I've always loved flowers, trees, bushes. Mostly, I just buy lots of stuff and then can't figure out what to do with it! This year I was bitten hard by the daylily bug.
I need help deciding, with a plan, what to do with my yard! It has to be child/animal friendly. I tend to like a slightly formal cottage look with stones and a few statues, that looks inviting and peaceful.
Can someone please point me in a direction? I've had several landscape companies come look and give estimates, I like some of their ideas, but want to keep the flowers I already have (I'm willing to move them to new beds). I'm also open to paying someone (fellow flower lover) to come look at what I have and give me suggestions. I know it's late in the year for this!
Any suggestions would be appreciated!!
Thank you!
Annie
STUCK!
Annie do you have some pictures of what you have already?
How big is the lot..... etc....
Ric
Annie, Ric and Robyn always have GREAT ideas! You should see what they've done with their place :)
Lana
This is a corner of my back yard - love the green hills in the back ground, but it flows into nothing! I have access of loads of barn stone (the huge rectangular ones) and was thinking about using it somehow. I love rocks! It's windy on our hill too. I also have a couple dogs who like to walk the back yard with me. I was also thinking of flag stones that lead to other flower beds that will have some interest in the winter.
Where do I find Rick & Robyn's blog or site? I know it's getting late in the year but thought if I could get some stone done in the area before it turns to muck and mud it would give me the winter to develope a plan as to what would look best in there.
THANK you!!!
Annie
Ah a virgin lawn... and free stone......
First thing you want to do is steal that view behind you.
Short hedges along the fence would make that woods appear to be part of your garden.
If you have free stones and strong backs that slope is made for terracing.
We don't have a site but do have a bunch of snaps from our yard.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnranimals/collections/72157622151509479/
Our tastes are somewhat.... ah eclectic..... lol!
If you'd like I can DMail you w/ other links to photos from tours we take around here.
The more shots you see the better you can refine your style.
Once you know what you are looking to do...... the rest is fairly simple.
But be advised though.... your style/tastes will change w/ time.
So don't lock the bones of your yard into something that can't evolve over time.
Ric
Your yard looks like the perfect place to throw a great summer party! I'd really appreciate some links from tours you've taken, thanks!!
Yes, that corner of the yard is bare and virgin. Along the back part of the house are flower beds, one in the for right corner and one smack dab in the middle - it all needs to be connected in some way, flag stone walk ways? Right now it looks like chunks of poorly thought out flower beds, which is correct! The front of the house is nicely landscaped as are the sides, but I don't spend much time there as our view and patio area is in the back. I did plant about 100 daylilies in the front of the house and on the side (a side that we never see, what was I thinking??). The back yard where we spend our time needs a major over haul! Here is a picture, taken early in the spring before all the cone flowers are up, this "bed" is right in the middle and close to the patio because we like to watch the birds, you can see just behind it to the right the bed in the corner. Nothing connects, there is no flow.
Island Beds connected by grass paths?
IF you don't mind mowing.
I have a link to one of the best I've ever seen.
Joyce, Sue and Bertie have been there w/ us.
These are more 'Plant' shots than design but......
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnranimals/sets/72057594139730531/
I know I have a better set here somewhere. I'll look around.
BTW If you have about $250,000 to spent here's a nice option.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnranimals/sets/72157606474229588/
LOL!
Ric
Exactly what is an island bed? We have a lawn co that does the mowing for us so it would only be a problem for them LOL, but I don't want to make their job more difficult. Love the plants and garden decoration in the first pictures!! Oh, great, thanks for the 250k pictures wiht the pond/waterfall, that's the one I want!!!!! That is gorgeous!! I forgot to mention that I have two dogs, well behaved and inside dogs, but they love to walk the yard with me. One of them eats everything and anything so I have to be careful what is planted (poison). SO many decisions!!!!!! Thanks for the suggestions & pictures!
An island bed is just that. A bed surrounded by a path visible on all sides.
And you have one in that shot you posted.
Remember though that this or these beds, unlike your front yard usually, have to have appeal from all sides.
At Claire and Charles the paths are grass. Ranging from about 4' wide to 12' or so.
They are on about an acre and have mature trees. But they didn't have them when they started.
No edging material but small creeping plants. So mowing isn't an issue.
BUT w/ your set up and availability of dressed stone.... I'd definitely do rock wall raised terraces too.
.
Look also into the 'Rooms' concept.
Setting up small (or large) spaces w/ a specific look or function but hidden from immediate view.
Make your visitors or you for that matter work for a look.
For that you will need some height to block the view.
We have only 1/8 acre of basically flat ground but w/ plantings, fences, moveable panels, doors and gates in most places you can't see 25'.
If you can you can't see what's hidden there.
In this shot here, and I HAVE to get these shots in my tour album, you would never know you are looking at 4 different rooms.
You might have a teasing glimpse but
Just visible on the left of the first shot.
The veggie garden
Middle left
MIddle right.
Not a great shot but and outdoor den/setting area
Add right.
An outdoor dining room
All of this pretty much hidden by this simple planting and the hedge around the pool.
I shot the first shot at about where those women are standing in the background.
LARGE scale place for sure but it works w/ any size yard.
Annie, you should try to do some tours in the Spring and Summer next year. You get so many ideas from other people!
Where is Dover and how huge is huge barn stone? You and I might have to do some trading!!!!!
I was thinking the same thing Joyce.....lol!
Dover is just south of Canton by about 25 miles.
My BIL, your neighbor, hails from there.
Now if I just knew where Canton was, I'd be in great shape!
LOL! Below Cleveland which is below that big lake up north.
Oooohhhhh gotcha!
Your very first shot nailed EXACTLY what I had in mind!!! It's very natural, easy, relaxing and inviting to walk through and it looks like nothing would be ruined if one of the dogs, or kids, got off the path LOL. THAT is exactly what I had in mind but until now had no picture to explain it! Perfect! I can move that lone tree in the corner and replace it with a larger one and put the smaller tree elsewhere in the yard. I love the rounded rocks used too.
The barn stone I have, not sure of the size but they are rectangular, large & long enough for two people easily to sit on. They would make a nice bench to for stopping places along a garden walk through the yard. I have another landscape company giving me an estimate on using some in the far corner of the yard - it's very expensive to thave those suckers moved from our business to our home!
If you look at the pic of the corner of the yard with the lone tree - I was thinking of using the stone from about the 5th fence pole on each side of the tree (does that make sense?) to the other 5th pole, and in the middle of the wall digging a footing so one stone is like a step into the area, and then fill the area with......? There are a lot of areas here where I can go "rocking" just drive around and look for some, ask the farmer/land owner how much they want for them and load up.
After I see how much of the barn stone I need I'd be happy to trade/give some, but don't know how you'll get them home LOL! I'll try to get out today to take more pictures of the entire yard. Thanks so much for your pictures and suggestions!!
You are very welcome.
I thought that was what you were going for.
Here's my Friend John Demetriou's Hosta Garden.
While you obviously can't match the mature trees he has this may gove you some more ideas.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnranimals/sets/72157606152617327/
Ric
Oh Annie, that would be cool!
Ric:
I'm just north of Canton, were is this beautiful hosta garden....?
I've loved all the tours, what incredible gardens you have been to and thanks for sharing them with us.
Janet
(collies rule,LOL)
All of the gardens in the tour shots are in the Cincinnati area.
I took some of the ORVG ladies over to John's during this year's tour.
They were made right at home. It's John's speciality.
He is definitely a character and the president of the Hosta Society here.
His wife Brenda is a nationally known and recognized Birdhouse designer and decorator.
They've been in Country Living and twice in Better Homes and Gardens.
How cool is that. There place certainly is inviting. Maybe next time on the way back to Kentucky I'll have to plan a side trip there...LOL
Janet
Let me know Janet.
We're usually around.
I'll be sure to let you know about the tours this coming Spring
That would be my DREAM garden and yard!! I love every single detail, all the birdhouses, and surprises tucked in every corner. Wow! I keep looking at the pictures again and again and again! I've never given much thought to hostas, it looks like they need more shade than I have here. It's full sun and windy. I love the hostas and how everything seems so natural and blends together!! This is exactly what I was trying to envision! I really need to go on some garden tours this spring. Do they have a web site for their birdhouses?? I love them! There is something hidden and wonderful in each picture!!!Thank you SO much for sharing the pictures!! This will keep me going through out the ugly winter LOL! I need to find a google earth picture of my back yard and take more pictures to better plan this. What fun! Is there a place on line to find garden tours? I'd like to try to find some in this immediate area, I think we're a bit colder here than in Cincinnati. By the zone maps I never could tell exactly what area I'm in, it seems to be right on the line. My DH never gets too excited about the yard, just smiles and says for me to do whatever, but even he thought this was GREAT!!! Can you tell I'm excited :-)
Well I know you aren't exactly Cleveland but here's a tour you missed this Summer.
http://www.ohiocitygardeners.com/gardentours.html
Here in SW Ohio there are tours that are almost like an underground network.
Sure there are the big organized ones but it seems, at least on some level, that the 'private' ones are organized to include just the real gardeners not the sightseers.
These give you the glimpses into secret gardens.
Plus at each one you sign up and get info on the next 'tour'.
It's kind of a circuit.
You are about equidistant from Cleveland, Columbus and Pittsburgh.
Google each town and "garden groups" "garden society" "garden tour" etc....
Maybe check the arboretums in these towns too.
Here's links to more of our collections from tours.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnranimals/collections/72157619640663888/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnranimals/collections/72157606405344822/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnranimals/collections/72157601075871440/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnranimals/collections/72157606261394656/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnranimals/collections/72157603275194973/
This should fuel your fire LOL!
Haha, for the first time ever, my insomnia will come in handy! You KNOW I'll be on line forever now looking at these pictures & sites and trying to get ideas, this is GREAT, thank you so much!!! It's raining today, as soon as it stops I'll try to get some pictures of my back yard. It's so bare, there is a lot to work with. I'm amazed at the beautiful gardens and the creativity and talent you gardners have. Thank you, thank you!!!
I never did ask. How much property do you have?
We live on 2 acres. Right now I'm most interested in doing the fenced in back yard area since we spend so much time out there. We live on a hill top so the rest of the property is on a steep slope. I'm so excited that you shared the pictures! I now have a winter project to keep my busy! I'm trying to arrange to have some rock brought in now so I can work on beds even when the ground is frozen - pretty soon it will be too muddy for trucks to be in the yard.
Glad to be of help!
Keep us posted.
Ric
oh my Ric, well now there goes my weekend....LOL
Janet
They're coming to do the landscaping & flower beds and plant three trees tomorrow! We've had so much rain I doubt we can get a truck into the back yard for a while for the stones, might have to wait until the ground is frozen. I'll take picture's when they're finished, I'm SO excited!! Henryr10 I keep going back and looking at the pictures on the links you posted, thank you so much!!!
Annie
Annie you're Welcome!
Hope the can get into the place!
Ric