Did you think there was a right place and a wrong place to plant flower beds? I didn't really. I mean, I know what looks about right and what looks weird, but I didn't know the following was basically a rule... Our kindest landscaping know-it-all, Carson Arthur of HGTV's Green Force, helps Caitlin 
and J figure out where to begin with their pre-landscaping abode. (p.s. There's only so far my Photoshop skills will take Carson's suggestions. Don't blame the following on him!)
From Caitlin and J: "Hi Carson,
I actually have two outdoor design dilemmas for you...the
front, AND the back of my house! First, the
front: it has some stone and some paneling; the side is red brick and
the back is paneling. The current plan is to re-brick the front with the
same red brick as the sides, but I'm not sure where to go from there
(stairs? shutters?, entrance?) Any ideas to add some curb appeal...
As for the back, we're going to be leaving the paneling.
The yard is a good size, we'll be adding a patio and a deck, but the
house itself is a bit of an eyesore... The two windows bring a lot of
light into the basement so we don't want to cover them up, but is there
any way to make the house itself a little less offensive? Any advice would be great!"
Carson suggests: Hi Caitlin and J,
While you may think you have 2 landscape design problems, you really only have one...the whole property! The big challenge for you is to create some interest around the house and at the same time, incorporate usable space for your family and guests.
Lets start with your curb appeal. I love the idea of replacing the current brick with the red variety that is on the sides. Big ‘but’ though...red brick is a challenge to work with as there are so many shades and tones that you will never match it; so don’t!
- When picking trim colours for a red brick home, go with what I like to call ‘mud tones’. Putties, grays, tans, and chocolates all work well with red bricks. Stay away from any bright colours like yellows and blues.
- I also want you to change the location of the plant beds. Currently they are under the eaves of the house -- move them out to the other side of the walkway. Here’s the logic: planting that close to the house never works well. The plants have to be able to survive without natural rainfall as they are protected by the roof. When they do grow, they often over-crowd the bed or in the case of evergreens, damage the house itself.
- Instead, consider doing a wider pathway that runs tight to the house. Under the taller window, put a nice bench or a pair of comfortable chairs and a small table. This is a perfect spot to enjoy the paper or a coffee. You can still have those great perennial beds, just have them between the new path and the lawn.
As for the backyard, looks like you can only go with a patio if you are trying to keep the lower windows unobstructed. The challenge here is the big vacant spot above those windows. My advice this time is exactly the opposite of the front yard:
- You need some height to soften the horizontal lines of the building and the best way to do it without creating more horizontal lines is a tree. Consider creating a plant bed that is the same dimensions as the middle extension of the home. Basically, measure the height and width and put it on the ground.
- Plant a smaller tree, one that’s not going to get bigger then 25’ like a Pagoda dogwood or a Magnolia.
- On the far side of the new plant bed goes your patio and voila...instant appeal!
Enjoy the journey -- you are definitely taking the first step!
~ Carson
What would you add to Carson's advice? Anyone have issues with plants growing too close to the house?
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