What can I add to Jazz this up?

Sug31323362
by Sug31323362
I am new to southern living, I am ready to jump into landscaping but where do I begin?
This is in Mississippi and the dirt is very hard for digging.
icon Help......
  12 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Jan 21, 2018

    use a hose to outline the area you want to landscape,spray paint with the marker spray,not knowing the location or condition of the soil,choose the correct shrubs,perennial,trees,and perennials for you hardiness zone.Dig up the area, and add peat moss and garden soil.Space you planting based on your choices allowing enough room for the root systems

    • Sug31323362 Sug31323362 on Jan 22, 2018

      Thank you😁. The location is Mississippi. I had the soil tested for the septic system . It's extremely hard😞 If I have to do any digging.

  • Sarah Sota Sarah Sota on Jan 21, 2018

    I would start on the west side with trees, ,far enough to prevent clogging eves with leaves but close enough to help with shade. Then I would add miniature fruit trees/bushes after that plants will just find their way to different spots. If you see a neighbor with lots of plants, go introduce yourself. We love to share plants and information....

  • Karen Tokarse Karen Tokarse on Jan 21, 2018

    First, add a covered deck that begins under the left eave and extends to the right end of the house. Make the steps very wide (twice the width of the door) so you can place potted flowers on the steps. Put a small seating arrangement under the right window [2 chairs with a small table] with more potted flowers. Then plant knock-out roses (easy to keep trimmed so they don't overtake the area) along the left side and intersperse with perennials and annuals.

  • Bonnie Bonnie on Jan 21, 2018

    I personally would start with a walkway between your parking area and the door. Red clay STICKS TO EVERYTHING. You don't want it in your house.

    Next I'd put shrubs around the house. They make a home look established and less lonely.

    • Sug31323362 Sug31323362 on Jan 22, 2018

      Thank you, you ain't never lied about that red clay😩. I did look at several ways to make a walkway on You Tube.

  • Stuart Stuart on Jan 21, 2018

    Well welcome to the South! Yee Haw! I'm going to guess, Georgia? with that red clay? first i would ask, do you have any structural plans for outside, such as decks , porch? We southerners like to be outdoors. and you don't want to start planting where you might put a deck in the future, i believe in doing things in stages, unless your rich, but even then its better to see how things look and then add to the area. an fyi, i'm not a professional, just a homeowner who does it as a hobby. First, NO HEDGES! and stay away from putting things right up against the house, this is common and i hate it! first your covering up that pretty house! and it looks like you have some land, so don't put it all 1 foot from your house, to me landscaping is more about what you see, than what people see from the street. its for you to enjoy first. I would plan on a porch at your door area, that is in line with the arch up front there, so squared with the arch area, I'm not sure where your parking is so that would affect where you put steps, and you could run it from the left side of arch, all the way to right corner of house as we look at it in picture. and even wrap it around that side of house. if you want to or in the future. it looks pretty country out there, so being on the deck is going to be better than partying in the yard, cooking in the yard etc. more bugs, snakes, etc. and you need to leave some room for a few old cars that you're never going to fix, lol...Perhaps even think of leaving the steps out of door, although make it larger, go to corner of that close window and square it up to other side, do about 3- 4 steps coming down then start the larger porch/deck that would be a lower level, this brings you closer to the ground, keeps folks from peeping in your windows and if low enough could remove the need for railing due to building codes. As well it would add dimension to your place and break up the ''squareness" of it. stairs from this lower deck could be done all the way around it, so there's multiple ways to walk up to door and walk away from door, you can go left or right depending on where your going in your yard. your not 'forced' to only go up/down one 3 foot wide walk up to the house. again this can be done later, but plan for it now, don't plant a tree, bushes where your future Porch/deck is going to be. if waiting till later, i would lay down some heavy plastic and cover that area with small rocks, just to keep the weeds from taking over. I personally don't like ANY plants/bushes etc. right up next to the house. its a place for bugs to live right next to your house,, and doesnt take advantage of your yard. Also in the south, you either have termites or you will get termites, so mulch up against your house is like laying out a smorgasboard for the termites as an appetizer and your house is the main course. So start with a 2-3 ft. ''barrier'' around the entire house with plastic and then a rock, like a white rock or tan pebbles, this will also keep you from weedwhacking around your house constantly and chewing up the side of your house with the whacker, plus the rock and plastic keeps water run off from right next to your house/foundatoin. Plus at night, these rocks will be 'lit up' by the moonlight, giving you a full view of your house, no big bushes for bad guys to hide while trying to break in through a window. (fyi-this happens during the day mostly). also look at putting gutters on the house to keep the 'gullywashers' (thunderstorms) from washing away the dirt from next to your house. OK, back to plants! for that side of the house in picture, i would suggest a large semi circle planting area extending 6-8 feet at the apex of the semi-circle, you have a nice big house and a nice big yard, so don't limit yourself to 1-2 feet from house, it makes your house look smaller and the landscaping look even smaller. i like space, i like space between plants so you can admire each one as a specimen, if you do a hedge, then it becomes one mass of plants with no ability to actually enjoy the plant(s). I would start with a speciimen tree

    • Sug31323362 Sug31323362 on Jan 22, 2018

      😂,Thank you very much, I am located in Mississippi. There will be a deck\patio in the near future. I saw 🐜 's already 😩. I park in the rear, that will be a entirely different project 😬 Coming much later. I did vision what you wrote, sounds magnificent!!!

  • Jaxs Jaxs on Jan 21, 2018

    Hi who ever that person was that suggested the semi circle planting. .love it. .on the left side of your house, would look beautiful with some colorful plants. .save room in case you decide to put in a garage. .and I like trees but not at the front door maybe out towards the edge of the yard. And the same in the back, but bigger. You do need a deck tho, I agree. .I also live in a mobile home and you will love the deck when its done. Bringing groceries in and other such chores. .Hope you love your home once you pick a plan and implement it. Good Luck

    • See 3 previous
    • Jaxs Jaxs on Jan 25, 2018

      Hi there. .I was reading what everyone was suggesting. .I like the cobble/ brick pathways (sidewalks) deer resistant plants but there are alot of those. Do you know what a Portico is? I think that would look nice over the door. But never did ask. Is this the front or back? ..stupid question maybe but gotta ask. I don't see a house or a road so you never know, .

      Take care. .Ciao

  • Stuart Stuart on Jan 22, 2018

    oh great! Mississippi, i've spent some time in Cleveland, MS. So you'll also want to look at deer resistant plants, there's some they like to chew on. just remember to give each plant its own space, if you put say bushes or liriope in a line or on borders, keep them far apart! one they will grow and two the space makes it feel more open and not a border. keep any trees far enough from house to keep leaves off your roof. please send updated pictures!! :) maybe a Perugola on the deck for some shade!

  • Stuart Stuart on Jan 22, 2018

    use yellow outdoor lights, they don't attract bugs/ squeeters.

  • Mogie Mogie on Jan 22, 2018

    Real stairs not temporary ones. A sidewalk. Plants. Trees. Use pavers to make a walkway.

  • Cathy Cathy on Jan 23, 2018

    Crepe Mertles are a good southern tree. Also a Magnolia tree.

  • Christine Christine on Jan 24, 2018

    hello Mississippi, drop large square pavers for a walk way or patio and add outdoor benches, maybe a firetable with chairs. and lots of potted plants. tah dahh!!! no digging in that hard soil. even my Jersey soil is clay-like too.

  • Peter Peter on Jan 24, 2018

    I agree with the paving ideas... pick one and start!

    I'd be sure to add trees... and wiht that much land, I'd let Nature do it! Just fence off (behind chicken wire) a small patch that is near where you'd like a tree... leave it alone for a few Years, and see what nature contributes... (you could 'dump' a few local seeds/ nuts to help this along.) Whatever it is, it's free, indigenous, and likely undesirable to local wildlife. The next step is to cut out the unwanted plants nature contributed and leave the ONE you want. Just be sure to patrol for poison ivy and such... get 'em out early.

    There is nothing (in my mind) as ugly as a 20 year old house with puny, just-planted saplings... except the Naked garden.