i need landscape ideas
- Thread starter roni
- Start date
mostly shade (from the garage). no gardening experience. i live in north carolina...it is around mid 70's this time of year. the fountain is a two tier (nothing real fancy or expensive). the soil is red mud. i thought about leveling it out and putting rocks or mulch down. i just need some ideas. i'm not very good at this. 
about how big is this area? Is it just a little patch around where your fountain will be....or larger and you want a fountain in the center??? Just me..but I adore the use of large rocks and greenery. Hostas come to mind because they love shade...and they are soooo hardy. Large yellow hostas...mixed with some smaller verigated ones. Is your fountain up off the ground....or more like a little ground level pond type? Impatiens also love shade.....I love the vibrant red ones with hostas. Is this a covered area......or just shade from trees?? questions, questions......LOL
I'd still incorporate some large rocks for interest, too. Large pots with the greenery...still suggesting hostas. Smaller pots of impatiens for color. I stagger rock sizes...sometimes tucking in a little shade plant in a nook (after filling with potting soil) mostly putting little garden thingys...like my frogs and turtle here and there.
the area is not real big. probably 3 feet wide by 10 - 12 feet long. the red mud is so hard to grow anything in. my fountain stands up about 3 feet tall and would be located in the center. I love the idea of using large rocks. I will take a picture this evening and post it tomorrow. thanks all of you.
i was thinking hosta too...they are kind of a easy way to go.come back each year and need no maintenence cept maybe to break them up once in awhile..make sure your mulch has been treated if it is to go next to the house..always put down ground cloth (u will thank yourself later) check out a local place with rock..and get some unusual pieces to offset your fountain..pics when your done? a piece of garden art is always nice to come home with too..and if you fountain looks like rock remember that a hole can be drilled right thru one for very little to go over the spout.
Consider adding some sand to the soil and using azaleas. They love the Carolinas! All sorts of wonderful colors now, too, as well as different sizes. What part of Carolina are you in?
Have you ever been down to Wilmington during the Azalea Festival? It's just so beautiful. I went to high school there. I really loved all the azaleas, camellias and most of all, the little gardenias growing in the front yard.
Have you ever been down to Wilmington during the Azalea Festival? It's just so beautiful. I went to high school there. I really loved all the azaleas, camellias and most of all, the little gardenias growing in the front yard.
blue - i live at lake norman. it's about 30 minutes north of charlotte. i love the diving board idea too!!! sorry guys...i forgot to take my camera home last night but i will get that picture on here tomorrow. renee - i have heard of the azalea festival but never have gone. i bet that is beautiful. my fountain has a fish on top of a wave spitting water out of its mouth. kind of a nautical theme...
Vinca Vinca Vinca!
Great ground cover, pretty little purple flowers, survives in our clay soil in the shade. I would also add daffodils this fall. Naturalizing daffodils, so you don't have to replant for awhile. And, I would definitely do the hostas (maybe a light variegated type) coming up out of it... Maybe with Astilbe, and, and and... (I'm going all psycho border collie here) and, and, the impatients are perfect!
Whatever you do, don't do the blue glass orb. You won't see anything else.
Okay! If I can tell you what to do again, let me know! I love telling people what to do! lol
Great ground cover, pretty little purple flowers, survives in our clay soil in the shade. I would also add daffodils this fall. Naturalizing daffodils, so you don't have to replant for awhile. And, I would definitely do the hostas (maybe a light variegated type) coming up out of it... Maybe with Astilbe, and, and and... (I'm going all psycho border collie here) and, and, the impatients are perfect!
Whatever you do, don't do the blue glass orb. You won't see anything else.
Okay! If I can tell you what to do again, let me know! I love telling people what to do! lol
Suendai, your yard looks like the farm!
Ah, Maui! Any ideas on how to get RID of vinca? I've been battling the stuff for three years at my little house! It's a pernicious weed for me . . . worse than mint! I laugh every time I'm at Lowe's and see someone buying pots of it. I want to tell them to come to my house and take all they want. I've even given Round-up a try - to no avail. I think I'm going to have to resort to the stuff that's used to kill thistles in pastures.
Ah, Maui! Any ideas on how to get RID of vinca? I've been battling the stuff for three years at my little house! It's a pernicious weed for me . . . worse than mint! I laugh every time I'm at Lowe's and see someone buying pots of it. I want to tell them to come to my house and take all they want. I've even given Round-up a try - to no avail. I think I'm going to have to resort to the stuff that's used to kill thistles in pastures.