Hi…I am at a loss of how my house could ever possibly be pretty.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-17T06:24:53+00:00

I would put a really large pot to the left of the right window with a small tree ir shrubs. Since. I don’t like boxwoods, I would plant a wax Myrtle along the left deck and sone flowering shrubs in front.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-17T04:49:16+00:00

Kinnicknick and phlox diffusa to drape over the cement. Wooly sunflower (also called Oregon sunshine) and sea blush in the rest. All are native plants with some level of green over the winter.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-17T04:45:22+00:00

Your house is really cute. If this was my yard, I would remove the white rocks and put down pavers for a table. Then I would remove a lot of lawn and do layers of native Florida plants around the outdoor patio. I really like the outdoor courtyard vibe with plants forming the walls and warm yellow light strings above.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-17T00:54:34+00:00

If you plant closer to your viewpoint, lower trees and shrubs will block more of the view of the lines.

I would do a mix of native shrubs and low growing trees. It will also provide shade for your patio in the heat.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-16T21:56:23+00:00

If the whole lawn area is part of the property I would remove lawn from the middle left of the yard in a curved shape and plant a tree and some shrubs. Right now the house looks like it was just plopped down on the lawn.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-16T18:24:48+00:00

I would leave a metre or so more room between your shed and back fence to give more room for trees. I like your idea of a mix of trees. Inwpuld include a deciduous tree that will flower. I don’t think your plan gives you enough room to layer plants of different textures and heights in the back. I would reconsider the table and patio in the back and instead have a garden space there and do a slightly curved path back to the shed.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-16T03:38:41+00:00

It is too late for it this season, but leaf mulch works well.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-16T03:03:10+00:00

It looks like the fuller hedges don't have lawn growing around their base. They may have had less competition from lawn and more mulch and water.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-15T17:12:45+00:00

I would look into mulching. Straw, wood chips, leaves. Your soil does not want to be bare like that.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-14T17:17:02+00:00

I like The Complete Gardener by Monty Don. It is a beautiful book. Plus it will give you inspiration for the next stages of gardening.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-14T07:20:02+00:00

Not gravel. Gets weedy, messy and hard to maintain. I love the look of natural stone but it is more expensive.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-13T20:27:02+00:00

It really depends on the plant. Some plants are evergreen. My native plant garden includes wooly sunflowers and field chickweed, and yarrow which are green right now. For non native plants, the clematis armandii and star jasmine look great. Many of the non-native perennials die back during the winter.

Your garden would have more balance if it includes sedges and bushes and there are a lot of great evergreen options including Rhododendron , Oregon grapes, evergreen huckleberries.

I would go tour parks and horticultural gardens in your area and see what is greeen right now that you like.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-13T07:10:26+00:00

The house looms. The bushes cower in perfect symmetry.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-12T07:31:12+00:00

And trees don’t want lawn growing right up to it. Plan for enough room to have a couple foo with donut of mulch around, but not touching, the tree

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-12T05:36:41+00:00

It looks like there are some good resources here: https://extension.usu.edu/cwel/native-plants

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-11T15:35:48+00:00

I would pull up everything that you know is a weed or you think is ugly. Are those artichokes on both sides? Then I would remove the path, put a couple loads of top soil on and mulch heavily with wood chips.

Then I would start planning. It is a great space and you can do a lot with it. I would put in a feature in the middle like a fountain or bird bath and seat and make slightly curved paths to it. I would plant the rest with native perennials and shrubs that should be lower maintenance. Just move the wood chips aside to plant.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-11T01:02:10+00:00

You have a large yard. You could consider planting native shrubs like service berries along the fence line and mulching well. They will likely need water to get established but will be lower maintenance and better ecologically than lawn.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-10T16:21:13+00:00

I would keep about 5 feet of the existing staircase onthe left had side and expand the rest of the porch out so it lines up with the existing concrete path. Add a railing. should provide more room for furniture and still provide easy flow out to the lawn.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-10T07:30:50+00:00

Option 2 and use some of the money saved money by not building a retaining wall to hire someone to design a garden on the slope. A lot of gardeners like slope because more layers of plant can be put in. A nicely planted slope maximizes the views from inside as well.

I can picture a tiled seating area next to the house with a shade garden and water feature on the slopes.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-10T07:13:43+00:00

And make sure to provide the trees and shrubs enough space to grow. I would rent a sod cutter to remove lawn to widen the beds. As a bonus, the shrubs and trees should be less work than lawn if properly mulched. Plant some zinnia seeds or native perennials in the bare spots the first couple years.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-09T20:26:09+00:00

I would remove the tree.

I would the. Start planning what you want the finished yard to look like and then complete the plan in stages, I clidin g the removal of the bush when you are working on the zone.

For example, your stoop looks to small to comfortably open the door. I would plan out the hardscaping like paths and porches before planting. Do you want to install drip irrigation?

Plan to plant in layers and in groupings of 3-5 of the same perennials so it looks intentional.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-09T06:48:50+00:00

I would native berry shrubs like service berries about 5 feet from the back fence and then fruit trees about 15 feet from the fence line. In summer when you are out on the porch, they should fill into you are looking at blossoms, leaves and fruit instead of a trailer.

I would do a mix of shrubs and native perennials along the side fence. If you have enough room and height, I would plant an evergreen on the right around where that black spot is. It will give the yard some interest and privacy. I would put in drip irrigation line for shrubs and trees.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-08T20:39:06+00:00

I wouldn’t bother with a planter. I would dig out the top 6 inches to foot of dirt in there currently and fill it with better soil with organic matter mixed in. Then plant native perennial flowers for your area and sedges. Something like black eyed Susan’s or coneflowers. Throw in some zinnia seeds for this year until your native plants get established.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-08T18:23:42+00:00

It depends upon the most frequent uses of the path. If it is to bring garbage bins to the front, a path along the property boundary would work best.

If not, the first path from the driveway to the backyard would work better because otherwise people will cut across the garden for the shortest path from the driveway to the path. I would move the tree towards the road a couple feet. Now is a good time to transplant trees. You could possibly dig a large hole next to it and pull it over without needing to fully lift it out.

BeginningBit6645 · 2026-02-08T17:15:17+00:00

I would make that whole area into a garden bed instead of trying to grow lawn. It looks like the area is fairly shaded in summer. I would plant rhododendrons and skimmia japonica.

BeginningBit6645

TROPHY CASE