OT: Looking for gardening and/or landscape advice

[carb850]

Next year, I really hope to start working some on our yard. I have some terraces behind my house which is a real PITA to mow. So I looking to do something to change this. I'm going to go one of two ways with this, I haven't decided which.

Method 1:
Easy maintenace. We stay busy and having a low mantinance landscape is very appealing. Having to cut back or prune a few times a year is tolerable.

Method 2:
This is likely a 180 from method 1. But keeping low maintance as possible, try to plant things that produce food. Not a full scale garden or anything. But perhaps apple trees, berry bushes, or even greens or other eatables.

 

[brian@sen]

Lana is a member of a site called Daves Garden and we get all kinds of help and info from them and their forums. If you want to check it out it's www.davesgarden.com.

 

[LtPiper]

I find concrete and astroturf are good...


Seriously. Food production. Berry and Fruit trees are gonna be a while before you see much of anything. I'd maybe do a few but lean toward other food production.

 

[coralreefer]

Full sun, part sun, shade? Like corals different plants have different light requirements.

For method one are you thinking flowers, trees, bushes, groundcover or a little of everything?
With the right mix of perennials and/or ground cover weeding is going you major maintainence work...don't ask how many I've pulled this year

Hostas, astilbe, ferns are good for shaded to partly sunny areas. Daylilies, coneflowers, shasta dasies and black eyed susans work well for sun to part shade.
I have quite a few named daylilies that need a serious dividing. They're a full to part sun perennial. Depending on what we transplant next year at the big house I may have extra black eyed susans and shastas. Be forewarned though Jim asked for some flowers to landscape his pool last year and ended up with a 4-Runner loaded from front to tailgate with plants.

Method 2:
This is likely a 180 from method 1. But keeping low maintance as possible, try to plant things that produce food. Not a full scale garden or anything. But perhaps apple trees, berry bushes, or even greens or other eatables.

If you go this route I should have some thornless blackberry starts next spring. Low maintainence...just cut the canes once a year. With greens if you're talking about lettuce, spinach etc. remember they're cool weather plants and won't grow in the heat of the summer. You could do some herbs too like basil, oregano, chives etc. too. Basil is an annual but the rest are perennials.

Posting a picture of the area would help too.

I find concrete and astroturf are good...


Seriously. Food production. Berry and Fruit trees are gonna be a while before you see much of anything. I'd maybe do a few but lean toward other food production.

:lol: Not much of a yard man Chuck?
With the blackberry bushes I got a decent yield the second year but for apple trees and the like you're right.

 

[carb850]

This pic is a couple years old but it gives a general lay of the land. The upper terrace is an eye sore and a pain to keep mowed. My #1 priority is converting the upper terrace so it will never need mowed again. We originally planned some small trees mixed with some shrubs. I still like that idea but I recently subcribed to a blog that talks a lot about homesteading. So that got me thinking about having plant life that produces a little food. I know it can take a few years for fruit and nut trees to produce which isn't an issue for me. Between the trees and shrubs I'd like to do some ground cover. Mulch is the cheapest and easiest, but I hate the thought of replenishing it every year. So I considered lava rock, gravel, or rubber mulch. If I do use some of the non-organic type cover, I want to keep it earth tones.

Any headaches that accomponing fruit trees and berry bushes? I figure I will see an increase of bee's in the yard. Snakes? Anything else to consider? What about keeping birds from the berries? My wife's grandmother has a large blueberry bush but she has built a mesh fence around it to keep out all wildlife. She lives in the country and it looks fine, but in our little back yard I would prefer to make it look as pleasing as I could.

On the lower terrace I thought a small square foot garden might be nice, but I'm not nearly as concerned about that area. That is more for the long term plan. First and foremost is the upper.

Oh, and thanks for the link. I have checked it out already and will continue to do so. Just looking for any suggestions.

BTW, going cement and gravel isn't totally out of the picture

 

[LtPiper]

I recently subcribed to a blog that talks a lot about homesteading.

Which one?

As far as that lay out yeah upper level is interesting there. Along that back side fence would be good blackberry bush locations. A fruit tree would be good upper center I'd think. Ground cover... Hmm strawberry plants? Along the left side in those terrace like things against the wall melon plants maybe potatoes.


The lower level would most certainly be a garden. Along the lower sloped area I'd have vine plants that could come down and hang over the wall like squash, cukes and what not. flatter area would be your bush type plants.

I'd certainly though go toward the garden for food route though.

Be forewarned though Jim asked for some flowers to landscape his pool last year and ended up with a 4-Runner loaded from front to tailgate with plants.

Might have to have you and the other half talk.

If you go this route I should have some thornless blackberry starts next spring. Low maintainence...just cut the canes once a year.

I have the perfect spot for those if I can get somebody to move their plants....

:lol: Not much of a yard man Chuck?

As long as it involves a lawn mower I'm not! Much prefer a garden I can just let it go and not even worry bout weeding... like my aerogarden and potted garden on the porch :bounce3:

 

[carb850]

Which one?

PM sent

As far as that lay out yeah upper level is interesting there. Along that back side fence would be good blackberry bush locations. A fruit tree would be good upper center I'd think. Ground cover... Hmm strawberry plants? Along the left side in those terrace like things against the wall melon plants maybe potatoes.

Most usually when I have seen blackberry bushes they have been along the edge of a thicket. Do they do well as stand alone bushes? Im' trying to keep a neat and orderly backyard so if I did something like blackberries there would just be a few shrubs spaced 4'+ apart.

I need ground cover in certain areas, but I think I want to keep this upper terrace with something I can walk up on easily so I can get up to the tree's shrubs for pruning and the like. That is why I was thinkign something like gravel or lava rock.

This morning I was thinking if I do a tree, it will have to be a dwarf. First off I was thinking a 10-12 foot tree would work but now I fear that could play havoc on my retaining wall. Would a 4'-6' tree likely be safe in that small area?

The lower level would most certainly be a garden. Along the lower sloped area I'd have vine plants that could come down and hang over the wall like squash, cukes and what not. flatter area would be your bush type plants.

I'd certainly though go toward the garden for food route though.

If I did a garden, it would be one of the square foot raised gardens on that lower terrace. Producing a little would be nice, but I'm trying to stay small enough to easily manage and look clean.

 

[coralreefer]

Most usually when I have seen blackberry bushes they have been along the edge of a thicket. Do they do well as stand alone bushes? Im' trying to keep a neat and orderly backyard so if I did something like blackberries there would just be a few shrubs spaced 4'+ apart.

Mike blackberries...at least this type aren't really bushes. They grow as long arching canes. The chain link fence would give you a good place to "cane them up". Then provide some support in the front. I tried to take a pic of ours to give you an idea but the camera batteries are dead. Mine's not fancy but its in a hidden area 3-4' spacing is about right.

I need ground cover in certain areas, but I think I want to keep this upper terrace with something I can walk up on easily so I can get up to the tree's shrubs for pruning and the like. That is why I was thinkign something like gravel or lava rock.

To a plant person ground cover is a low growing plant that "covers the ground" not the material you put around your plants. :rollface:

This morning I was thinking if I do a tree, it will have to be a dwarf. First off I was thinking a 10-12 foot tree would work but now I fear that could play havoc on my retaining wall. Would a 4'-6' tree likely be safe in that small area?

Off hand I can't really think of any tree that would stay that small. Maybe some type of weeping cherry...they're only ornamental but pretty trees.
Maybe pick some type of dwarf tree you like and ask at davesgarden how invasive the root system is. Height isn't going to matter as much as root spread. Another good forum is gardenweb

What do you have going on to the left of the stairs? Looks like some rock and a few low growing junipers maybe? Think about planting creeping phlox in there next spring. Low maintainence and a pretty pop in the spring.

 

[coralreefer]

Might have to have you and the other half talk.

Sure thing.
When we do get around to thinning things down anybody here that wants some plants, especially day lilies, are welcome to them. These at the time were "rare" and "LE" plants.

I have the perfect spot for those if I can get somebody to move their plants....

Remind me in the spring...if you can get "somebody" to move their plants. :lol:
I know I'll have some and the neighbor I got mine from will have some too.

 

[carb850]

Mike blackberries...at least this type aren't really bushes. They grow as long arching canes. The chain link fence would give you a good place to "cane them up". Then provide some support in the front. I tried to take a pic of ours to give you an idea but the camera batteries are dead. Mine's not fancy but its in a hidden area 3-4' spacing is about right.

I'd like to keep clearance between anything I plan and the fence. The fence above the stone wall is the backyard of a neighbor that has an immaculately manicured yard. They crap themselves if I had anything growing up the fence.

The one on the far side as you can see already has a lot of brush on the other side. That neighbor is very old and refuses to let anyone clear the fence line on her side. I was reaching over this summer clipping the poison oak. I really need to keep my side of the fence clear just so I can keep control of anything that she doesn't control. With that being said, I think a true bush would better fit what I have pictured.

To a plant person ground cover is a low growing plant that "covers the ground" not the material you put around your plants. :rollface:

In my defense at one point I did put 'non organic' cover LOL. However, I completely see the confusion as I refer to ground cover as in the low growing plants for my front yard needs.

Off hand I can't really think of any tree that would stay that small. Maybe some type of weeping cherry...they're only ornamental but pretty trees.
Maybe pick some type of dwarf tree you like and ask at davesgarden how invasive the root system is. Height isn't going to matter as much as root spread. Another good forum is gardenweb

I have all winter to plan (maybe longer) so I'll take any site suggestions you folks have. I'm a complete newb on this stuff so I'm already learning with this info in this thread.

What do you have going on to the left of the stairs? Looks like some rock and a few low growing junipers maybe? Think about planting creeping phlox in there next spring. Low maintainence and a pretty pop in the spring.

Yeah, those were junipers but a little boxer puppy named Grant decided to knawl them off at ground level a few years ago. That area is now 80% grass. I'll look into the creeping phlox.



I realize there is a good chance what I have pictured is not possible. I guess if I were to set a list of priorities it would go in this order.

1. Easy maintenance
2. Aesthetically pleasing
3. Useful as food production.

The only thing that changed is that I didn't used to have a 3rd priority in the list. So If I can get the same effect but mix in some productive plants than I'm for it. Otherwise, it will be useless plants that just make my life easier.

 

[brian@sen]

Amy keep me and Lana in mind come spring. She already has a butt load of day lillies and hostas that she has traded for online but she is always looking for different color combos.

 

[LtPiper]

Yeah, those were junipers but a little boxer puppy named Grant decided to knawl them off at ground level a few years ago.

That might just be a problem with vegetables you know.

Oh pretty red ball in the bush!!! :sad2: Chomp chomp.

These at the time were "rare" and "LE" plants.

Did you get them from a store in Nitro?

 

[carb850]

That might just be a problem with vegetables you know.

Oh pretty red ball in the bush!!! :sad2: Chomp chomp.

He was just a little guy back then. Would he still do it, I dunno. Less likely for sure, but I cannot say it would be completely safe.

 

[coralreefer]

Amy keep me and Lana in mind come spring. She already has a butt load of day lillies and hostas that she has traded for online but she is always looking for different color combos.

Sure thing Brian. The ones that I need to work on are at Mom's and of course I have the same plants already.
I've got another butt load here that we can pull fans from too.

Did you get them from a store in Nitro?

Bad boy Chuck.:fun2:

[rant]That's why I have a problem with the whole named and LE fad to begin with.
In order for a day lily to be sold with a name it has to meet certain criteria and be registered with the AHS...American Hemerocallis Society. Out of thousand of crosses only a few are ever registered. To be sold under the registered name the plant has to come directly from the named cultivar as a division or a clone. Plant lover can't just pull a name out of their rear and say it's something special. Or say since my cross looks a lot like Fairy Tale Pink I'll sell at as that.

When named plants are first introduced they are "LE" since only a few are available and can sell for several hundred dollars a single "fan". However once they've been allowed to spread for a few years (or in more recent years meri-cloned) the price drops dramatically since they are more available.[/rant]

Oh pretty red ball in the bush!!! Chomp chomp.

My last lab ate tomatoes..but only the pretty red ones.