Making the New Landscape Pretty

We’ve covered the landscape plan, the hardscaping, planted the lawn - where are we at now? Oh yes, the fun stuff - adding trees, shrubs and perennials to make the new landscape pretty! This was definitely the fun part, but it was also challenging too. So many different areas, so many different environmental considerations, so many different plants to choose from!

I’ve always been able to easily visualize the potential of a space, however, with the abundance of garden spaces requiring attention, I thought it best to use some visual aids. With my trusty digital camera in hand I did a walk-about and took pictures of each area. Along with the photos of the individual areas, I put together pictures and lists of what I felt would be suitable plants, shrubs, and trees for in each area. These photo collages worked as a general guide for me and they also gave the owners an idea of the direction in which I was thinking of going.

Garden Photos & Plant Ideas

This is the half of the berm that needed the most attention.

The other half, that runs along the side of the garage, was filled with three mature spruce trees and really only needed some type of ground cover and possibly some perennial ferns.

Perhaps the most under-developed area with the largest potential was around the pool. I envisioned a sort of oasis framed by tall ornamental grasses.

The new hardscaping along the edge of the front left garden area added considerable depth, but the plants and shrubs left in their original spots were crowded in the back half of the space. As well, all of those existing shrubs were deciduous and the majority of them were the same shape and height. This area really needed variety - different textures, colors, and heights to add visual interest.

A small bed was added to the right of the front door. I wanted to add a lower layer in front of the burning bush.

This bed at the north-west front of the house has been like a blank canvas for the past two summers. The only items to be found in it - a bit of English Ivy growing at opposite ends and a Spirea shrub that was plopped in temporarily by the landscaping company to get it out of the way.

Over the past two years the garden along the west side of the house has served mainly as a holding place for displaced shrubs. A little order was in order.

Another garden bed was created at the back of the new patio - a small section in front of the landscaping stone, level with the patio, and a larger bed below, on the other side of the landscaping stone.

The back porch area remained the most dense of all the different garden spaces at the farm. Even with the number of shrubs that had already been relocated to the holding garden on the west side, It was still overflowing with deciduous shrubs. A few more of those deciduous shrubs needed to be removed and evergreen shrubs planted in their places.

For the steps at the back porch I wanted to start with some lower herbs, perennials and evergreens that graduated in height as they reached the fuller, larger gardens on each side.

After going from the berm(s) to the pool, to the house, then working all the way around, we come to the final garden - the east side. It’s been a haven for divided clumps of hosta and volunteer columbines from my own garden. Time for an identity of its own.

So, how did the finished gardens turn out? Do they resemble the original plans? Did I use all or any of the plants shown in these photo collage guides? You’ll find out when I do - it’s almost done!