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whaas_5a

Any pictures or design ideas for framing the house?

whaas_5a
13 years ago

At first I was going to offset a columnar pine off the corner of the house and place a small crabapple in front of that.

Then I was going to utilize a narrower spruce (like Pice abies 'Cupressina') off the corner and then use a Picea pungens cultivar behind that but closer to the lot line as a back drop.

Any ideas or pictures to share?

The only caveat I have is that the back side would be exposed to northerly winds that come up the hill.

Comments (17)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    13 years ago

    hey bill

    words mean nothing to me.. how about a picture or two ...

    my other thought.. find some of dan's pix .. and go for it ...

    ken

  • gardener365
    13 years ago

    that's Will, not Bill.............re:words mean nothing to you.

    Can you do this whaas? Private garden.......

    Dax

    {{gwi:643463}}

  • whaas_5a
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I wish I could create that! Its flat in the front and sloped to the back. Its Will but my email (that I setup 15 years ago has bill in it).

    I have 30' from the front left side corner to the lot line...that is the spot in question.

    I've actually snagged some ideas from Dave's garden beds but don't recall anything from the front of the house from a framing perspective.

    Rocks and spruce (to the left) are on the lot line but neighbors lot.
    {{gwi:643466}}

    Poplar is already cutdown. White spruce will be cut down in spring.
    {{gwi:10282}}

    The right side shows the backside of the front left side (did you get that?lo?). I just noticed my lab showed up in both these pics!
    {{gwi:10283}}

    Just another view for perspective.
    {{gwi:10284}}

  • whaas_5a
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Here is the latest rudimentary design.

    Black Gum is being figured at 25' wide, âÂÂCupressinaâ at 10' wide and Firebird @ 6â wide.

    4' path of grass left to get by with the rider from the lot line.
    Black Gum would be limbed up for clearance as it matures.

    {{gwi:643472}}

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    13 years ago

    dax.. is that a gee landscape???

    will ... why cant you do that in back????

    and frankly .... how much time will you be spending sitting on the front porch ....

    i would ... when the weather changes.. sit on that glorious back deck.. with an adult libation.. and think about how i am going to do the back.. before i wasted a penny on the front ... let alone that darn corner out front ...

    your designs ALL START at the property line.. and involve an amoebae shaped jelly bean working out from the property line .... why ... where is dave.. who could show you his love islands from the roof ... are you an engineer?? ... because you are thinking awful lineally here ...

    see below.. didnt i post this for you this morn ... NOT A SINGLE STRAIGHT LINE ANYWHERE ... let alone a bed at THE PROPERTY LINE ...

    i know its your winter project.. but get a bottle of scotch [forgive me if you are recovering] .. and get inside the box.. and then think about what is outside the box.. you have already taped yourself into ...

    ken
    {{gwi:240153}}

    see that house in the back.. right side .. there are two pungens that are on the property line ... in your design.. all the plants would be way back there.. why, i ask?????
    {{gwi:197745}}

    maybe you can do something like this outside the front.. all minis ..... but again ... i doubt you will be spending more than the time to walk to the mailbox out there... i would tend toward all grass .. UNTIL the back is done ...
    {{gwi:211253}}
    {{gwi:211254}}

  • gardener365
    13 years ago

    A good place to stare ken. I would have my own toes curled inside of those dwarfs and mini's, possibly checking for bugs and stuff... my libation wrapped up firmly in a brown paper sack. I see your muscari trail is taking shape. Looks like you planted those with a few libations overpowering your mind. just joking of course, or am i? lol

    whassywill, looks fine to me. I wouldn't hesitate to plant a blackgum anywhere. Three trees might be as bold as you need to go. We all know it's your choice ultimately, and the dimensions are spot on. The crabapple I don't know about, because I don't know it. I'd space it as far as I could though from that Nyssa/blackgum. Even dwarf trees become full-size given enough time... but you gotta feed the birds and stuff too and the contrast of the blue fruit of a (female) blackgum and the red berries (I'll assume) of the crabbapple should be a knockout, and with that Cupressina standing behind them after the leaves have fallen. Plus fall color.

    It's taking shape. Change it 10 more times and it will be perfect!

    Dax

  • dcsteg
    13 years ago

    "where is dave.. who could show you his love islands from the roof ... are you an engineer?? ... because you are thinking awful lineally here"...

    Dave has been stranded in California because of storm. Not only was it hell to get back booking another flight security pulled my 68 year old wife out of line and gave her a real going over. What a bunch of rude and crude perverts. Seniors little kids and disabled are their specialty. If they think my wife is a potential terrorist then this country is in a hell of a lot of trouble.

    Anyway to make a long story longer I didn't want to bore those who have seen many photos of my garden. Aside from that wass... scan my link... pick ,choose or copy anything you wish. View it as a sideshow

    I'll post a couple starting at my drive way corner to give you some ideas for the front of your house. Your front yard lay out is essentially the same as mine.

    Dave

    What I started with. A few plants have bee discarded and replaced but design theme is the same.

    {{gwi:643482}}

    Front corner drive way

    {{gwi:643486}}

    Starting up the corner.

    {{gwi:643490}}

    Farther up the drive and bending away from the driveway.

    {{gwi:643494}}

    Farther up the line...use latern as reference from last photo.

    {{gwi:643497}}

    Latern again looking toward corner of house.

    {{gwi:643500}}

    Looking past Picea p. 'Glauca Procumbens'in 5th photo.

    {{gwi:643504}}

    Beginning of the sweep to the corner of house.

    {{gwi:643509}}

    Pinus strobus 'Angle Falls' anchors the corner but for some reason I don't have the photo. I realize this could be some what hard to follow and there are 3-4 conifers that fill in areas that are not shown.

    Dave

    Here is a link that might be useful: davesconifers

  • mrgpag SW OH Z5/6
    13 years ago

    Dax - when was that picture taken? Gary's daughter's house if I remember correctly. I saw it 10 years ago or thereabouts.
    Marshall

  • texjagman
    13 years ago

    Just a couple of things to throw out there....

    Not a big Cupressina fan. I'd go Swane's Golden or Swane's Variegated in the gold family or better yet a blue I'm real fond of.....Juniperus scopulorum 'Medora'.

    And instead of the crab apple which leaves yard work to clean up every year, how about softening the corner with a semi dwarf Deodara like the Cream Puff. It's creamy tips with greenish blue interior colors would work good with the house colors.

    mark

  • whaas_5a
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I was considering replacing 'Cupressina' with 'Iseli Fastigiata'. I just wasn' sure about the blue though.

    Besides the Juniper the rest aren't zone 5 hardy...otherwise some nice selections.

  • dcsteg
    13 years ago

    "I was considering replacing 'Cupressina' with 'Iseli Fastigiata"

    If your going that route I would use 'Blue Totem' if you want to maintain a tight growing habit.

    Dave

    Here is a link that might be useful: Blue Totem

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    13 years ago

    link to hidden lakes gardens.. my inspiration ... use bing maps to find the satellite birds eye view ... using the address at the link ... or just type in hidden lakes gardens tipton mi ...

    ken

    Here is a link that might be useful: link

  • gardener365
    13 years ago

    Marshall Frank took that picture possibly two years ago.

    whaas you can never have too many Alaskan cypress. Jubilee is my favorite green and narrow cultivar. You can see a choice photo and purchase one at Girard's for 20 bucks; plus they ship cheap. My plant was 2' tall when it arrived with a full gallon root-system. Couldn't have been better. I need to draw a plan. Right now I'm grafting 16 hours of 24 hours, however and it's not going to change for the next couple of weeks.

    Dax

  • whaas_5a
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Change of plans for the front, not to be cheesy (pun intended) but what is the best green and gold conifer I can get to commemorate the return to title town?

  • texjagman
    13 years ago

    At least give a desired shape and size.......

  • tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
    13 years ago

    With no regard to size or shape, one of the best Packer Green and Packer Gold (based on color alone) is Chamaecyparis Pisifera 'Aurea Variegata Nana'. Don't seem to have a pic of mine but the link is a blurry pic from Girards.

    tj

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:643459}}

  • whaas_5a
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Sorry, I think I was a little rambunctious last night.

    No preference for size or shape...color and uniqueness would be the important factors.

    For a smaller plant, Chamaecyparis Pisifera 'Aurea Variegata Nana' fits that bill.

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