Are Foundation Plantings Necessary?
Monday September 8, 2008
Foundation plantings have been getting a lot of negative publicity lately. Critics say that the cookie cutter appearance of yews clipped into neat little meatballs and boxes is uninspired and unattractive. Maybe. Proponents like the tidy, manicured cohesiveness foundation plantings can bring to a neighborhood. We’re not really a front porch society any longer and most gardeners prefer to spend their time in the privacy of their backyard, but we still want a welcoming entrance to our home. About’s Landscaping Guide, David Beaulieu, offers some ideas for creating a gracious entryway with a mix of traditional shrubbery and a splash of the unexpected.
Photo: © Marie Iannotti (2008) licensed to About.com, Inc.
Comments
Great post, Marie. Foundation Planting articles are hard to come across on the web, but I think people are always looking for more attractive ways to cover up a raised foundation – or as David points out – a very long strip of vinyl siding.
Just FYI, I have an article on Flowering Foundation Gardens with step by step planting instructions over on my blog.
Regards,
Emma
Great article. We bought a 1981 split foyer on a gorgeous lot, but with horribly overgrown (ugly) foundation plantings blocking light from all the lower level windows. Literally on day one, we cut down 2/3 of the mess. We’ve added ground cover, flower boxes and ornamental grasses…softened and updated the area. The house lives and breathes again thanks to removing the old, nasty stuff and letting the light in. We used many of the ideas you suggested. We’re now doing a complete make-over of the walkway and creating a front yard patio/pergola and our plan includes many of your suggestions.
As someone who has taught a course on “burgler-proofing” your home, I have a problem with foundation plantings. Trees, shrubs, tall grasses or even flowers that are over 30 inches tall make excellent cover for anyone who might want to break into your house. It takes thieves less than 15 minutes to enter your home. Plantings that you can easily see through in daylight will become camoflage at night. If you must have foundation plantings around your house, then you need to keep them low and well lit. Don’t make your house an “easy” target. It is just one more thing you need to think about in your landscape design.
One of most interesting garden books,is Liz Primeau’s
Front Yard Gardens (2003).
She describes in photos the transformation of her front lawn into a garden, over several years.
Your library has it and it’s out in paperback.This is one garden book I would buy.
Also, some of us live in houses from the 19th century.
The porch, the connection to people walking by, is still
important.
I just came back from a garden tour in Portland, OR and got a chance to see dozens of front yard gardens. What a sight! Most of the yards were rather small, making them easier to maintain, but they were spectacular, with a huge amount of diversity. I’m definitely intrigued.