Landscaping front of Ranch home

[busgirl]

Help - in 2 weeks we will have to dig up the front of my father-in-laws home to repair basement walls. We are trying to settle his estate and the house is for sale. I'm hoping that I might save two or three of his lovely rose bushes (bad time of year to do this to them though), but am happy to lose the big evergreen/yew thing and the brick planter. I think the planter makes the house seem shorter and it's absence will open things up. But . . . what to do to nicely define the entryway? Your suggestions would be SO appreciated!!!

[image]http://www.flickr.com/photos/65983835@N07/6033017211/in/photostream[/image]

NO idea if this picture will appear (first timer), but the link to it is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65983835@N0...hotostream

[IntrepidMeredith]

Here's my two cents (inflation may vary): You'll probably want to put something in place of the yew, but I'd probably go for a 5-8' tall, narrow, columnar shape (holly, boxwood, barberry and cyprus all have columnar varieties), or at least something more airy and open.

Alternatively, if you don't mind a bit more work, I would actually extend the bed down the side of the driveway. It could either connect to the bed we can see in the foreground, or stop short of it. If the bed was about 6' wide, then you could put a weeping maple, small magnolia, crabapple or some other short (<15'), open tree in there with some low maintenance perennials and maybe some small (1-2') shrubs around it.

Or you could lay cobblestones, instead of a planting bed, along the driveway. This would turn it into an extension of the entry area under the roof overhang, &/or a small, front yard patio if it were large enough, and just edge it with a 2' wide bed.

I think you'll have many options just depending on your time and budget. Good luck!

[Guest]

I suggest you put in more lovely flowers in pots along the entryway to make it more alive.

I've had my garden decorated with lovelt mango punches many years back then and up to now my garden still glows.

[nofeargardener]

What did you end up going with? Would love to see some finished photos or a description of what you ended up with. Hope it all went well for you!