How much does landcaping cost? Need help with landscaping plan (flower, grow)

[winder3327]

We plan on redoing our front landscape. One of the landscapers suggests that we should use the following plants:

impatiens
ground cover jasmine
gold mound
loripetalum
daylilies
spathophylum (?)
purple green
italian cypress (only 2)
eugenia hedge

Here is what he suggests:

4 layers: gold mound, then purple green, then daylilies, then jasmine

I mentioned to him that we want something with low maintenance. I have no idea what the above listed plant are. Do you think 4 layers are too much?

Thanks for any suggestion!

[Thyra]

What area of the country are you in? That makes a difference, because one of the plants you mentioned is a Peace Lilly..usually considered an indoor plant.
Of course if you are in Florida it would be OK
I would look at pictures of the plants he mentioned and see if you like them,first...Start Small!!! You can always add more at a later date. I spend half my time removing and re-arranging because I wanted it all right away and got overwhelmed

[winder3327]

Originally Posted by Trudy Rose

What area of the country are you in? That makes a difference, because one of the plants you mentioned is a Peace Lilly..usually considered an indoor plant.
Of course if you are in Florida it would be OK
I would look at pictures of the plants he mentioned and see if you like them,first...Start Small!!! You can always add more at a later date. I spend half my time removing and re-arranging because I wanted it all right away and got overwhelmed

Hi, thank you for sharing the info. I am living in Florida :-)

I did mention to him that we want something with low maintenance. However, after doing some research on the types of flower that he suggested, I think there are a few that do not fit in the low maintenance category. Example: impatiens, daylilies, spathophylum (?), and loripetalum. Do you think so?

[AnotherBravesFan]

From my limited gardening knowledge:
Around here impatiens are annuals, do best in shade. Very popular flower, so it can't be that labor intensive.
Loropetalum is a burgundy colored shrub that doesn't appear to be high maintenance in the yards I've seen it in. I really liked it the first time I saw it because the color was so different, but now that I've seen it in several yards for the last few months, I'm not sure I want it in mine. I'd go with one as a specimen, as too much of this color can be overwhelming.
In everything I've read, daylilies are touted as great basic colorful plants that will naturalize in the right setting, have a long bloom season, and are drought tolerant. I hope to plant several in my yard.
Can't comment on the other; don't know what it is.

[mamh]

Hi
I'm out west in the willamette valley of oregon, so what we can do here is different that what you can do..If I were you I would take the list of plants to a good nursery, not home depot or lowes but a good local nursery and talk to them about the plants and what you want, tell them the location of the bed ect..
good luck

[Thyra]

Originally Posted by winder3327

Hi, thank you for sharing the info. I am living in Florida :-)

I did mention to him that we want something with low maintenance. However, after doing some research on the types of flower that he suggested, I think there are a few that do not fit in the low maintenance category. Example: impatiens, daylilies, spathophylum (?), and loripetalum. Do you think so?

Well, I don't think you can get more low maintenance than Impatients..pretty much you keep them watered and a little fertilizer and that's it
The Peace Lilly pretty much the same. Don't think I've seen Daylillies in Florida..but that would depend on where you are, I've only been to the Keys.I have Daylillies here in the Grim North and they pretty much take care of themselves

[winder3327]

I have two different plans/designs for our front landscape to consider. In your opinion, which one is better in terms of "low maintenance" and "cost effectiveness/lower cost"? I would like to have a Tuscan/Italian look :-)

Thanks in advance

[Thyra]

I kind of like the first one...but would probably not do the island right away. Remember, with ground cover, the weeds will come up through them. I have ground phlox and it's an on going battle to weed under them.

[winder3327]

Originally Posted by Trudy Rose

I kind of like the first one...but would probably not do the island right away. Remember, with ground cover, the weeds will come up through them. I have ground phlox and it's an on going battle to weed under them.

Thanks!
The island is already there when we bought the house. It is also the existing design/shape. We just need to fill it in with the plants :-)

[FLPL75]

winder I see you are in Orlando

The first question is what kind of sun will the beds get ? This will determine what plant to put in.
Another thing to keep in mind is your watering availability, do you have a sprinkler system in the beds as well as different sun requirements many plants have different water needs.

Impatiens - are very low maintenance but they need to be in shade even part sun in Orlando will be too much heat. These are goign to need frequesnt watering.
gold mound - I am presuming this is lantana, is a full sun the mounding is suppose to remain in a mound regular lantana will need pruning to stray in control. once established these have very low watering needs.

loripetalum - this is also full sun you can shape it into a hedge appearance or let it grow I have seen some get as tall as 5 & 6'

daylilies - full sun loves drought conditions once established there are a few varieties like "wilson" daylilies that will bloom during the summer.

I noticed in the second drawing they had suggested some topiary's these IMO are high maintenance if a plant is any kind of design or shape you will have to do lots of pruning to keep the shape.

A great resource is your County Extension office, they usually have Master Gardeners available to answer any of you plant questions. They are experts in "right plant, right place"