Three Steps to a Big Show
Break down a landscape problem into small ideas, and the solution becomes achievable. This front border is proof: it was completely transformed in three easy steps. Check it out!
- Don’t be afraid to start over. Originally, overly tall plantings framed the steps and weak, spindly azaleas lined the foundation. We pulled them all out, and relocated them all to a less prominent place in the backyard. We were left with a blank canvas, perfect for a complete new border design.
- Do some foundation work. First we cleaned the porch foundation wall backing the flowerbed. Then, we painted it a terra-cotta color to complement the brick floor on the porch. Instead of being an eyesore, the wall now blends into the home’s façade. Next, we placed three large, square pots in the border, centering them in the bed. A cone-shaped boxwood in each established a mature-looking foundation planting instantly. The pots elevate the shrubs,, so you get big impact with smaller, less expensive plants.
- Fill in with flowers. The spaces between the boxwood containers were just right for seasonal blooms such as tulips, violas and parsley for a spring show. Across the border’s back, a row of foxgloves extends the bloom season once the tulips die down. For summer, impatiens and caladiums make an appropriate, long-lasting combination.
These Southern Living editorial tips presented to you by Walpole Woodworkers
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