Ok, since I'm new, and since this is the place to get answers, here's my very first situation. NOTE: I just moved into my new husband's existing home and have inherited this, my very FIRST backyard to work with.
The large backyard faces east from the den and contains mostly what I call "greenery". There's lots of grass and a small stand of loosely spaced pine trees in the yard, providing shade on the patio. There is a long flowerbed (not containing flowers) on the south line, and a smaller one on the north against the side of the garage. The concrete patio on the east is presently carpeted with a layer of natural organic mulch (moist leaves that blew against the house and stayed there with soil and decaying plant material). This mulch has accumulated on the concrete and provides a growing medium for some ground cover (vines, ferns, a brilliant purple wandering jew? (it has a little pink flower on it right now) and thick little grey wax? plants).
The patio has an overhang that provides shade, and the mulch stays moist. There are small & medium pots of other plants in various stages of (mostly) neglect under a HUGE elephant ear plant in one corner; there are several medium size fan? palm trees in pots; there is some sort of cascading green plant that grows on long thin stems with little green nettles? that stick you (could be useful if "greened: up). I found about 12 SAGO palms (which, I have since discovered on DG, is NOT really a palm at all) in small pots underneath the huge elephant ear. There is also a fairly large pencil cactus? in a pot in the corner near the elephant ear.
Add to this the additional potted plants I brought with me: two rubber trees, foxtail ferns (which I LOVE); Easter lilies from last year, which have grown beautifully and are about to start doing something! There is a camelia bush in a pot which is covered with brilliant red flowers for the first time!
My mission is to divide, and conquer (repot/replant/reposition) the rampant growth on the patio; green up and nurse the existing, neglected plants back to health; clear off the patio groundcover; go to ORGANIZED, container gardening; and, unbury the lovely concrete patio table and benches and the wrought iron furniture that is hidden by the overgrowth of plantlife that my husband has so lovingly provided for me as a new toy
To date I have purchased the following for patio container gardening (from Sam's Clubs); caladium bulbs, hostas, canna lilies, daylilies and gladiolas; I also have packets of seed for: marigolds, nasturtiums; sunflowers & zinnias. I want to put some geraniums in lovely pots, too!
I'm thinking I would like to plant the hostas along the east perimeter which is the view from the den. The yard drops off on the east into a little bayou/gully and has an unattractive broken stand of indiscriminate trees back there. There needs to be some structure and something pleasant to look at back along that line. Since it is a little distance away, I figured to put the sunflowers there, too, for a splash of brilliant color. I want to put the bulbs in containers that I can place strategically for splashes of color on the patio and in the yard, within the greenery. There's one small flowerbed in the center of the yard around a tree, and I'd like to put something in it. Also, since the picture window from the den looks right onto the patio and yard, I'm thinking either a window box outside on the patio or some stairsteps outside to put plants on to create a view. Needs color out there!
Since I'm new to ALL of this, I NEED ADVICE AND HELP from my new friends at DG!
BACKYARD & PATIO MAKEOVER
I'm not so sure where one should start, but I think I would carefully save a few (if wanted) plants from the mulch on the cement patio then take a high pressure hose to the rest. At least you would then have an area you could work without taking a chance on slipping and falling where it is slippery. Also, it would make the area look much better immediately. After that? I don't know. I do know that your plans sound like you'll have a nice looking place when you get done. Dotti
Wow! Sounds like you have a great project! And congratulations on your marriage!
What dotti says I think is good advice-- clean up the mulch-y patio (save the mulch, you might want it for soil amendment around the yard). And set up your work table!
First--Learn about your plant collections soil/ferilizer requirements and how to make your own potting soil --your range of plants may require different soil/potting mixes to really thrive and may need to be repotted/refreshed/cut back, as you mentioned. (May as well do it right from the beginning.) (Check the Soils Forum, hosta forum, tropicals, etc. --there are some good threads going on the topic.) It is generally cheaper to make your own container planting mix, especially if you are doing a big project and big pots. You will probably want to add some moisture retaining crystals to the mix and slow release fertilizer, too.
It's hot and dry in Houston and remember that you will have to water all of these containers, so you may want to think about some kind of automatic system that you can put together (they have DIY kits at Home Depot/Lowes).
Generally, for easy maintenance garden design, they suggest putting plants with like growing/soil requirements together-- shade lovers with shade lovers, acid soil lovers together, etc., so I wonder if your Giant Sunflowers will be happy with the hostas in an eastern (sunny?) exposure. Generally hostas will take more shade. The opposite for sunflowers. There are books in the library on classic flower combinations and books about Texas gardening that will point you to some good pairings. You can buy them used on Amazon. Very cheap that way.
Get the DIY soil test kits or contact your Extension for soil tests for your garden soil. If you need to amend your garden soil, you can purchase bulk soil amendments from the landscape supply. If you don't need that much and you are on a tight budget, many scout Lowes/HDepot for broken bag pallet sales (on Tuesday mornings, I've heard).
For big containers at good prices I scout Big Lots and the Dollar Stores and various 'bargain bins'. You may have some good outlets for Mexican pottery, too. Remember, if you are going to move them around the garden, try to keep them light weight. Some people put those plastic packing pellets in the bottom as light weight filler--check on the best kind of filler (rocks will make it too heavy).
Mmmm...let's see...what else? I can't advise you much on your annual seed sowing. To me it sounds like a lot of fuss and you may be better off just picking up marigolds and the like from the big box stores on spring sales. The cannas will grow in a sunny spot but may take a year to bloom. Your daylilies roots (I suppose) can go in a sunny location for filler--again may take a year or two for color.
One approach to your project would be to select a couple of kinds of plants you want to focus on and feature. Edit out the others-- pot them up in plastic and take them to the Texas RUs (check the Texas Gardening thread and the RU thread for news of these) and trade for plants that follow your theme or introduce needed color. Going to the RUs is a good way to meet area gardeners who can share knowledge/advice/plants, too.
Well, that's all for now. I'm sure others will have lots more to add. Good luck. t.