’t wait till we do! I love plants and getting my hands dirty. Luckily we do have a gigantic balcony where I just planted a bunch of veggies, flowers, and herbs to eat this summer, so hopefully they work out! It’s still kind of chilly up in DC/MD so I’m hoping I didn’t put them outside too soon.
Chelsea says
I have a question, but its not about plants. When you say that you color match a Ben Moore color to Olympic, do you mean that you go to the store that sells Ben Moore to get the paint chip, and then take it back to Lowes and they can color match it?
YoungHouseLove says
I actually bought a bunch of decks from Benjamin Moore about five years ago (they have so many more colors than most other brands), so I would bring my deck into Lowe’s and ask them to color match it. Lately they haven’t even had to scan it though, because they store many of the formulas in the computer for reference, so they just pull those up without the swatch and mix it up. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jen says
Ahh, we’re about to begin this too. My grandfather owns a wholesale nursery so he helped us a lot last year with getting plants but as he’s getting older, it’s difficult for him to travel so we had to plant on our own and we made a few mistakes in regards to location, so this year we have to undo a few things and we also have a bare patch under our maple tree. I’ve been thinking about some sort of ground cover so I’m glad to see that an expert recommended it to you!
Kimberly says
Very jealous to hear you have hydrangeas growing! I don’t think they could hack it in our Florida heat. Our front yard is south facing, and when we moved in last year it was nothing more than dirt (more like sand) and weeds. My husband did a lot of studying and completely dug up the front yard and covered it with mulch based on permaculture designs. Permaculture is a style of growng where the plants basically take care of themselves, so east! It’s been a year and we now have beautiful soil (in some places) and a lot of pretty edibles like pole beans, swiss chard, and mustard greens. Our favorite plant buy, though, is our lavender bushes! We have completely different climate than you, though! I hope your bushes grow well and send some rain our way!
YoungHouseLove says
We tried hydrangeas in our last house and they totally didn’t make it! Thankfully they seem to love the side garden next to the patio! Here’s hoping the new ones do too!
xo,
s
Molly says
Make sure to check Craigslist on a regular basis for plants as well! You can often find people who are selling transplants from their own yard or even free plants that people are digging up for one reason or another. Also, as you are learning what you like and what grows well in your area, don’t be shy about asking neighbors if you can have some cuttings from their yard if they have something you want. Landscaping doesn’t have to be expensive! Good luck and I’m excited to see what you guys do. I know it will look great as always!
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip Molly!
xo,
s
Marcie says
I am inferring that you went to Cross Creek with your LivingSocial deal to get your plants. They have been such a great help with our yard. They will do free consults at the nursery if you bring pictures or they will come out and draw up a plan for a moderately more than minimal fee. The good news is the fee can then be used towards plants in the plan. We found it to be such a good use of dough for fellow black thumbs like ourselves.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, that’s where we went! They were very nice.
xo,
s
Jennifer Fankhauser says
I desperately want to be good at gardening, but I know NOTHING and kill every plant I have ever been responsible for. I’ve been trying to research and learn, but it can be overwhelming. I would love to have an expert come analyze our yard and give us tips! We have 2.5 acres of overgrown trees and rocky/patchy grass so it’s a bit of a mess right now, but hopefully we will get it looking pretty one of these days.
For now, I have 6 tiny succulents on my windowsill inside. I figured those would be pretty hard to kill, even for me. :)
Carrie says
Love River Birches! Your property is so beautiful, lush and green. I’m excited to see your deck plans, since the patio turned out so awesome. What are you doing for Clara’s second birthday?
YoungHouseLove says
We’re having a little family and friend party here (and going to a local park after we eat). Should be fun! Still haven’t decided on a theme since Clara’s into everything from trucks and schoolbuses to airplanes and worms. Haha.
xo,
s
Kristen Hansen says
We just had a similar experience with a $100 gift card AND $50 groupon to a local nursery from which we left with only 8 small perennials and a couple bigger ones. We had also almost borrowed a truck from a friend to carry home our loot, and fit everything in about a quarter of the trunk of my car :-).
I don’t know if you have a Costco membership, but I learned they have AWESOME deals on shrubs and small trees…I’m talking $13.47 for a 2 gallon azela, and under $20 for lots of other shrubs (boxwood, etc.) They had a weeping cherry that was about 6′ tall for $57. With how cheap they are, it would honestly be worth the $50 membership fee just to go and get a few shrubs/trees.
YoungHouseLove says
Wow- that’s a great tip! John’s parents have a membership so maybe they can bring us (I think you’re allowed to bring people sometimes, right?).
xo,
s
Devon @ Green House, Good Life says
Yes, there’s no problem bringing guests to Costco. The more, the merrier!
holly says
i have been kicking butt in the yard lately! planted a veggie garden, cleared out a horrid planting area and planted a shade garden (elephant ear, calladium, bleeding heart, and astilbe). i cleared out a bunch of scary plants up front and planted some cute annuals. but then i think i killed a giant and magical lantana when transplanting it-sad face.
I guess it’s all just a learning curve. I wish that it was like interiors with just a few cheapo changes making big impact. instead we have spent a ton of money and you can hardly tell.
my dream is winning yard of the month. i will get there one day, oh yes I will.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, it’s totally a learning curve Holly! And your lantana might just come back! We had a very special japanese maple from our first house that we thought we killed but months later it gave us buds!
xo,
s
Ellen says
My mother in law is a Texas certified master gardener, so we get tips from her about what to plant (also a black thumb here…) and last year she gave me a gift certificate to a local nursery for my birthday.
So we bought some bushes called Skullcap (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scutellaria I’m not sure which variety, though…) along the pathway to our front door in the beds we uncovered after getting rid of all the ivy in our front yard (http://www.kellyandellen.org/house/2010/10/unexpected-discoveries/)
After the crazy drought we had this past summer, I’m wasn’t so sure of how they’d do, but my mother in law knows her stuff! Just a month or so ago she came by and pruned them and they have completely started to bush out! (Although I’m sure the rains we have had recently have helped too.) I’m going to have to get some pictures of them sometime soon… I’m hoping that they might even flower this year. Who knows.
heather says
My MIL is a horticulturalist by trade, and so when she sold her house we all went up and took a ton of heirloom and other plants from the home (we left plenty for the new owners). We need to move them in our yard, but we have some of the most beautiful flowers starting to peak – including my husband’s great Memere’s iris – the only one left. It’s pretty special. I have to admit that despite doing major home reno’s, I’m pretty excited that my neighbors are having a wedding in the hayfield behind our homes this summer – it means I have to plant and landscape and make our yard all nice since it will be abutting our property.
I’m (not so) secretly super excited. We’re focusing right now on waiting for things to come up, getting the garden ready, etc. I even, in Maine, already have some sprouts coming up without using a synthetic grow light!
http://www.likeacupoftea.com/aww-shoot/
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, that sounds amazing Heather! Good luck with everything! And take care of that iris!
xo,
s
Amy says
I’m sure you have a conservatory or arboretum in your area. The big one here in Cincinnati has several special shows per year … and they have a big plant sale at the end. You might want to keep your eyes peeled for one in your area.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Amy!
xo,
s
Amy says
Ooooh, I also want to give a shout-out to http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/.
They have a great selection and a lot of their plants come in three-packs. The plants are pretty small when you get them, but they are very healthy and grow quickly.
Their website is handy because you can search by zone, sun/shade/soil condition, bloom time, color and height!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip, Amy!
xo,
s
Ashley@AttemptsAtDomestication says
It’s so crazy how expensive and time consuming landscaping is! We have a few plants to transplant and have to buy a ton of mulch and dig up some plants that aren’t so pretty.
Jill says
Your post made me laugh because my husband and I recently did the same thing! We bought two groupons for a local garden center and had $100 to spend. I was convinced we’d come home with a carload of stuff, but that amount only covered two hydrangeas! We splurged for two more, because I was so committed to the vision of having hydrangeas in front of our house, but I was shocked when I saw the prices!
Lindsey says
We just finished a major overhaul of our front bed. I bought the Easybloom sensor on Amazon and it is amazing – you put it in the ground for 24 hours and then plug into your computer and it tells you about the conditions and what will grow there. You can use it for multiple locations and it keeps track of everything online. I spent several weekends scouring home and garden shops looking for large enough plants only to be disappointed until I went to our local farmer’s market. The Acuba we got is one of my favorites. Happy planting!
YoungHouseLove says
Love that Lindsey! So smart!
xo,
s
Heather says
That sounds amazing! Looking it up!
RiverCityFashion says
Did she mention anything about Japanese Maples with the Dogwoods? Up here, north of the river, every time you see one, the other is there. Same with azaleas. Do y’all just have too much shade? I’m jealous I missed out on that deal!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s funny! Yes, we mentioned we loved japanese maples and she said they would work too. We do have mostly shade or partial shade on our property, so all those things (azaleas, hydrangeas, etc) seem to come up!
xo,
s
Meg says
You can buy plants much, much cheaper through online/catalog retailers. Brecks and Michigan Bulb are both great companies that often send coupons and sometimes even include a certificate for a flat-out free $25 worth of plants (because they’re betting you’ll spend more).
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes we got bulbs that way once! We just like getting locally grown plants when we can (and to save shipping) but that’s another possibility as well!
xo,
s
yakmom says
I am a tree nut (actually was an Ex. Director of an Arboretum in my previous life). I would really look into both the pro’s and cons of the weeping willow. These are not small trees and have a tendancy to look for water sources underground (must be really careful for sewer pipes, septic systems). Their branches are pretty brittle, I would estimate that our groundskeeper (at the arboretum), spent about 50% of his time cleaning up branch debris on the ground from our large weeping willow (we had about 3,000 other trees to care for there…lol…and that one was the squeaky wheel). They are ideal trees if you have a really large piece of property…next to a creek.
Oh and check Costco right now…ours is selling hostas bulbs for really great price. I had a really nice “collection” of hostas at my previous home and my favorite was ‘Sum and Substance’ It featured very large, beautiful leaves.
YoungHouseLove says
Great tips tree nut! Haha. Thanks!
xo,
s
Mary says
Some of my friends think that I love remodeling but my real love is for the garden. Even though I’m a Master Gardener, some of the best money I’ve ever spent has been for landscape consultations and actual drawings. I’ve made fewer mistakes and purchased plants that really work rather than what looks pretty at the nursery.
Home Depot and Lowes have great sales and clearance after Memorial Day but I also have my favorite local nursery that has experienced staff and gives me good advice and plant selection help. When I’m rethinking different areas in the yard, I take pictures and measurements to them and they help me for free! They also have big plant sales both after Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Mulch, mulch, mulch, don’t use landscape fabric and plant as early as you live in a house as possible. I am looking forward to watching your progress!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Mary! Great tips!
xo,
s
emily says
My boyfriend works for LivingSocial so I was so exited to see them get a shout-out on my favorite blog! It’s a long list, for sure, but it’ll be amazing when you’re all done with it and you’ll love being able to hang out outside and see all the work you did.
Outdoor-wise, I’m most excited for you to tackle the “alley” porch. It’s going to be such a sweet transformation!
YoungHouseLove says
So funny! What a small world!
xo,
s
Jen says
We rented a rototiller on Sunday and extended a raised bed… now to dream up the plants! It’ll be veggies and perennials and whatever I like. We’ve incorporated space for a grill pit, too. I’m so excited to really start putting this together. Patience, right!?
You’re doing a great job with your yard… way to dig out of the mess! Don’t be afraid to buy smaller plants… they all grow, and they’re cheaper! Keep those updates coming! :)
Suzanne says
I’m soooo glad you are doing outdoor work now! We have a very, very, actually quite identical front of the house. Hubby and I have left it alone for 4 years and are also talking about what to plant. I don’t want anything to high to block the windows, and don’t really want a lot of maintenance either. Looking forward for more plants you find growning well :)