New homeowner and would like advice on where to start — in the Midwest, zone 6b. I think perhaps a tree on the left side with mulch around it? Or is a tree too difficult to start with and I should try something more beginner friendly? If a tree, I was thinking dogwood, buckeye, or red bud… feedback??
I am very limited with time and budget and think of this as a many year project, not looking to dive super deep my first summer in.
by Ok-Reputation9799
5 Comments
Let everything grow out for a year to see what you have going on. Identify invasive plants and remove.
Trees are
Good to start with as they are low maintenance. I like dogwoods.
I started with the areas I found most annoying to mow. Little sharp corners, around trees, along fences. And then just gradually increased it.
You don’t have to do everything at once! But absolutely plant a tree – I love a pagoda dogwood for spring flowers, summer fruit that the birds devour and fall foliage.
The other priority would be to identify what is already growing in your garden. r/whatsthisplant and r/PlantIdentification can help.
Looks to me like you have some potentially native violets at the edge of your lawn, for example!
Check out your local native plant society- they likely have meetups with low cost plants and free advice for your next steps!
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/5-steps-to-plant-a-tree/
I’d mow, once, first before I got a citation and came here asking how to get out of/around it. Then, I’d draw out a plan of how I wanted to divide the yard and start scrounging up materials, like used bricks, edging strips, lumber, to make the whole thing look manicured and intentional. IME trees, shrubs from, like a garden center, are expensive. It would look good with a pair of different color flowering trees either side of the walk in the nooks of where it curves, this way and that. Go check out r/arborists for lots of free advice on how trees *should* be planted, though.
Definitely start with trees. That will give you some initial structure and you can see what that does with light and shade. What’s more, if you put in beds or whatever first, chances are you’d have to tear that up when planting a tree.
Spend the season watching light, colours, where the water collects, what you think you will want to be doing when outside.
Look for Native Plant Society chapter and similar resources. Maybe look around the neighbourhood , local oarks and Nature Preserves to see what’s thriving, or it overabundant in your immediate area so you don’t add to a monoculture ( or”limited-o-culture).
If you don’t have them already, get iNaturalist and maybe PictureThis, to identify and learn!
What a blast!
Now tell us about the back yard?