What kind of flower garden borders/edging should I use?

Question

Hello, I just moved into this very old home. I plan on putting a shrub that will get kind of tall in front of that dead space by the large window. I am now getting ready to do the flower bed borders/edging. I don't know whether to use just red brick, or just what. Any ideas???? Thanks!

Moxie · Answer

I think if you use brick to create a planting board on either side of the walk it would be fabulous and add character, visual width to the walk and beautiful color. I would also add a window box on the left of the door and a couple of climbers with supports to big pots on the rights to splash color behind your future bush to all add some balance to the screwed house components. Enjoy your planting and congrats on the new place!

Tegma · Answer

First of all, I would definitely hang some shutters up on those two windows to give the house a little character.  They are not expensive to buy, but if you have some pallets or wood hanging around, you can make your own.  See Pinterest for ideas.  Then, I would suggest extending the grass on the right hand side of the picture, if possible, so that the grass goes across the whole front of the house.  It's lop-sided the way it is.  Then I would get some round globe yews for either end of the house, and perhaps for both sides of the front stoop.  Some hostas and flowers should do it for filling in.  Don't make your bedding straight across the front of the house,  but make it come out in a curve on the driveway side.  Stagger your plants as you fill in, usually three of a kind.  There are lots of examples to be had on youtube, with directions, too.  It will be a lot of work, but worth it in the end.

Tegma · Answer

Oh, another suggestion.....  you might consider putting a trellis on the right hand side of the house to fill in the dead space created by the off-sided window.  Some type of climbing flowers of your choice would certainly add to the appearance of the bare siding.

Tegma · Answer

Oh, another suggestion.....  you might consider putting a trellis on the right hand side of the house to fill in the dead space created by the off-sided window.  Some type of climbing flowers of your choice would certainly add to the appearance of the bare siding.

Connie Windes · Answer

How could I put a shutter on the window on the right.....not much space between the door and the window?????

Mary Ker · Answer

If you search on Pinterest for 'flower bed edging' there are pics of lots of ideas, too.

Ginny Pringle-Willard · Answer

First, do not plant it too close to the house-they are small and compact when young buT can become large and require a lot of pruning.  When you see something you think you may like go home first and look it up on the Internet and see what it looks like as an 'adult' plant and what the root system is like.  Some roots will grow under your foundation, you don't want that.  Personally I would use Rosemary or Lavender.  You only need one or two because they do grow into large bushes but the good thing about them is that when pruning them you can use them for cooking or dry them for using later.

Irene · Answer

I would consider extending the small quarter circle porch to a half circle and than placing a chair or planter under the window, perhaps adding a few pavers towards the driveway.

Marion Nesbitt · Answer

Wonderful lush grass! Agree with getting rid of the concrete (?) on the far right of the house. Would do a pyramidal cedar and a lower growing evergreen like a juniper. I'd put in another pyramidal on the far left. There would still be room for Patricia Morse idea of a trellis for a fast-growing climbing vine/flower. From the corners, I would edge around the trees and continue in a curvy line toward the walk. Within the bed, you can add a combo of perennials, rocks, stepping stones, coloured mulch, or whatever arrangement pleases. Maybe a little pathway to the drive. I don't spend money on expensive edging products. I just edge with a half-moon edging tool. Looks quite professional. Once done, easy to maintain. I mow with one set of wheels on the dirt and the other set on the grass.

Daveicrave · Answer

I think a trealis would be better also instead of a tree because you never know about the rooting system of a tree when you plant it close to a house. You need to find out what zone you live in to get the right plants so you don't waste your money. You could paint the front door and add shutters or awnings and plant boxes on the windows such a cute house! Bot would I love to get my hands on it! Good luck.

The Garden Frog with C Renee · Answer

I love using the professional black plastic edging at Home Depot. Then to create a mowing edge so there is no trimming I would lay own bricks buried along the edging so the grass grows up to them. Or use any flat slate rock, river pebbles, or even pavers. 
Is this the west or south side of house with full sun? Or is it morning sun? If you are good with spray paint I would spray the awning in your favorite color to give some pop to the house and do the front door a bright color too. If you like the look of shutters, you could put a pair on the left and just use 1 on the right. Plant something evergreen along the front before you start with flowers-foundation plantings are important. the Iris can be moved anytime and just remember to barely cover them with soil when transplanting. I love Iris and I mix them in with all kinds of flowers. back to foundation shrubs- if this is full hot sun you will need something that will take the heat and dry. do not plant next to the house. if the shrub tag says 4' width make sure to plant it 3' away from the house! my front yard can give you an idea, so check out my profile here on Hometalk and I frequently post my garden on Facebook. Need more ideas? let me know. I live in zone 7 in VA and can give you some more advice.

Elaine Shoyren Morris · Answer

I would put an evergreen like a blue spruce on the right side of the house because you want bulk there all year round. If you can it would be good to extend the porch to the right (over the big window) to help balance the house.

Elizabeth Gilbert · Answer

Several possible solutions, low-cost: (1) remove those tiny front steps and replace with a similar height platform deck (step-up going full length).  You would remove that concrete pad in front of the existing steps.  Deck would extend from point of window closest to the steps, out to far corner of the house (to take advantage of what appears to be a shade tree).  (2) Build a simple, but attractive slanted roof over the deck, supported by proper support posts.  You can enclose deck with pre-made railing from Home Depot or Lowes.  And you can hang very efficient and low-cost bamboo, or poly-vinyl tubed roll up-down shades (all come in several pre-cut sizes; vinyl in beige or white shades) to keep harsh sun out and/or create a bit of privacy and ambience.  In the big dead space area set out an appropriate size table and comfy chairs; then get a good quality potted fake ficus tree on the large & tall side to 'cover' some of that dead wall space, and also, a genuine live potted boxwood or two, and arrange all of this in and around that large dead space.  A couple containers (old coffee or tea pots, mason jars, whatever) to hold fresh flowers, or good quality fake flowers, adds more color.  (2)  In the small space closer to the small window, perhaps some fun/funky shelving (use 2 of those gray cast concrete hollow centered blocks stacked lengthwise (2 on your left, 2 on your right, a few feet in between) so the 'holes' will accommodate pre-cut boards.  Paint the concrete with appropriate paint, or not.  Paint or oil the boards, or not.  Plop a nice pillow at one end (while you're looking for your keys, or to accommodate your kitty) and a pot or two of foliage plants to cover some of that blank space, not as full as at the other end, so it gets in the way of people coming in/out of the door.  (3)The sidewalk is unusually skinny.  To give illusion of width, dig out a 1.5 ft. ribbon of lawn on each side of that sidewalk and prepare the under soil by loosening and adding good garden soil and/or amendment, so you can add a row of the sorta slow-growing but totally strong boxwood, which can stand some neglect.  The color of boxwood is ALWAYS fresh green and shiny.  The size of your new deck can handle this 'enlarged' walkway. (4) I would also paint the front door a strong enough contrasting/complimentary color.  (5) So the windows don't quite sit right and they're not so matchy-matchy.  What fun!  So, bring on a little character by painting the framing around the windows a fun-funky color or two.  I mean it, and you work with the color you paint the door.  Go to your paint center to get professional input.  Don't know how deep your front yard runs, so can't advise there.  But the driveway edge of your lawn ... to facilitate mowing and overall neatness, cut out an 8-inch wide ribbon of lawn and dig it out about 4 more inches; lay down a 10-inch strip of weed barrier (to go up side of cut-out lawn and the driveway's edge), and fill 3/4 full with river rock (gray, cheapest), so that your mower wheel rides over this rock while the blade cuts the grass very nicely and you really won't have to do any edging..  I hope this agrees with you.  I didn't have time to read a lot of the comments all the way.  It looks like you could use a bit of a focus planting on one or both sides of your sidewalk, although it's hard to see how deep the yard is.  Hope some of these ideas please you.  I am a very thrifty gal, a make-do, can-do type, and have several hundred years of generations in the old country involved in horticulture, agriculture, entamology, bulbs/seeds, you name it ... right to the generation beyond me.   Be blessed! - Elizabeth in Oregon

Connie Windes · Answer

I want you all to know that I appreciate all of your suggestions !

Barbara · Answer

It depends on if you want to add color (besides green) to that area. I like the idea of blue spruce, but if you want color, Hydrangeas are beautiful, drought tolerant and the color of the blooms can be adjusted by adding iron or other mineral components to the soil. My grandfather used to plant a few nails by the roots of the hydrangeas and every summer beautiful blue/lavender flowers appeared. The pinks are brought into play with another mineral, but I can't remember what he added to achieve their color. These should be planted in early spring to give the roots time to get well established to survive the heat of summer.

Cindy Heinlein · Answer

paint the house a diffrent color like white

Ty · Answer

Go with some saliva and marigolds, they would add a nice bright pop of colour. Plus, saliva is a perennial and will come back every year. Also, some taller ornamental grasses could help add some height and texture (many of these are perennials as well!)

What kind of flower garden borders/edging should I use?

Suggested Project Book

30 Great Mason Jar Ideas You Have To Try

Other

More

What kind of flower garden borders/edging should I use?

Suggested Project Book