How to Plan a Foundation Planting for Your Home

There are several different planting styles to choose from when planning a foundation planting for your home. You can go formal, casual, symmetrical, or staggered, depending on your personal preference. In addition, foundation plantings can be informal or colorful. For example, a foundation planting with clumps of flowers can be a beautiful way to showcase a beautiful specimen tree. Plants such as ‘Golden Elf’ spirea, ‘Jane’ magnolia, ‘Red Dragon’ Japanese maple, and two types of salvias are suitable for this type of planting.

Formal

Formal foundation planting is a good way to integrate landscape elements with the architecture of your home. It is important to balance different planting materials so that they don’t clash with the structure. For example, don’t plant the same type of trees or shrubs on the same side of the house. Instead, choose plants that offer different textures, layers, and heights. It is also important to use a variety of plants and shrubs in different parts of the foundation planting.

You can use both color and texture to accent the overall theme of your foundation planting. The colors you choose will impact the way the plants look and feel. Some plants may look stunning on their own, but they will look their best when planted together in rows or batches. Shrubs that are evergreen or blooming are great choices for formal foundation planting.

Casual

Casual foundation planting is an excellent way to bring life to a hillside. It is a simple way to make your home look more beautiful, and you can choose plants that grow at various heights. You can choose from small ornamental trees and upright evergreens for the tallest elements of your planting scheme, or mix and match shrubs and perennials of various shapes and sizes to fill in the gaps.

When choosing foundation plants, you should always choose those that provide interest throughout the year. For example, planting with winter-hardy evergreens can keep the landscape looking interesting even if it is covered in snow. Similarly, choosing plants that bloom in the spring can provide interest around the front door throughout the year. And, for even greater interest during the colder months, you can use perennials or shrubs.

Symmetrical

Symmetrical foundation plantings create a harmonious look in a garden. This style of planting is often used for formal architectural style homes and front entry landscaping. However, symmetrical plantings can be tricky to keep looking perfect over time. For example, a symmetrical shrub bed may grow to be different heights after a few years. A symmetrical planting could also have one of the shrubs die due to disease or a pest, leaving its partner a lonely bookend.

For the first layer of planting, medium-sized shrubs should be chosen. They should reach about four feet in height when fully grown. You can also use a mix of evergreen and deciduous plants. However, keep in mind that all deciduous selections will appear barren in the winter months. Also, take into account the bloom time of each plant. For example, if you love to see flowers in the spring and summer, you should choose shrubs with several blooming periods.

Staggered bloom times

If you are in the midst of a foundation planting, consider using plants with staggered bloom times to create non-stop color. To do so, first take inventory of the plants you have in your yard. Note their bloom times, heights, textures, and other characteristics. Then, plan to fill in the gaps with summer bloomers.

Planting shrubs, trees, and other shrubs with staggered bloom times can help create an interesting and cohesive design for your foundation. You can also use annuals to fill in the gaps until the plants mature. A staggered planting scheme also makes it easier to manage the size of plants and to avoid overcrowding.

Size

Foundation plantings are a simple way to add color and texture to your yard. In general, you should plant a mixture of 50 percent evergreens, 25 percent deciduous shrubs, and 25 percent perennials. However, you should adapt this formula to the needs of your particular site. Also, consider the space between plantings. Ideally, you want the plantings to be pushed out from the house. This will reduce the likelihood of them damaging the exterior of your home.

Planting near the foundation should be low-growing and drought-tolerant. You also should leave adequate space between shrubs and the house’s corners.