I don't know how to plant under my windows that are grade level
Hi there! I pu
rchased this house a couple of years ago and I really want to tackle the landscape this year. I have a love/hate relationship with it. If I would have built this house, I would have passed on the curvy sidewalk. I would have borrowed cues from the architecture of the house. Notice any 90 degrees here!? I have done extensive research on how to landscape and I'm confident I can manage doing it on my own, but I'm stuck because of the windows. I don't have the money to tear out the sidewalk, so I have to make do. Both sections on either side of the door as well as the next section is perfectly symmetrical to the other side. I started with the idea to make the 4 sections symmetrical but then decided maybe I should do it on either side of the door. I really like the idea of simple and formal and would be happy with dwarf english boxwoods and smaller hydrangeas throughout and maybe at each corner I could put green tower boxwoods. I am confused on how or what to plant on the sections that are deeper going back (if that makes sense). Towards the driveway (right side) I would like to put a burgundy maple of some kind. I like the contrast of that up against the house. The house faces east. I'm in zone 5, I should mention. The space on both sides of the sidewalk is way too big and unnecessary. I feel like taking that in and making a rectangle bed on both sides and putting a row of boxwoods leading to the front door. To the left of the door is flagstone. I think they were trying to create symmetry to match the other side, which was a total fail. On the left is some old pavers for the retaining wall that I think I could power wash and use. I think removing the small strip of pavers between the 2 sections could be taken out to create more of a balance to match the other side. Maybe change the way the flagstone goes out so it does match the sidewalk more. If I do that, I feel like the row of boxwoods on both sides won't look right. All of the windows are about 24" to the ground except for the windows on the left. Those I have some wiggle room with about 40". Is the boxwood and hydrangea idea a good one? If so, do the boxwoods go on the back row or the hydrangeas? I don't want the boxwoods to turn into a hedge, unless that would look better? I thought about putting some burgundy ninebarks on the far left side that could match the color of the maple on the other end. Would I implement some matching coral bells throughout the landscape to pull that color all the way through? I really like the green and white carex grass for a birder plant or some Jack frost brunnera. I want to go with the less is more approach, but I just don't know how to pull this off. Does anyone have some ideas on how I can design this with these windows and if my idea so far is something that will look good???
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kl23
10 months agoRelated Discussions
Help..I don't know what to do with my gold fish plant.
Comments (44)Hi, Birdie. How long has it been since your last repot? One of the symptoms of tight roots is shedding of lower and interior foliage. If the internodes (distance between the leaves) are growing shorter, your plant needs a repot, but winter and early spring are poor times to consider repotting - especially for plants that are stressed and very low on energy reserves. Root congestion can promote blooming in some plants, but root congestion IS a stress, and as such limits growth and vitality to a degree that varies with the amount of congestion. I think the wise thing to do would be to get your plant healthy again, and THEN worry about blooming. Sound reasonable? When did you last fertilize? Often, plants starved for nutrients, particularly nitrogen, shed foliage after 'harvesting' mobile nutrients from older leaves so new leaves can grow. Culturally, you can treat your plant like most succulents. Letting it dry down completely IS a stress, so try to time it so you're watering just before soil is completely dry. Humidity is no problem for this plant. It's glossy leaves are very high in cuticular wax, which helps guard against low indoor humidity. I'm sorry, but I disagree that a fertilizer with a high middle number is a good choice for any containerized plant. There are no plants that use more P (the middle number) than either N or K (first and last numbers). The excess P adds unnecessarily to the level of salts in the soil and can actually contribute to leaf loss and deficiencies of other nutrients ...... particularly iron and manganese. That may be more information than you need, but others too, may be curious as to why high P fertilizers are not such a good choice for container plants. Best luck - let me know if there are any other questions you think I might help you with. Al...See MoreTrying to care for a plant I don't know the name of...
Comments (12)Hope, I didn't meant to alarm you! LOL... It may not be that at all. But I always check my plants when the leaves don't look right...just in case. And since you just brought this baby home, a thorough inspection wouldn't hurt. To check for spider mites, here's a simple, quick method: Place a blank, white piece of paper under a leaf of your plant and shake, shake, shake or tap, tap, tap the selected foliage. Small specks of dust and debris will fall onto the paper. Get up close and personal with the fallen debris on the paper and watch carefully (make sure the lighting is good where you view the sheet). Dust and dirt donÂt move but mites do! If spider mites are present, you will see tiny specks moving across the paper. Check more than one leaf, even healthy ones, to make sure your plant is mite-free. This simple but useful method is a technique that helps detect the presence of mites that canÂt be otherwise seen by the naked eye. You can also check the plantÂs leaves, stems, axils, etc, for fine webbing, which is a sure sign of mite infestation. Again, this is just a precaution! And it's good to rule out any pests for your plant's sake....See MoreI don't know why my goldfish have died
Comments (4)Piddy, first being rescues who knows what occured or stress events prior. Some info. Salt ok for goldfish (well I raised them outdoors and inside as kid and used a pinch per Dr Innes) (I realize there are differing opinions on this so not judging one way or another) Unless you used huge amounts this mho had nothing to do with their deaths. (although I think I read somewhere it can exacerbate ammonia poisoning? BUT not sure if memory serves)(or was that help in nitrate nitrite poisoning) the old rule one inch per gallon (I read this and makes mucho sense) is ok for small flatish fish, but larger fish body mass needs to be considered. Ie a huge paccu for example might be 10 inches long well - the rule would provide a way inadequate tank size for such a fish. So need to go by mass. My first thought was too small a tank for four fish.. Just too much waste with goldfish so more tank for fewer fish. I said one in five gallon. That said they were relatively small, you had a filter, so that doesn't make sense to me, unless the water wasn't cycled, and fish waste (they are major waste producers) Had the tank been cycled? Ammonia spike that may have been missed? did you check ammonia? If you are changing water, is this such and amount (was filter new, ie no stuff, gravel or filter material with bacteria in it) that you cause recycling again. I have done much recent research on gourami disease and found also information on viral crossing with goldfish to gourami and other fishes now.. Almost epidemic overseas, an hidden... so could be something not to do with you at all. but, again, ammonia and too many fish in too small a space. Not re size but waste, esp if not cycled. How many water changes if not cycled - would need one a day. That said, I know when young some who had fish in bowls and they hung on for weeks and months sometimes longer as person changed water (ps was not me!) so maybe they were not well to begin with.. You as you say, have experience... sometimes in old innes book, he would say use water from pond or established tank, feed live worms, so on, salt water cure... to bring them about. Any other symptoms, spots, diseases that you notice. or just run down and die? Best Sherry How was their breathing. Gill coloration? Any obvious symptoms. Sometimes when I buy new fish, and am quaranteening one just quitely dies, just lays down and floats off. (I seperate and give low light planted tank for their ease) I figure they often have survived a nasty trip, horrible conditions at pet store (low ph, hose to fill tanks, guys often don't check temp, cooked some fish once, so on) so they just can't take it. poor things so maybe not knowing what they had been through prior, and even with your care in transportation, and new home they were just tired from stress and went over edge. (I make really long all day sometimes more water changes, dribble method (my petstore has extremely low ph 5, so go slow one degree in 24 hours is max per day. ) was the transfer to much a shock from where they were prior?...See Morehelp! I don't know what's wrong with my zebra cactus :(
Comments (15)Kendra Not the soil to add, but perlite. That is the white granules, few are visible in your soil (but it is better to add more). You can buy a bag of it, screen it and rinse it. I would add some and gently poke the soil closer to the rim with a chopstick (so I won't disturb the roots much), to mix it in - not leaving it on top. Or if the soil in the pot is loose enough, you could shake some out holding the plant. Mix this with perlite and put back in the pot. Perlite is very light and easily floats to the top. This would be temporary help, and if you don't feel confident about doing it - don't. I am only suggesting it for a time until you decide if you want to make 'proper' mix. You would need to make it yourself - they don't sell it in stores. There is just couple of places you could order similar by mail, but I am not willing to pay the $ they ask + shipping so I don't buy it and can't advice you about them. robinswfl gave you good advice, re-read her 2 posts again. Using well draining soil is much better for the plants, and makes it easier for the grower because it decreases chance of overwatering. Sure, even gritty mix could be overwatered, but it would take lots of water to do that+leaving pots sitting in saucer full of water. Keeping plants outdoors is also much better for the plants, and with that kind of soil one doesn't have to worry much about the rain...again, just my opinion....See MoreJoy Paray
10 months agolast modified: 10 months agoJoy Paray
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