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Gardening/Landscaping question - Should I do it? Considerations??

Zeze

Zeze

Lifer
One side of my house has a strip of soil that's currently covered in gravel with fabric. It looks nice and clean. But also cold and lifeless. The strip is about... 20' by 2'. So it's small, yet sizabley cute.

I can just dig up the soil (get rid of gravel), and plant crap right? I wanna put plants and crap that are virtually maintenance-free. Like beautiful towering sunflowers, shrubs, random beautiful stemmy wild flowers like forsythia, etc.

1. What are the considerations? What are the pros and cons of doing this? I don't want to be arrogant and assume. Wife doesn't want bees because of the young kids. I can see that. Anything else?

2. Should I do it? Just get rid of gravel and sow seeds on soil right? Is there any gardening planner for this online? Any sample or common templates?? I'd be surprised there isn't.

3. Any online communities or magazines for this? Is this gardening or landscaping?
 
First make sure you have adequate sunlight for what you want to plant. If it's along the house you may need to pick some plants that don't need a lot of sunlight.
Do you have an irrigation system?
 
ThePresence said:
First make sure you have adequate sunlight for what you want to plant. If it's along the house you may need to pick some plants that don't need a lot of sunlight.
Do you have an irrigation system?
Click to expand...
I'm basically looking for a near hands-free hardy plants, such as sunflowers. I don't mind watering here and there, but that's that.

I've been hooked on watching shady garden youtube vids. I guess that's the proper triggering keywords- shady garden.

Here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWfnTTtGJY4
 
Cozarkian said:
You will also get weeds, and if it is next to your house you need to clean the dead plants out every year because they are a fire hazard.
Click to expand...
Those are fine. Not much more than the general weeding out crap I do + mowing lawn myself anyway. I'm actually a capable hands-on guy.
 
Your wife should get over the bees thing. Kids should pick up bugs and bumble bees and eat dirt.

Anyway, after you get rid of the gravel, add good quality top soil, then plant stuff that's suitable for your light conditions. Set up a soaker hose on a timer and plant stuff with the kids. Easy to grow flowers like nasturtiums and cosmos and stuff and edibles that are fast like radishes and peas and that sort of thing.
 
Any roof runoff in that location? Don't want plants to get pounded under a waterfall.

Also, if not south-facing, you'll have to take care which plants prefer morning or afternoon sun, as the situation demands.
(We have azalea bushes along the north-facing front wall of our house, and they grow rather spindly thanks to the lack of direct sun in months other than May, June, and July.)

Also, does the area drain well? Some plants might enjoy the extra moisture of poorly-drained locations, while others Do Not Want.
 
You should leave the rock and the landscape fabric. It's my professional opinion that you will regret removing both. Plant some perennials like echinacea, heliopsis, or monarda if you want the wildflower look. Skip the forsythia it's not really a wildflower more like a medium to large sized shrub.
 
Zeze said:
I'm basically looking for a near hands-free hardy plants, such as sunflowers. I don't mind watering here and there, but that's that.
Click to expand...

So a lazy english garden. Takes a few seasons to get it going. It ain't hands free. Ever. Once established you might only have to do stuff to it every couple months during the grow season. Good learning and bonding time for the kids. Make them responsible for a section or type of planting.
 
We have a water drainage feature at work and we planted plants that grow well in wet areas. Of course you could just bury a french drain.
 
Maybe grow some sort of sedum? Many species to choose from in that genus.

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You guys are awesome. I have pics to post when in free tonight. I watched lots of youtube vids for shady garden using perennials.

Be right back
 
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