Winter Garden Planning - West Side

[vfem]

So what do you do in January? You PLAN!

I've put off the West Side of our home for years for lots of reasons. Its just been pushed to the back of my mind constantly. Today, I got to staring at it, and I just HAD to put something together so I knew there was a future for this side of the house.

But there are challenges I have to deal with... lots of them, and not just the fact it gets mainly end of day light.

So here's my plan with pictures on my blog:

http://fromseed.blogspot.com/2012/01/planning-west-side.html

Let me know what you think...suggestions... maybe completely revamp my photo? Also... I'm debating on ripping up those shrubs on the right side. I want to... my neighbor wants them gone too. But that makes me release I need to do something that acts like a fence there now too?! What to do, what to do?!

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Looks pretty vfem. I like the idea of evergreen trees. I am just tossing questions out there as I don't know what your set up is.

If you block that side of the house with a gate and bushes, do you have a place on the other side of the house that you can drive a truck or tractor around back to dig or deliver or whatever you may need to have done at some point in time in the future? I always worry about access to the back of the house. We made our accessable only if you are creative and that was a mistake!

Another thought too, just in case your hubby is like mine. Mine dislikes me planting anything like a tree or bush right next to the house for several reasons. To list some; root growth near foundation, bringing insects closer to the wood, hiding the side of the house so that mildew builds up there, and the list goes on! So in the event he gives you that challenge, I think you could make it equally as appealing with the gate next to the house with the whole garden on the right side and maybe a potted something tucked up next to the house in front of the gate post for balance.

I think it is very exciting to have a blank slate like you do! Have fun tossing around ideas. And, make sure to show us the pics when it is all planted.

 

[Ridgerunner]

More reasons for trees not near the house. Leaves clog up gutters. Limbs and whole trees fall on houses. This does not always require a high wind. And on the insects, one house I used to have had a couple of big juniper trees right next to it. The limbs were lying on the roof. I know, I should have trimmed them, but it would not have looked right. Those limbs held enough moisture that termites moved into the attic under those limbs.

I agree to watch the access. Maybe plant some blooming shrubs there, maybe forsythia, lilacs, spirea, azaleas, whatever, but plant them in a rough sort of maze where you can drive through them but still get your privacy. And maybe plant them so the roots are not right over pipes and cable. I don't know why you want those shrubs on the right gone, so maybe you won't like the idea of shrubs.

I'd also consider naturalizing some bulbs in there. I'm thinking more like daffodils where you can drive over them if you want to, not iris or even lilies. You get some color and contrast part of the year without a barrier. Deer leave my daffodils alone. Tulips they destroy.