HELP!!! Ideas for improving landscaping near front of home

[pglover19]

Hello,

I need some help in improving the landscaping near the front of my home. This landscape has existed the past three years, and I am trying to improve the curb appeal of the house. The picture attached only shows the landscaping on the left front of the house, but the same design is replicated on the right front of the house. From left to right, the plantings includes 1 Nellie Stevens Holly, 5 purple-red barberries, 2 American hollies, 1 large blue spiral juniper, 1 small alberta spruce spiral juniper, 7 goldmound spirea, and 9 variegated liriope.

Please give me advise of how I can improve the curb appeal of my landscaping near the front of the house....

Thanks

[mcwlandscaping]

That is one hell of a house!! nice

[pglover19]

That is one hell of a house!! nice

Thank you...

Can you give me some landscaping suggestions to improve the look.. Need more curb appeal to make the neighbors said "wow"....

[grandview (2006)]

Maybe add some colored stone to off set the mulch.

[Mike33]

i would not fix was isnt broken. Nice home and landscape.
Mike

[mattfromNY]

I'm not your neighbor, but I'm saying 'Wow'. Looks nice to me.

[LindblomRJ]

Nothing wrong with that landscape at all IMO.

[mattfromNY]

In going back to the pic a few times, it just looks like the house is so big, and the landscaping is so small (Low to the ground). Is the property pretty big? it looks like an estate, I picture a row of trees lining the driveway coming up to it, and possibly a large one or two weeping trees adding some height and shade to the property, or an island bed in the front yard with some larger plantings. What about some type of vine, like English ivy or a Euonymous or something creeping up the bricks? Something to soften up all that brick. I'm just throwing out ideas, dont hammer me too hard.

[mattfromNY]

Pull that front sidewalk out into a circle and put in a big ole' fountain right in front of the front door, and add some landscape lighting. Everything is too symetrical and square. Add some plantings onto this side of the sidewalk.

[pglover19]

In going back to the pic a few times, it just looks like the house is so big, and the landscaping is so small (Low to the ground). Is the property pretty big? it looks like an estate, I picture a row of trees lining the driveway coming up to it, and possibly a large one or two weeping trees adding some height and shade to the property, or an island bed in the front yard with some larger plantings. What about some type of vine, like English ivy or a Euonymous or something creeping up the bricks? Something to soften up all that brick. I'm just throwing out ideas, dont hammer me too hard.

This is not an estate... The house is very long (85 foot).. The driveway to the house is not long either (about 100 foot). I would like to add some trees on the back row near the house that has some height to it but not too high that it will cover the windows....

[Focal Point Landscapes]

That would help - two taller evergreens between the windows would break up that part of the planting . Matt had some good suggestions , except the one about growing ivy on the bricks . Imo , the next step would be planting in the yard , e.g. October glory maples or a raised bed with Little Gem magnolias , knock outs , loropetalum - that kind of thing .....

[pglover19]

That would help - two taller evergreens between the windows would break up that part of the planting . Matt had some good suggestions , except the one about growing ivy on the bricks . Imo , the next step would be planting in the yard , e.g. October glory maples or a raised bed with Little Gem magnolias , knock outs , loropetalum - that kind of thing .....

Specifically what suggestions from Matt do you agree with?

[pglover19]

That would help - two taller evergreens between the windows would break up that part of the planting . Matt had some good suggestions , except the one about growing ivy on the bricks . Imo , the next step would be planting in the yard , e.g. October glory maples or a raised bed with Little Gem magnolias , knock outs , loropetalum - that kind of thing .....

Any recommendation on the evergreens between the windows? My initial thought was an evergreen that grows narrow as oppose to growing very wide...

[pglover19]

Any recommendation on the evergreens between the windows? My initial thought was an evergreen that grows narrow as oppose to growing very wide...

Is the sky pencil holly a good recommendation.....

[sheshovel]

The pic is too dark for me to see it real well. I say the landscaping is not in proportion to the size of the house. Those large shrubs next to the spirals need to go or be transplanted somewhere else. You need vertical elements in this landscape to help it's proportion. Two tall narrow growing evergreen shrubs planted in between the white vents there and out from the foundation about 3' would help.

Remove the low growing shrubs along the base of the foundation and the ones planted all along the front and re-plant them in several mixed groupings here and there. Toss out or group up the other ones as well.
Now add color! Some medium sized flowering shrubs that show color! Not white, yellows, oranges, reds, purples, pinks, blues. I am sure your local nursery can recommend some. Idea is to get away from the row planting idea and group.
To get a real WoW factor happening you will also need to plant summer annual flowers, swaths of petunias, zinnias, foxgloves or whatever annuals grow in your area. Large mixed groupings of mixed color throughout the beds.
Replace those shrubs on the porch with pots of overflowing
annual flower color too.
Create a new bed all along the other side of the walkway to the house and plant it too. Curve it and make it flow.
Plant large shade trees and or flowering garden trees in the lawn to break up the green and accent the brick of the home.

Good luck and have fun. Remember WoW=FLOWERS!

[bbpropmaint]

how about paying someone to design or update your landscape..looks like you can afford a consultation fee from a local firm..or you could do what you did and get free suggestions from people in the business that dont even realize your a homeowner looking for free advice....come on guys dont give these services away to home owners:hammerhead: this is how we make our living,.....maybe fellow landscapers

[pglover19]

The pic is too dark for me to see it real well. I say the landscaping is not in proportion to the size of the house. Those large shrubs next to the spirals need to go or be transplanted somewhere else. You need vertical elements in this landscape to help it's proportion. Two tall narrow growing evergreen shrubs planted in between the white vents there and out from the foundation about 3' would help.

Remove the low growing shrubs along the base of the foundation and the ones planted all along the front and re-plant them in several mixed groupings here and there. Toss out or group up the other ones as well.
Now add color! Some medium sized flowering shrubs that show color! Not white, yellows, oranges, reds, purples, pinks, blues. I am sure your local nursery can recommend some. Idea is to get away from the row planting idea and group.
To get a real WoW factor happening you will also need to plant summer annual flowers, swaths of petunias, zinnias, foxgloves or whatever annuals grow in your area. Large mixed groupings of mixed color throughout the beds.
Replace those shrubs on the porch with pots of overflowing
annual flower color too.
Create a new bed all along the other side of the walkway to the house and plant it too. Curve it and make it flow.
Plant large shade trees and or flowering garden trees in the lawn to break up the green and accent the brick of the home.

Good luck and have fun. Remember WoW=FLOWERS!

Here is more clearer pictures.....

[AllProMow]

how about paying someone to design or update your landscape..looks like you can afford a consultation fee from a local firm..or you could do what you did and get free suggestions from people in the business that dont even realize your a homeowner looking for free advice....come on guys dont give these services away to home owners:hammerhead: this is how we make our living,.....maybe fellow landscapers

Thats kinda what I was thinking. You think if this person was a doctor or lawyer (which may very well be the case), he would be giving away free medical or law advice? Doubt it.

[Primetime-SRQ]

Damn.... It looks great the way it is already.. It has the "WOW" factor already. But maybe like someone already said above, plant some annuals along side of the walkway.

[Lawnamus]

KISS.....Keep It Simple Stupid.....Add a couple more American Hollies in between the 3 garage windows and you have balance and curb appeal all in one. If you want to change the underneath plantings to add more color, then so be it. Also, putting the spirals next to each other is not good. You lose the individuality and specialness of the plant. They belong on the porch as they are as a special show piece, but side by side, not so good. Maybe repeat the Nellie Stevens on each side of the porch and remove the spirals to pots on the porch or patio. If not, then what about planting 2 Savannah Hollies that split the 2 windows on each side of the porch. Maybe move the American Hollies to fill in the garage windo gaps. All in the Holly family. Very durable, but 3 different aspects. Just a thought. Of course you could change it up totally, but using what you have is smart money and smart landscaping. Hope this helps.

[bahamamills]

Are you planting beds irrigated? Keep in mind having only been there three years your plants will soon be jumping. I would look to cover those foundation vents which seem to be very high or are those vents to the garage?

A few pictures from the end of your driveway would be very helpful as we can not get a sense of the curb appeal from the front side walk. I am sure you will get many more ideas with the additional pictures. I think it has already been mentioned as well but one you have the landscaping, planting done you really should include lighting to get the big WOW......

[pglover19]

Are you planting beds irrigated? Keep in mind having only been there three years your plants will soon be jumping. I would look to cover those foundation vents which seem to be very high or are those vents to the garage?

A few pictures from the end of your driveway would be very helpful as we can not get a sense of the curb appeal from the front side walk. I am sure you will get many more ideas with the additional pictures. I think it has already been mentioned as well but one you have the landscaping, planting done you really should include lighting to get the big WOW......

The beds are not irrigated. However, I do have irrigation in the front and back yard. Did it mostly myself.. The front irrigation does water some of the bed next to the house, but the irrigation heads are in the front yard. The three foundation vents for the garage are false vents. You are correct that the vents are high.. Are you suggesting that a shrub needs to cover the vents?

I will post some pictures from the end of the driveway later today. In regards to lighting for the front, I do have six 150watts halogon high voltage lights reflecting off the front of the house. One light between each foundation vent. The lights are approximately 4 feet out from the house. These lights are on a indoor timer. I will post pictures later tonight.