Form verses Function: Landscaping around the Main House
Landscaping the backyard with my trusty design assistant Daisy!
Having a beautifully landscaped property is something I’ve always wanted. I’m an artist and I like living in a visually pretty place and believe that sometimes form must over rid function. However, since we bought our property in 2023, my focus has been on function and getting my Palisade Posh business off the ground. First it was building the Airbnb and starting the Market Garden and then cleaning up the area around the pole barn. After that it was all about weed management and getting hard scape down and irrigation. I’m learning very quickly that if you don’t have water, nothing will grow, well except weeds… they grow everywhere! Landscaping and making the property pretty (aka form) has been at the bottom of the list. With all that has happened with Andy, I’ve decided to move it to the top of the list this year and work a bit on ‘form’. I need something pretty in my life, now more than ever!
The main house, our home, is surrounded by nine Pecan trees, there are a few rose bushes and a couple of peonies along the front of the house. The backyard had a few Lilac bushes, Pecan trees, our Bocci ball court, and two patios, one on the north side and one on the south side with a gray paver path connecting the two patios. Surrounding the house is a beautiful green lawn. Overall, it’s not very inspiring visually, but it’s a start.
Black Rod Iron Arbor
After much contemplation, usually over coffee in the morning or a glass of wine in the evening on the North patio, I’ve come up with a game plan. I’m going to start on the North side of the backyard and slowly over time work my way over to the south side. The pathway that connects the two patios is the springboard. Using it as my guide, I laid weed barrier down along the outer edge of the North patio and then installed a no dig edging. Together this should keep the weeds and the grass out of the boarder and the mulch in. I did the same thing along the fence. These two boarders connect the North patio and the Bocci ball court area that also includes another outdoor dining table and chairs. In between the two areas is lawn. I bought a black rod iron arbor and installed it on the side of the patio. This creates an entrance into the backyard. Now when you enter through our side gate you either come onto the patio or you walk under the arch into the back yard.
With this hardscape in place, next up is mulch and a wee bit of gravel under the arch so there is a smooth transition from the gravel path that is there and the lawn. Once I have that down, I can start bringing in plants. I want to grow Honey Suckle over the arch. I love the smell, and I know our hummingbirds will enjoy it. Because a lot of this area is in shade, I’m going to plant Elephant Hosta’s and Bleeding Hearts along the edge of the patio. Lining the fence I think I will plant hydrangeas as all three do well in shady or semi shady areas. I’ve already planted two Miss Kim Lilac bushes on either side of the arch. That area gets a fair amount of sun so I’m hoping they will do well. I’m also thinking about adding some daylilies in the boarders for additional color. I what to plant something kind of vine along the fence behind the hydrangeas but I’m undecided as to what that might be. Under consideration includes more Honey Suckle, Concord Grapes or Clematis. It will depend on the amount of light is needed and what is light there is. I’d love to include some Lavender but again I’m not sure if I get enough light. I did plant three lavender plants in the sunny area between the house and the paver pathway near the north patio. I’m watching to see how they do and if they thrive I may plant more. I’m considering planting some Jasmine as a companion plant to the Lavender long the house. It’s a start and it feels good to be working on landscaping that is not related to the market garden and the business.
As I continue to move southward, I will work on the middle area along the back of the yard, laying down more weed barrier and mulch to keep the weeds under control. Once that is in place then I will work on landscaping that area. As there is no irrigation getting to that part of the yard, I’m thinking I will create more of a Mediterranean garden in that section. But one step at a time… for now, it just feels good to be creating something that is more about form than function. Focusing on the business was all about function… this landscape project is all about form!
