This is our second spring season at this house. The person that sold it to us told us the guy he bought it from rented it out to tenants who basically turned the back into a junkyard. When we moved in there was no fence besides the neighbor’s, no grass and trash/junk/broken glass all over.
Last year we built a fence for the dogs, got a solid start on a concrete path, and got some grass to grow, etc. This year I really want to focus on addressing the unsightliness of this fence area. A tree removal company left that huge stump because there’s old chain link fencing stuck into the back that they said would mess up their chainsaw so we’ve been trying to slowly decompose it.. I really want to cover the neighbors fence but don’t know exactly what to plant that will grow tall and provide decent coverage without damaging the neighbors fence. If you’re curious, the reasoning for all of the horizontal boards along some of the bottom is that there was nothing there previously. we installed chicken wire to keep our dogs from escaping and then the neighbor’s dog busted through that and almost killed my dog so we had to reinforce that area 😬 For the record my neighbor is actually really cool and nice despite the challenges we’ve come across.
Basically it’s like 100ft of HOT MESS and I am overwhelmed with all the obstacles and ugliness that I can hardly even come up with a vision let alone a plan. Any ideas or advice is appreciated. We are on a DIY budget and aren’t afraid of hard work but we do not have thousands to give to a landscaping company unfortunately.
by bloop5861
10 Comments
Not sure if there is a specific reason for leaving the stump but I would be cautious leaving it to rot like that. It can attract termites and carpenter ants to the area and possibly your house.
Maybe you could look into mushroom spore plugs and grow some edible mushrooms on the tree for now! Check our North spore for a kit that includes the drill bit, wax for sealing, and mycelium plugs.
If you’ve got the time and patience, the best way to save a huge amount of money is to start perennials from seed, especially since you need to fill a lot of space. You don’t need anything fancy – I use a shop light from Lowe’s (works just as well as a grow light from a garden company), old egg cartons, and clear plastic covers from the disposable casserole pans you can buy at the grocery store. Get your seeds started NOW and you can have dozens of plants ready to go in the ground in May. They’ll take another year to really fill in and look good but you’ll save hundreds of dollars.
That stump is not an obstacle it is a free planter. Since the center is already rotting out just fill the cavity with rich compost and stuff a vigorous trailing plant right inside it. Something tough will cascade down the sides and completely hide the jagged wood by midsummer. For the massive root base just bring in a few wheelbarrows of topsoil mound it right over the top and plant a sweeping mass of durable groundcover to swallow the whole area while the wood breaks down underground.
To hide that patched up fence without causing moisture damage to the wood you need to pull your planting bed about three feet forward into the yard. Dogs are going to run the fence line no matter what you do so give them that hidden dirt track behind the plants to do their security patrols without trampling your garden. Lay out a deep sweeping curve with a garden hose and plant a solid continuous mass of upright evergreens. Buying smaller nursery pots or bare root stock keeps it well under budget and in three years you will have a thick structural green wall that completely erases the mess from your sightline.
Looks like you’re in St. Louis. I’d visit the Missouri Botanical Garden for inspiration–take photos and notes about what you like: what materials, what plants, etc.
I’d argue in favor of going with natives: [Native Plants for Your Landscape | Missouri Department of Conservation](https://mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/native-plants-your-landscape)
Consider how you want to use the space and plan “rooms” for each activity.
Find suitable plants online through your states native plant society. they will have plant lists and probably name some places for you to buy seed/ small plants.
Home improvement stores have plants/shrubs/trees at 50% off at the end of planting season (late June/July). I stocked up last year. Just need to ensure to water frequently through the summer
To accelerate that stump, drill lots of holes to let water and air into it. For short-term, fill with soil and plants some nice flowering vines to spill out. Or just chop at it when you’re frustrated!
The picture was not ideal but I tried it anyway on my garden design app. I picked *wild and native* as the style, and left the middle open for your dog. Also avoided plants that can be harmful to it.
If you liked it, you can follow the steps in the report. Especially check the transformation phases, then move to planting instructions. The materials are also listed there. Let me know what you think. Good luck!
[**What it will look like**](https://mynext.garden/api/v1/download/realistic/c0310436-da82-446f-b6c3-c6e7dd5c09f7?token=YzAzMTA0MzYtZGE4Mi00NDZmLWI2YzMtYzZlN2RkNWMwOWY3LjIwMjYtMDQtMDVUMjA6MjI6MjAuNzY4Wg.B0L2qegvxElkMqqYR79xk40vjRNVP8pP2Rva3vnf8jA)
[**Design Report – Guide**](https://mynext.garden/api/v1/download/report/c0310436-da82-446f-b6c3-c6e7dd5c09f7?token=YzAzMTA0MzYtZGE4Mi00NDZmLWI2YzMtYzZlN2RkNWMwOWY3LjIwMjYtMDQtMDVUMjA6MjI6MjAuNzY4Wg.B0L2qegvxElkMqqYR79xk40vjRNVP8pP2Rva3vnf8jA)
First, that fence is a wild mishmash of wood and is out of control, lol. Secondly, my advice is to just take it slow and do one section at a time each year, and slowly build it out over time. Along the back I would plant pines or arbor vitae, as those give cover all year long. Then in front look up what is native to your area and plant some things in front of it.