Landscape project

[Bass_Bully]

I have two maple trees in my front yard that are about 25' apart. I want to do a large landscape rock bed that would include both trees in it. I would like to plant a few bushes and or wild flowers/wild grasses in the rock bed between the two trees. Any advice as to what to do or what kind of plants, bushes, or greass to include to make it look nice?

[LwnmwnMan2]

I can give you a couple of general ideas, but nothing really specific, since we all have our own tastes as to what looks nice, compliments what's already on the property.

The first is I would suggest using mulch instead of rock. There are 3 main reasons for this. One, if the mulch ends up out of the landscaped area and into the grass, you won't have to be as concerned with hitting it with a mower.

The second is that the mulch will keep the soil both cooler and damp than the rock will. Rock will have a tendency to heat up and trap the heat, much like the brick around the bottom of the house, vs. the wood siding on a house.

The third and most important is that mulch is about 80% lighter when placing it, it won't be so hard or as much effort to putting the finishing touches on your project.

I would also suggest either getting on the computer and doing a search for "landscape plants" or something along those lines and you should be able to look at different pictures as to what's available.

Either that, or possibly find a local / larger nursery that's available now where you could look at some books or other product catalogs that they have.

The last, and I realize this isn't the most glamorous, but in the spring, just take a drive around, look at some of the more landscaped commercial areas of the area. I say commercial, since if you have a camera with you and see something you like and get out to take a picture of it, you're probably not going to have a homeowner wondering what you're doing on their property.

You could then take the pictures to a local nursery / landscape center and find out what plant it is, if you don't already know.

You could do the "typical" carpet junipers to cover a larger area, with some hostas to give some height and little color, or you could go all out with some more extravagant stuff. Again, it's more along your tastes.

[reelemin]

I agree about the mulch instead of rock. Rock should only go around the house, every place should its better to have mulch ( and NEVER plastic or landscape fabric under mulch. Mulch also needs to 5 - 6 inches thick ).

Lawnman had some good ideas.

My personnal favorite for low maintenance and color, are: barberries, dwarf mugo pines, and hastas. from there it depends alot on sun exposure, soil, and personnal prefferance among other things.

[Bass_Bully]

Why no plastic under mulch...wouldn't you have weeds and grass growing through the mulch?

I plan on using landscape blocks stacked high enough(1')to have a retaining wall look to it in the fromt facing the street. The only thing I don't like about mulch is that it eventually needs to be replaced, but I agree with the benefits.

Thanks for the input!

[Powerstroke]

I also agree with the mulch comment. It is a common discussion during the growing season.

Grasses and weeds tend to not be a problem because the mulch is so thick. I use a pre-emergent like Preen in the spring and that does wonders for mulch beds.

Rocks do get disturbed and can settle like mulch and end up looking like they need more. Mulch you can add to periodically for a very reasonable price....sometimes free if you know where to find it.

How big your trees are can decide what plants because they create a lot of shade.

If you're going to add some sort of wall, do not fill it up with dirt, you may bury your trees too deeply and maples are very sensitive to that. They develop girdling roots quite easily.

I also like barberry, mughos, and some junipers as well as the pagoda dogwood. There are also many nice ornamental grasses than can compliment a landscape. moisture and shade will really narrow down your choices.

[Roofer]

You all have good points about the mulch vs. rocks, but I removed all the mulch and wood chips around my house and put in rock. I have been much happier since. Less weeds, bugs, dirt, and I don't have to replenish it every other month. Just my experiences.

None of my plants or flowers have taken on too much heat from the rocks. If they were in direct sunlight all day it may be a different story.

[Quetico]

Well my best advice to get start (not to self promote) call for a landscape designer to come out for a consultation. In order for a landscape to be truly successful in the long run, it has to be site specific. That means plants selected for the specific site conditions present on your property. Most professional consults will run $50 to $150 per hour. When I do them I leave my clients buried in ideas after 1 hour. Then I send them plant lists.

Powerstrokes has a great point. Dont add more then 2-3" of soil on top of the existing root zone. The damage wont be present this season but 4-7 years down the road, you will notice a significant decline in the health of those trees.

Guys, come on now Mugo Pines, carpet Junipers and hostas? Is that the best you have to offer?

Bass Bully drop me you email and I'll happily send you some plant lists based on your site via email. I work with a lot of the smaller native plant nurseries around the Metro, they are always willing to help you out. Call Dragon Fly Gardens, Landscape Alternatives, Sunrise Natives or Outback. All of them are eager to help you out. The smaller places like that know insane amounts and are eager to share their overwhelming knowledge.

[reelemin]

 Originally Posted By: Bass_Bully

Why no plastic under mulch...wouldn't you have weeds and grass growing through the mulch?

I plan on using landscape blocks stacked high enough(1')to have a retaining wall look to it in the fromt facing the street. The only thing I don't like about mulch is that it eventually needs to be replaced, but I agree with the benefits.

Thanks for the input!

The reason is the mulch is an organic product that naturaly decomposes, and that starts almost right away. The decomposing turns into dirt, so if you have landscape fab under your mulch, you now have dirt on top of the fabric. Now you'll start getting weeds on top of the fabric and thats not good. You also can get a very bad mold problem.

Mulch needs to decompose and fabric will hinder that process. Mulch also needs to be 5-6 inches think,if you kill all grass and weeds before you put down the mulch, and keep the mulch that thick you should have few problems. Plan on adding to mulch yearly or ever 2yrs, depending on what type you use.

[reelemin]

 Originally Posted By: Quetico

Guys, come on now Mugo Pines, carpet Junipers and hostas? Is that the best you have to offer?

LOL just some basic low maintence easy to get and care for plants, that I have found most of my clients like for the low maintence of them. I use those, and then also get site specific.

I agree - I try to talk alot of people out of junipers, spierra's ( I hate spierras ) and Arbervitaes . Those are the 3 I try to stay away from.

I kinda like the dwarf mugo's . And hastas, there good fillers

[Powerstroke]

I try to avoid hastas cause everyone has them. There so boring. There are many varieties, but they are boring.

I named some low maintenance ones. I'm still trying to create my own landscape design. I know trees and can maintain lots of shrubs, but I don't have the artistic ability to plan such things.

[Quetico]

I would avoid the barberries. Japanese Barberry is horridly invasive in southeastern MN. Try Dwarfbush Honeysuckle instead, much more beautiful and its native.

[reelemin]

Powerstroke - I hear ya on the hasta thing. I use to hate them with a passion, but they've kind of grown on me . I do try to get the unusual ones, and I like the Big ones more than the small ones.

[reelemin]

Quetico - honeysuckle - very nice choice

[LwnmwnMan2]

One other quiok note, and again, this just comes from personal experience, is that you may want to check, making sure that the bushes you do put in aren't thorny.

I get tired of the landscape designer putting in roses, some barberries (no offense please) and others, and then the maintenance guy (home owners realize how much it hurts) has to come in and lose 2 pints of blood each time the shurbs need to be trimmed.

Again, there's enough bushes out there, that this may or may not be a consideration to take.

And yes, junipers and hostas, I'm a boring guy, what can I say???

[Quetico]

I have seen some amazing hosta gardens. But you need to look for the uncommon varieties and mix in other shade loving plants. If your in an area with deer avoid hostas. Some horticulture prof's at the U of M consider hosta as deer candy and for very good reason.

If people are worried about deer I can post a few shade tolerant plants that arent as prone to deer browsing.

[Bass_Bully]

Quetico- that would be great.

Just to let you know, the front of my house faces the west so it gets a lot of sun in the afternoon. Both trees are fairly young(roughly 20' tall) so there isn't much for shade right now. My email is dmullen8@yahoocom

[Quetico]

In this case with afternoon sun the soil usually warms quickly and dries out faster. So you are looking for plants that can tolerate drier sites. Any plants that need wet to moist would be out in this case unless there are other conditions present. Such as rain gardens, wetlands, or other features that would cause the soils to be wet.

[LABS4ME]

How about Dwf. Korean Lilac, Minuet Wiegela and Pumila Spruce. All low maintenance, can handle a large amount of hot sun,blooms on the lilac and wiegela and a deep green color to the spruce. If you want a plant that is a little more unique, look at a Dwf. Globe Blue Spruce and if you need a taller shrub for a back drop, use a Unique Hydrangea for a late summer bloom.

Perennial color? Try a mix of Black-eyed Susan, May Night Salvia, Autumn Joy Sedum (I like Brilliancy), Walker's Low Nepeta, Shasta Daisy and Feather Reed Grass or Flame Miscanthus Grass. A will tolerate a lot of sun and heat. Cut them all down to the ground in the spring and let them come back up.

Hostas won't generally thrive in the hot sun. Spireas will do weel there. try some of the newer varieties like Magic Carpet or Dakota Goldcharm if you go that route.

You can also do a combination of rock and mulch. Put the rock down in the shrub areas and seperate with edging and mulch in the perennial area. I prefer the stained mulch in the Dark Brown or Cedar tone (not the red) colors. It looks like fresh mulch for nearly 2 seasons. We recommend 3" of mulch in areas where plants are being estblished for the 1st season. Sometimes if it is too thick, it has the tendecy to smother new plantings.

Good Luck with the project!

Ken