Foundation planting ideas?

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Terry Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a) Nov 12, 2001

I live in a neighborhood that's about 25-30 years old. Our one-story brick home is a traditional ranch-style home. We have a fairly traditional planting of shrubs along the front of the house, which were planted too close, without consideration for their ultimate height and width :(

So now we have nandinas that block the light and view into the living/dining room; yews that are overgrown and woody; and azaleas that are "polka-dotted" among the yews. Two more yews flank the front sidewalk, and even when trimmed back, create an unspoken barrier to those who approach the house - NO ONE walks down the front sidewalk except us.

We're planning to rip out everything in the spring, and I'm envisioning a more updated, inviting look for guests, as I'd really like to encourage people to use the front door instead of coming around to the back.

My thoughts are to plant oakleaf hydrangeas on the corners of the house and in between the two windows (total of three); each shrub surrounded by a low clipped semi-circle hedge (15-18" high) of Ilex 'Compacta'. In between these "swoops" of shrubs, create banks of azaleas (I'll probably rescue the existing azaleas, and add more as needed.) Hostas in front (the bed is about 7' deep), interplanted with impatiens or some other shade-loving plants for summer color.

I'd also like to plant a Japanese maple near the front porch, to really set it off, but I don't want the scheme to get too busy, and I don't want to repeat the mistakes of the past, and wind up with an overgrown mess of my own in 10 years.

Any other ideas?

Other important facts: the house faces southeast and is mostly shaded thanks to three large oak trees in the front yard. The first bed (before you reach the porch) is about 40' long; the bed on the far side of the porch is about 20' long. I have photos of the current plantings, which I'll post here as soon as I get them developed :)

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