Swimpy's Landscaping Thread

Apparently, my next door neighbor was trying to direct the tree service guys yesterday. He had a few suggestions of other plants that should be removed or trimmed in my yard. The nerve of that guy!

Oy! Save fast for that tall fence, Swimpy

Getting up the nerve to tackle the yard again. Stay tuned.

Looking forward to it!

I'm looking forward to it too!

Pictures please... (you've been fabulous about that so far...)

Getting estimates on more tree/shrub removal and retaining wall installation. My plan is to remove the two spruce trees from the front of the house this fall.



If I can afford it, I'll put a retaining wall (or two ) in the backyard. The biggest one will go where the evergreen shrubs are just below the priet hedge in this photo:



Another shorter one will go where the evergreen shrub in the foreground is. The photo below shows that area a little better. The rusty laundry poles are going, too.



I'm not currently planning to install a patio. At least I don't think I am

Ah, I haven't seen laundry poles since I left Germany. Now I am reminiscing....

Swimpy, I also think the two big trees in front of the house should go - it
would open up the house and your visibility greatly. You've got such
a nice house, I like that design.

My Austrian dil uses them every time they visit. I don't mind having a place to hang laundry, but those poles are verra unattractive.

The trees will not be missed except that they provide privacy. We'll have to plant something to provide both privacy and shade. Some small flowering tree, I'm thinking.

Dogwood maybe?

Do you have a good variety to recommend? I had a red twig dogwood in the backyard but it grew more like a shrub and had really uninteresting flowers.

Chinese dogwood, I think?

Ours was something else and didn't do well. Our neighbors have a Chinese dogwood (I'm pretty sure) and it's a much hardier and prettier thing.

Littlek has recommended a good one but I can't remember what it's called (oh, kusa!)

Found it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornus_kousa

That's a possibility, Soz. I'm also thinking about flowering crab apples. this one is a native species, actually called the Iowa Crab. Don't know how available they are, though.

Oh, these are very pretty (crab apples). Crape Myrtle is another beautiful
tree with beautiful flowers.

Crepe myrtle won't be hardy where Swimpy lives. Unfortunately.

Soz, Kusa is it! One of my favorite trees.

Crabapples are lovely. Be careful to find a variety that does better withstanding the blights they often get.

Crepe Myrtle is beautiful, Jane. It's a little out of my growing zone, however. I'm USDA 4/5 (i.e. frickin' cold.)

What an amazing yard, Swimpy! An great place to live for sure. I love your big front porch.

The clothesline poles do bring back memories. Ours were the site of some stunning childhood gymnastics.

Actually, it's kousa! I always get that mixed up. They have 4-season interest. In early summer they bloom starting with a green flush and ending with interesting warm hues to the bracts. Then the unusual berries grow attracting birds. In fall the leaves turn gorgeous and the bark is lovely all year round.

Swimpy, the dogwood family is big and variable. There is a little woodland plant called bunchberry which is a dogwood. It has a couple leaves and a single flower followed by one small bunch of berries. It grows 4 inches tall, tops. The dogwood you have in the backyard and several athers grow as smallish shrubs. Corneliancherry is also a dogwood and grows as a large shrub.

I looked up Cornus capitata, one of my favs, but it doesn't look like a good fit for Iowa; didn't look up kousa this time. (didn't we also talk about trees earlier?).

I've a bias toward the native crabapple, can't remember if its name was Malus something or not. I'd look up native nurseriess to the region online and see what the possibilities are. They might have online planting lists, even shipping, or they may distribute to a non-native nursery closer to you. Among other things, I like the look of the crabapple with the house..

Malus, yes. I like the idea of natives, too. But, I think Swimpy should check to make sure it's got some resistance to rust and such. I like crabapples with brick - nice combo.