I've been considering removing the loropetalum bushes from in front of the house, and replacing them with a dwarf variety, because these have gotten way too large. I have also considered putting in a small retaining wall, and filling it with dirt, to create a raised bed. The house is on a supported slab, which is the height of those cinder blocks you can see on the South side of the house. I have to keep in mind that the sewer cleanout and the water shutoff to the house are to the left of the porch, and behind the bush on the right. I mentioned before that this is more than likely the best place for me to install the irrigation valve boxes.
I need your suggestions
3
I'm looking forward to extending the flowerbed along the front of the house, around the South side of the house. I have huge loropetalums that are due for a trim, with tea olives behind them closest to the house. I have chollipo between the loropetalums, and they're not doing too well. I do want to keep the knockout roses that are in front, and I cut them way down in February. They had gotten too ungainly. On the Southern side of the house, I have my service entrance for the power/phone/internet. I'm going to get rid of the large bush(Recurve Privet) that's in front of the AC condenser. It's ugly and attracts flies when it flowers which is pretty disgusting. I need your suggestions on what I can put here, keeping in mind that I'm going to add down spouts for the gutters (to be installed), with underground drains to flow to the property line, back along the fence line to the rear of the property, and that will be tied into my pool waste drain in the back.
I have to keep in mind future irrigation that I'm going to install, and right now, there's a bit of a problem that I'd say would be "compaction" for lack of a better term. When I get a heavy rainfall, the water runs from the front of the house, and fills up behind the loropetalums, and flows toward the low spot in the front yard. What I'm thinking might be a solution would be to put a French drain at the front of the bed, in front of the knockout roses, which would catch any flow toward the front yard low spot, and redirect it to the south, to be tied into the drain going toward the back yard. This area is very hard, and when I tried to get the seed to grow during the renovation, it didn't take. I also tried plugs, which didn't do well, with the exception of the grass that's shaded right now by the roses. I know I'll be taking this new grass out when I create the bed and install the drain as well as trying to preserve some of the existing plants.
I'm open to any suggestions as far as layout, plants and design. I currently have the drip irrigation going to all plants in the front and was thinking some hydrangeas would look nice on the South side. I want to get that buffer zone of at least 18" or more off of the house so mowing is easier, and I can place irrigation at that point to water toward the property line. There's a lot of plant sales from local nurseries and big box stores going on now. Lighting would be a very neat addition, as there's nobody in the neighborhood with that on their place.
The drainage hose is temporary, until I get the trench, and other gutter installed. Just directing as much of the deluge that used to pour down on the front of the house. One other consideration is that the service cutoff for my water and the cleanout for the sewage are by the porch, and the rightmost (facing the house) loropetalum. I'm not sure if this is going to be the best placement for the valve boxes for the irrigation system, but I'm thinking it would be.
Here's some photos of what I've got to work with.
Front of house
Looking toward porch
South side. This bush is called a Recurve Privet.
I have to keep in mind future irrigation that I'm going to install, and right now, there's a bit of a problem that I'd say would be "compaction" for lack of a better term. When I get a heavy rainfall, the water runs from the front of the house, and fills up behind the loropetalums, and flows toward the low spot in the front yard. What I'm thinking might be a solution would be to put a French drain at the front of the bed, in front of the knockout roses, which would catch any flow toward the front yard low spot, and redirect it to the south, to be tied into the drain going toward the back yard. This area is very hard, and when I tried to get the seed to grow during the renovation, it didn't take. I also tried plugs, which didn't do well, with the exception of the grass that's shaded right now by the roses. I know I'll be taking this new grass out when I create the bed and install the drain as well as trying to preserve some of the existing plants.
I'm open to any suggestions as far as layout, plants and design. I currently have the drip irrigation going to all plants in the front and was thinking some hydrangeas would look nice on the South side. I want to get that buffer zone of at least 18" or more off of the house so mowing is easier, and I can place irrigation at that point to water toward the property line. There's a lot of plant sales from local nurseries and big box stores going on now. Lighting would be a very neat addition, as there's nobody in the neighborhood with that on their place.
The drainage hose is temporary, until I get the trench, and other gutter installed. Just directing as much of the deluge that used to pour down on the front of the house. One other consideration is that the service cutoff for my water and the cleanout for the sewage are by the porch, and the rightmost (facing the house) loropetalum. I'm not sure if this is going to be the best placement for the valve boxes for the irrigation system, but I'm thinking it would be.
Here's some photos of what I've got to work with.
Front of house
Looking toward porch
South side. This bush is called a Recurve Privet.
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