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We have an unusual front entrance that will require some help. Short of expensive grading, the little area right outside the living room picture window might do well with roses.
The yard is somewhat terraced down to this area so this seems sunken but is level with the house.
The home was built in '63. We've been here less than 2yrs. We're working on it, (my other half is a contractor) have gotten a lot done. I should do a thread on that but there's so much left to do including exterior paint and gutters.
I'm thinking about filling in that small space with roses and putting stepping stones between. (stones from the yard, natural/granite, not slate) The porch is narrow and a straight line to the cars would be off the end, not following the existing stones/slate. Still I want to maintain that path, maybe put 4 or 5 bushes along the house, 4 on the other side of the path, and several to fill in with stepping stones to enable a person (hopefully not a drunk person - lol - ahem) to move around each bush.
In summer, Hostas grow there along the base of the little 15" wall and ferns grow in the rocks.
I've got window baskets to hang under the br windows. If we don't paint it soon I'm going to beat my head against the wall.
We will probably be relocating in another year or two. We don't want to do a lot of extra stuff. We still have a septic tank and replacement windows, some electrical rewiring, refurbish kitchen & bathroom cabinets.... That's the big stuff. The porch posts are on the list, too.
I want to add a 2nd bathroom in the basement/laundry area but that's another topic. (it's already plumbed).
Okay, now for the tiny pictures because I'm picture challenged despite moderator attempts to instruct me.
NOTE: firewood rack is 90% for the cat to see in the window and 10% utilitarian.
Another note: Looks tiny doesn't it? I'll add a picture of the back - we'd love to do a pergola across the back that would reach the top of the cement.
Last edited by hunterseat; 03-26-2017 at 12:12 PM..
My feeling is that roses will struggle there, because they love full sun. There are so many plants that would do well in semi shade that I would go with something else.
I would plant a Dogwood, Redbud, or Japanese Maple in front of the woodpile. This would be pretty out your window. Flank it with a couple of azaleas or rhododendrons. Then I would use hostas and Stella doro day lilies. These day lilies die back every winter like the hostas, so it is easy to clean out the beds in the spring. You can add other shade perennials if you want. Mulch it up purdy and call it done.
In the back, I'd get some nice flowering shrubs, like viburnum, or mock orange, etc. you don't say where you live, but you might be able to get some evergreen shrubs, so they won't be naked all winter. Dont crowd them too close to the house.
Everything that gentlearts said. Plus roses need good airflow to keep them healthy. Another thing that comes to mind. Looking at your photos, it looks like you might be in deer country. Deer just love a good rose bush.
I'm also a Viburnum lover. Can't go wrong with a few different varieties of them. This is one of mine called Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum 'Summer Snowflake.
Everything that gentlearts said. Plus roses need good airflow to keep them healthy. Another thing that comes to mind. Looking at your photos, it looks like you might be in deer country. Deer just love a good rose bush.
I'm also a Viburnum lover. Can't go wrong with a few different varieties of them. This is one of mine called Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum 'Summer Snowflake.
Beautiful!
Yes, there are so many viburnum, both evergreen and deciduous, berries, no berries, tall/short, that you can't go wrong.
Oh you nailed it when you said deer country! Probably doesn't help that I keep a deer lick under a tree out back and we have a "try to hit the deer tree from the deck" with apples. Okay I do like the deer.
Love the suggestions. Yep, I'm in CT so... I'd be aggravated when all my roses were eaten.
How about viburnum lentago?Viburnum lentago - Plant Finder
It is deer resistant, but probably could do with protection for a few years. It likes moist, alkaline soil. Bronzy spring foliage. White spring flowers. Edible black fruit.
You can also check out the other cultivars like annabelle, invinvibelle, incrediball etc. BTW there Are roses for at least part shade. My Dr. Huey does well in part shade and deer do not seem to bother it (very very strange). There are also hybrid musk roses such as felicia. I'm not sure about disease resistance or tolerance to cold.
Oh you nailed it when you said deer country! Probably doesn't help that I keep a deer lick under a tree out back and we have a "try to hit the deer tree from the deck" with apples. Okay I do like the deer.
Love the suggestions. Yep, I'm in CT so... I'd be aggravated when all my roses were eaten.
Deer think hostas are like candy, but I see you have that killer dog, so I'm sure you'll be fine.
I think hydrangeas would look very nice and do well at the front of the house.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hunterseat
Oh you nailed it when you said deer country! Probably doesn't help that I keep a deer lick under a tree out back and we have a "try to hit the deer tree from the deck" with apples. Okay I do like the deer.
Love the suggestions. Yep, I'm in CT so... I'd be aggravated when all my roses were eaten.
Since you are deer friendly and have made an effort to attract deer to your property then anything you plant around your house is now going to be seen by deer as an open invitation for them to dine on all the plants around your house.
That being the case you can't be very choosy about what you plant around your house for good looks and expect them to survive predation from deer. I think the first thing you need to do is research all manner of plants that are deterents or toxic to deer and make a list of them. Then choose the ones from that list that will grow in your climate and plant some of those.
We have an excessive deer population where we live. Here is the list of things we can grow without a full fence with either a top fence or at least 10' high:
daffodils
phragmites
rocks (although they will lick the rocks and push them around)
Roses are completely out of the question. They smell roses and they send out an invite to all of their friends. Even potted roses on the porch, they will come right up on the porch and eat them.
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Okay I do like the deer. 
