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Charlenenj
 Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 03, 2007 - 09:18 am EST : |   
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Hi everyone. Those who know my "gardens" may remember that I have a small piece of property and b/c of its shape, I basically have only the edges of the house to garden against. (Otherwise, access is blocked to the side and back of the house.) So a lot of my gardening:
(1) is vertical (lots of clems); and
(2) involves cleaning up or hiding unsightly house "stuff" since these things are the backdrop of my "gardens". For example, I built a fence (see below) around my air conditioning unit which I'm still painting. (And didn't construct that great so it will be covered with vines, which seem to do fine even when the air is on):
The area above is a critical gardening area in the backyard (it gets some sun). I just moved the Beni Maiko Japanese maple to the area, with the Hakone Grass you see.
I want this area to look nice but the basement window behind it and the cement are a terrible backdrop for this area. And I'm not sure what to do with whatever evergreen bush is sitting there (it was there when I moved in -- I pruned the lower branches of it but otherwise left it be). Should I get rid of the evergreen bush and then hide the rusty basement window with one or 2 huge hostas like Sum and Substance? (I don't care if I can see out the window when I'm inside the house - this is storage in a lit room). If I get rid of the evergreen bush, should I put a different conifer behind it? The outer edge of the area is partly sunny but the inner part is pretty shady. In addition to plants to hide the rusty old windy, should I put something non-plant there? I stuck some piece of green iron work I found at an old store in that spot but it's not big enough, and also doesn't hide the icky window behind it.
Thanks!!
Charlenenj
- New Jersey,
Zone "6b"
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Charlenenj
Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 03, 2007 - 09:47 am EST : |
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PS - I should add here that the plants to the left of the evergreen are Kirengeshoma Palmata. And that I have a variety of shade lovers I can always bring to this area if you think they would be good, such as: 
My painted fern looked lost here, however. I really want this area to look clean, simple and pretty. Thanks.
Charlenenj
- New Jersey,
Zone "6b"
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Flowerfreak
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 06:34 am EST : |
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Hi Charlene 
Have you done any work to this area since you posted this???? I've seen how quickly you work, lol!
How much room is actually there? It looks like the fence around the a/c unit is maybe 6' long or so?? What about from the edge of that out towards the left?
It looks like the maple is trying to hide the evergreen. Did you just move it there for now since you were going to decide on the evergreen later? It does look like it was just sort of stuck in the ground there, doesn't it?!
(Idea 1) What if you took out the evergreen & put the maple a little more towards the middle/back of that area as a focal point with enough room for the hostas behind it (without looking like everything is on top of each other), or the Hakone Grass in the back & smaller hostas or grasses in front? Is there not enough sun for the Hakone towards the back?
(Idea 2) I think a taller conifer in the corner by the window with smaller plants & maybe something "non-plant" mixed in with them would look good. I think there is a way you could arrange the plants so you could get the "non-plant" structure to be a focal point, drawing the eye away from the basement window...but I can't tell you how to do it--that is where I lack landscape design. (I tend to be more of a "trial & error" type of person!)
Either way, I think I would move the maple back and to the right a little & work around the maple. I find once I start with the largest plant & work around it, my ideas/plant selections tend to come together more easily.
I hope you followed this ok. If not, let me know & I will try to find time to come up with a drawing of what I am trying to say 
Flowerfreak
- Ky,
Zone "6a"
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Charlenenj
Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 07:20 am EST : |
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Hi. So glad to get input here. Thanks. The area in question is pretty small. Here it is again:
The right side branches of the maple are only 18 inches from the fence, so I thought I should leave some room to grow. Unless someone points to some value of the evergreen behind it, I was just going to remove it. Then, I would just have the Maple, and 3 hakone grasses, and perhaps add one pretty rock. I would then edge the outside of the bed with rocks like these:
But that still leaves me with a backdrop that consists of about 3 feet of ugly cement and a rusty window. I could try to build some sort of 3 foot wall with flat rocks but not sure how that would work. Or I could add some conifers but that would get kind of busy in there, no?
Charlenenj
- New Jersey,
Zone "6b"
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Lovinlife
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 08:09 am EST : |
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I think I would paint the cement the same color as the house, and put a piece of the same kind of trellis over the basement window and paint it the same color also. That would neutralize the backdrop. With your Maple tree and Hakone Grass drawing the eye forward, I don't think the backdrop would get much attention at all. I do think I'd remove the evergreen shrub in order to make the maple tree more prominent.
After you get everyones' advice now, Charlene, you have to post a photo and let us know what happens. I think you've made an excellent start.
Lovinlife
- Utah,
Zone "5"
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Charlenenj
Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 08:33 am EST : |
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PS - if I did a wall, it would be something like this but not sure if it would look weird agains t the house:
It would not have plants on it b/c the wall would be underneath the "overhang" and would be shielded from the sun and rain.
Charlenenj
- New Jersey,
Zone "6b"
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Flowerfreak
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 09:56 am EST : |
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The maple is closer to the fence than I thought.
I think so too.
I like that idea also.
Flowerfreak
- Ky,
Zone "6a"
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Heirloomgardens
My Garden Journal
My Garden
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 02:10 pm EST : |
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If it were mine, I might consider painting the green ironwork the same color as the house or the same as some of the lighter stones against the wall. It would match the house, be lighter, and I think draw more attention to itself (I think it's lovely) rather than the window. I'd definitely remove the evergreen so I could see the JM.
Heirloomgardens
- Massachusetts,
Zone "5b"
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Charlenenj
Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 02:58 pm EST : |
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Oh my gosh. Thank you for photoshopping this. It gives such a better idea. Today I hit the nursery and discovered that a 2 1/2 stone wall that is built with those flat, slate type rocks would run me almost $500. Ouch. Back to the drawing board. I did rip out the evergreen and moved the Japanese ferns elsewhere, but it's dark here (rain finally!) so the pic isn't great:
Yes, those are 3 Rheingold Arborvitae you see. My neighbor who came with me suggested I try them to cover the view of the cement foundation (and provide a conifer backdrop to the Maple). I can return them (they are still in their containers). I'm not sure they can work, especially when you see them here from the side:
Yikes. That is scary (and the unpainted fence make the whole area look awful). I weep!!!
Ugh. I don't know what to do. Some sort of brick/stone face that gets stuck right onto the foundation, and would that be hard to do? Plant tall arborvitae and call it a day? I just don't have an eye for this kind of thing. I want so badly for this area to look simple and pretty. Help!!!
Charlenenj
- New Jersey,
Zone "6b"
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Lovinlife
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 04:01 pm EST : |
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Charlene, I agree with what DJ said about painting the grill on the window. One trick used frequently in decorating most anything is to try and create a direction for the eye by putting something of interest where you want people to look. If the house, cement foundation, grillwork, and lattice are all the same color, the eye will not focus on them. You could put some vibrantly-colored perennials or annuals with the grasses, and I'd be willing to bet that no one would even notice the window covering. Instead, they will see your beautiful tree, clematis, and whatever else you have there. (BTW, I don't think it's ugly as it is.)
Lovinlife
- Utah,
Zone "5"
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Charlenenj
Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 04:14 pm EST : |
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Darn. The "grill" on the window is actually just a piece of ironwork from my house I stuck in front of the window to see if it fit (it doesn't -- the iron piece is smaller than the window). But I can make that whole area the same color, as you and DJ suggest, by painting it beige (the color of the house) or doing something like attaching faux panels against the cement, which could even carry over across the window to block it (I don't use it). Have never seen the panels in real life. Here are examples from the internet:
http://www.fauxpanels.com/faux-wood-panels/wood-styles.php
http://www.fauxpanels.com/faux-stone-panels/stone-tan-detail.php
Charlenenj
- New Jersey,
Zone "6b"
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Lovinlife
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 09:08 am EST : |
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I wonder if Home Depot or Lowe's might have something similar. That would be a good way to check it out before buying it.
Lovinlife
- Utah,
Zone "5"
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Flowerfreak
| | Posted on Friday, October 12, 2007 - 12:14 pm EST : |
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Charlene, have you decided whether or not to keep the arborvitae? Just curious. Here's why:
Tuesday afternoon, I had drawn up 3 different photos w/ 3 different options for your area there. In one of my photos I had drawn in 3 shrubs also (I just had them spaced a little different, but basically the exact same as your photo!) I didn't ever post them because I couldn't get the file to convert to a jpg or bmp so I could post. I got mad & finally gave up 
Flowerfreak
- Ky,
Zone "6a"
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Charlenenj
Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, October 12, 2007 - 12:49 pm EST : |
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Hi. Well you are very sweet to do all that to help me. 
I might use the little arborvitae elsewhere - I think they might not be the best thing for this area. I'm thinking I only need a simple line of neat greenery in front of the exposed foundation, the foliage of which will "blouse" back towards the foundation (a conifer won't do that) because I can't plant anything real close to the foundation (I have an overhang that prevents rain from getting to plants close to house). A plant with foliage that's neat, yet spreading Maybe planting 3 Spirea Goldmounds and let them spread so their foliage comes close to touching the foundation:
http://www.raveplants.com/images/available/spiraea_goldmound.jpg
Then, I would ring the maple with the 3 grasses, and mulch the area. Maybe add one cute Japanese lantern thingey. I will put a few yellow tulip bulbs in there (Purissima) which might look nice against the bright red of the maple when it leafs up. Maybe add a summer annual after the tulips aren't in bloom. The Spirea is not going to look bright at all in this shady spot but my Mom grows it in shade and I've always liked the medium green color of it, plus that foliage appears so early in Spring.
I got samples in the mail of those false panels (they sent them quickly!) and they won't be any good. They are styrofoam like, and the sides of them will clearly look like white styrofoam when you enter the backyard. Thanks for checking in on me! I'm always looking for ideas.
Charlenenj
- New Jersey,
Zone "6b"
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Flowerfreak
| | Posted on Friday, October 12, 2007 - 01:15 pm EST : |
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CREEPY!!!! Those are EXACTLY the shrubs I had in mind when I was drawing in on your photo!!! I wish I could show you the drawing I did- You'd be able to tell those are what I was thinking of by the bright green color. I helped a friend with his landscaping a few years ago & we put 3 of those in. I just planted one for myself about a month ago :)
Flowerfreak
- Ky,
Zone "6a"
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Gardenbug
| | Posted on Friday, October 12, 2007 - 01:48 pm EST : |
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3 Spirea Goldmounds: Those are exactly what I removed when I moved here. Seven of them which got huge, reseeded and rooted all over. Not my favorite. My DD inherited about 5-8 of them when she bought her new home, and she is in the process of removing them too.
I'd keep looking. But maybe you love yellow and pink together? Maybe this is mostly a question of personal taste and I should not be so blunt. 
I'm enjoying following along once again on your fun transformation!
Gardenbug
- Ontario,
Zone "4/5"
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Flowerfreak
| | Posted on Friday, October 12, 2007 - 02:02 pm EST : |
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haha...this is the 2nd thing your DD is removing from her home that I either thought about buying or have already gotten recently. Too bad she doesn't live close by, I could just stop by her house on trash pick up day, lol!
If you weren't so blunt, we might not know the things you didn't tell us until it is too late (such as, I did not know they can get huge and I did not know they reseed, yikes!) I like it when people just say what they think. In case you haven't noticed, I do it all of the time, lol.
Me too. The last one was really fun. I didn't participate, but did follow along :)
Flowerfreak
- Ky,
Zone "6a"
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Charlenenj
Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, October 12, 2007 - 02:34 pm EST : |
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Wow. I can't believe the Goldmounds reseeded. I have 2 elsewhere on my property and they've always been so well behaved. Darned. It seemed like they were the perfect answer! At this point, I just want something green that will hide the foundation, (sit about 3 feet high) and look neat and not detract from the maple and grasses. Marie - what would you recommend for that? As for conifers and boxwood...I was hoping to use something "fluffier" to soften the background. Here's the setting now:
As for pink and yellow -- do you mean the flowers of the spirea? I thought the spirea won't flower until after the tulips are done blooming. Or... you may be referring to Spring color of the Beni Maiko against the yellow tulips? I have not seen Beni's spring color - would that clash with the yellow tulips? Remember how awfully my pink Rhodies clashed with my Red Maple this past Spring?? LOL!!:
I don't know what's funnier -- my putting the red maple in front of the bubble gum pink Rhods or sticking the green maple in the middle of the border. LOL. Good times. (In retrospect that is!!)
Charlenenj
- New Jersey,
Zone "6b"
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Heirloomgardens
My Garden Journal
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, October 12, 2007 - 03:18 pm EST : | |
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