Help STLModern landscape his front yard!

[STLModern]

I am struggling with ideas.

Please give me your suggestions!

Feel free to photoshop the first photo.

[rockland]

[SDR]

[LaurelB]

Love your house and landscaping thus far. Where are you now? I'm a St. Louisan transplanted to Austin, TX. Your horizontal fence would fit right in down here. People use lots of native plants in Austin and some very "radical" landscaping for front yards - sometimes a field of geometrically planted clumps of Mexican feathergrass, but don't know if that would fly in St. Louis. We do a lot to avoid the traditional lawn because of water requirements.

[Chimay]

Love this house! Here's my $.02:


Paint: you didn't really ask, but I'd suggest that you make the roof beams all one color, and have it match whatever they're painted inside. Personally, I'd go with a dark brown but it's your call, of course. I'd also paint the fence to match the dark green of the house.

Sculpture: I think this is a great idea. Have you seen the sculptural pillars by Malcolm Leland for Architectural Pottery that Vessel USA has reissued? I think a few of those in the front would look great.



As someone who's only lived in houses in Hawaii and Southern California (I've always lived in apartments in colder climes), I can't really comment on plant choices for your area. But it strikes me that the photoshopped version of this looks very "Palm Springs" and I'm afraid that the gravel would get to be a mess when trying to rake leaves or shovel snow off of them. I'm sure you can judge that better than I can, though.

[STLModern]

This is what I'm currently considering. The border between the rock and grass would be treated 2x8's. Not sure about the Blue Oat grass grouping, so I'm up in the air on that still.

Let me know your thoughts. Don't worry you won't hurt my feelings.

[sparklegem]

I love your house and the colors that you have chosen. Especially that orange beam!

I like your first plan much better. (Hope that does not hurt your feelings!) It looks very simple and clean (and modern).

I am needing help with our landscape plan. I hope that you won't mind if I copy your idea and post a picture, too. I would love to get your input!

[cougarider]

Can you do a simple rendition on my home like you did on the picture posted. Both Front and back are pictured. I just finished clearing the back
and would like some ideas for a neat fence and paver work to keep it neat and clean. The backyard is in the shape of a pizza slice.
Thanks,

[img][img]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b122/cougarider/IMG_8936.jpg[/img]

[/img]

[img][img]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b122/cougarider/IMG_1477.jpg[/img][/img]

[STLModern]

cougarider, I can help you out with something after this month. It takes me some time to do renderings in photoshop. I'm self taught so I'm pretty slow. Hit me up in a few weeks.

[scowsa]

OK, you are obviously getting limited feedback, plus some requests :wink: , so here's my tuppence worth.

In the more recent photo I am not sure moving the wood element in front of the chimney (a cool element in its own right) adds anything. I liked the left side fence and given the price of lumber these days, that's where I would spend that money. I also think the chimney would provide a nice backdrop for a single, taller, "architectural" plant/shrub. Not sure what that might be in STL as here in SoCal it would probably be something on the succulent/cacti side.

As to the other plantings no particular issue with the choices, but here in SoCal I am seeing a move away from the totally linear/grid style of planting. I think this is happening for two reasons:
1. You cannot predict individual plant growth so those perfectly matched heights and widths become uneven and that unevenness stands out, particularly when viewed down the line. I can see that in a neighbor's garden planted 2+ years ago.
2. The view that gardens should be the softer element of the overall look of the house and that's still valid with MCM or modern, so one can still use architectural plantings, such as flaxes, without consistency in line and color. Check out the garden-specific editions of Sunset mag and you'll see what I mean.

So I encourage you to play about with those lines and different size and color plants in your "Photoshop nursery."

[moderns-r-us]

I personally do not think the planting material should wrap around the end of the new sidewalk. In fact, I would add about four more squares of concrete while leaving the small blue grass clumps stopping where they stop now. Think of it as a tongue of concrete sticking out. "When in doubt stick it out."

I would also consider using a different planting material along the face of the house. This will make a stronger line leading up to the front door with the line of unique material paralleling the sidewalk.

Some more height in plant material would be good next to the house.

The low wall does not do much for me and is too centered on the fireplace.

I also liked the new fence to the left of the house as shown previously.

[Izzy]

i think the grid style of planting is popular because for the most part, people know little about how to landcape. (myself included) ultimately, i love the more freeform, natural look when its done well. but so much is not done well and can make a neighbourhood look unruly. i have held back from commenting on this thread because i don't feel i have enough knowledge to give an informed idea but i love the horizontal fence and i think i liked the first idea better than the second. especially the orange jack.
your house is looking really good and as long as your playing around with photoshop, maybe do a mock up of something more natural and see if it does anything for you. Sunset mag IS a good source.
I am always happy when i plant grasses, lavender, rosemary... all of these are low maintainance yet have a natural feel to them. (imo)
i also like it when houses, especially mcm, look slightly hidden by the landscaping, like they are more a part of it.
thats about it

[egads]

I would also consider the view out the front windows. Is privacy a concern? You could use plants as a screen. You could also create a front patio. It seems like your front is very large. (especially to a Southern Californian) The context of the neighborhood matters as well. It seems rural, so privacy may not be a concern. I encourage garden art.

[Futura Girl]

mind you - this is soooo completely rough...

but i would tie the stonework from your fireplace into a small pony wall towards the front of your property and do staggered concrete pad steps leading up the front.
BTW ditch any and all signs of that red brick!

and your home seems to scream for topiary to me - but then - i think ANY house can benefit from topiary

and a nice focal point tree in your yard would be sweet - something that turns bright orange in fall! to compliment your door.

[Futura Girl]

cougarider - i would totally hansel and gretal up your home - with that sweet front porch lean-to you got going and all that red brick - this should be cinderella house on steriods!

little wood picket fence - with a cottage garden approach

[jesgord]

[scowsa]

[STLModern]

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything. I've been busy actually landscaping.

I appreciate all the feedback from everyone.

I stuck with something very close to my second design. Yes, it's very clean lined and Palm Springs esque'. I guess since most of you live in California and see this type of landscaping everyday it's not that new to you. But for around here it is out of the ordinary and draws alot of attention. It's been a week since I've had the landscaping done and I've had two people stop and tell me how "Awesome" it looks.

Futura Girl...Thank you for the topiary ideas. I plan on incorporating something in the future. For now my wallet is tapped out and all the topiary trees I've found are pricey, but I will be doing one.
















For additional pictures and to see the progress...



Thanks for looking.

[Izzy]

outstanding!
i wish everyone on my block would do something like this

[Stephen]

Wow...AWESOME!!!!

Since I'm into the nitty-gritty of things, would you mind giving us a materials list with costs?

[redneckmodern]

nice. very nice...

we searched our area for ACpads, but the ones we found were styro-cored with maybe a 1/2in of thin, cracking cement on the outside... are pads what you used for stepping stones?

i'ts nice to see the source of the human figure in your window (the painting) as well... in the earlier images, it seemed a bit spookier and i was too timid to ask: "is there a pale naked woman striking a pose in your den?"

[STLModern]

[jesgord]

[mjhaynes21]

looks great!!! where did you buy your front door from by the way?

[64Cat]

Really nice job. Gives me some more ideas about my landscaping.

I really love the way you did the house numbers (my favorite part actually.) Nice and clean.

Where did you get the tiki from?

[sparklegem]

[STLModern]

mjhaynes21...
Chic Lumber @ Hwy 70 and 79 in St. Peters. I don't remember the brand name but it's a 36" double bore insulated fiberglass (dent resistant).

64Cat...
Tiki was found at an Estate sale $2. It's carved out of pumice stone.

Everyone else...
Thank you for the kind comments.

[kraftdee]

Awesome!

[kraftdee]

This is going to sound really dumb but I don't know anything about this kind of stuff.
We have sand yard and the sand over time has receded. I want to fill it in at least (at the front door area) to the level of the house. Where would I buy sand and will they deliver it and install it? I can't physically handle a job like that.

[egads]

You would look under building materials. There are places that sell concrete block, sand, gravel and other stuff masonry contractors and landscape contractors use. Most yards like that deliver. They will leave it in your driveway) Any gardener could move it around.