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This is my problem: As you can see in the photo, the side of my house has one big blank wall except for the side door. That side of the house faces west. To the very left of the photo is my satellite dish mounted on a post in the ground which is about 5 feet from the house. Whatever I plant can't block the dish. I'm feeling so overwhelmed. I love flowers and plants that have fragrance, but I'm open to everything.
Thanks for any information you can share.
Thank you for the suggestions! I can picture a trellis now that you mention it. It would really spruce up the area but not interfere with the satellite dish. Onward to find a beauty of a trellis! :)
Actually, Dale, I'm inclined to agree with you, especially as this exposure is a western exposure. I'd want to plant the heck outa the west side of a house. Trees, shrubs, layered ground and air space in order to reduce the heat and the sun exposure. And if a parking lot is desirable, make it decorative, multiple squares, perhaps, circular driveway upon which to park, whatever.
It's a western exposure and needs, I would think, some protection . . . if not for heat then for the painted surfaces.
Just my opinion, Wuzo. It's only a dish tower, afterall. Good luck. Linda
edited to add: Oh, and it appears that the dish is pointing nearly due south and aside from consideration of the location of the receiver inside the structure, could easily be placed on the east side of the house. Don't know the technical considerations, but couldn't the wiring be run the length of the house from the other side? A dish is ugly, BTW, no matter where you place it. I have mine on top of my house, tucked in between two roofs, not totally hidden, but somewhat. That's the only rooftop utility which is hidden, BTW. The dual pack heater/cooling unit is FULLY visible from the backyard, ugh! Nasty looking thing.
Hi again. Twincol, I couldn't agree with you more! I was expecting my satellite dish to be put on the house, but they said they no longer do that due to many leaks in attics from winds ripping at them. Sigh. The septic is on the other side of the house. I'm looking for an easy way to do it all. I'm a 61 year young female and do all the work myself, but I will mull the thoughts of having it moved.
Dale... the driveway really does look like a parking lot...LOL. Something else to tackle! Sheesh, it never ends!
Hi, backatcha, wuzo15! Hey, my 61st birthday hits the calendar this month. And I, too, do all the work around here myself as well, girl! Celebrate life . . . The need to be creative never ends, does it? Hang in there, it'll come together. We'll get it worked out.
I'm off to "system restore" my laptop 'cause downloading/installing iTunes 8.0 has started crashing my system. Phooey! I'll be back.
Hey, Twincol! A Fresno gal! I've never been out to California, but I'm hoping to next year! I was surprised to get an email a couple years back from my old boyfriend from HS...He's out in Santa Monica. I also have a female friend I used to work with when I lived in NJ and she moved out to Santa Rosa. Gee...now I know 3 people in California!!
Thanks for the pep talk. As much as I have always loved gardening, this property has overwhelmed me! I like things done yesterday, if you know what I mean. I have to cool my jets and enjoy the moment :)
Nice hearing from you. Good luck with the laptop and happy birthday!
Hi wuzo15,
I also do all the landscaping work here (I'll be 59 next April), so I understand how you feel starting with a blank slate. If you haven't decided on what type of vine you want to put on a trellis, consider clematis. It comes in so many pretty colors, it's easy, and all mine are still blooming. They don't do too much the first year but once they put down some good roots, they just keep getting bigger and prettier every year. Also, if you'd like a little evergreen with some height but not too much, cleyera shrubs are easy to grow and stay nice all year. You could put one on either side of your steps. And of course there's the ever dependable azaleas. I put the evergreen types because a few spots of green is so welcome during the dreary months of winter.
Daiseycat, you mean something like my Canadian flowers? Like these? I have a sun hanging around here somewhere and need to get it up sometime, also. [chuckling]
JulieQ...no plans in the works for a garage or carport at this point in time. Maybe waaaay in the future, when my investments go up! I'm not holding my breath...LOL
NatureLover1950 I've never heard of cleyera shrubs. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll be googling that one to check into.
I like the garden art Twincol! Daiseycat you have given me more food for thought! Thanks.
You've all been great with ideas! My gray matter is now about to explode...LOL. If only I had a bazillion dollars to have everything done and then I just do the maintenance. Ahhhh...nice to dream, isn't it? :)
OK, Wuzo, so you got my juices going and I had to snag the ladder and climb up the wall here. Now the sun is up, if not in the sky, at least on my wall in the patio. Wahoo!! Not sure what I think about it, but it can be moved simply enuf.
BTW, these things are hanging from the wood trim at the top of the wall, rather than wall-mounted. I just wasn't willing to punch holes into a lath and plaster wall, with dash-coating stucco, thus committing me to the arrangement I had laid out. Moreover, it just makes no sense to be punching holes in an outer wall. So I took wire covered with white plastic and squint just a bit to lose sight of them.
As an aside, these flowers are a heavy metal and were hand cut and welded by a guy in Canada who sold them on eBay. His specialty was actually molded concrete statues of various animals, dogs and cats, primarily. I purchased a number of them one year, mostly to donate to the poodle rescue group fundraiser, keeping more than my share. I have several cats, dogs of various breeds . . . and the flowers you see here. He was shutting down this particular business, which he did to raise funds for animal rescue in his part of Canada. He went into another product line to accomplish the same purpose, apparently due to the difficulty in managing the materials he worked with to make the artwork I bought. An age-related decision, not that any of us can relate, eh?
And Wuzo, you must give yourself a break!! You note, I think, that you've not been here long. I mean . . . puleeeease! You don't think any of the rest of us accomplished what we have in just one year?? I've lived in my house since 1976, alone since 1986. I rationalize my slow work by reminding myself that in order to express myself on my home my ideas must "simmer" over time. I mean, it's not like I designed myself as I am today in just a year, afterall!! Take it slow, savor the process, enjoy the work! Give yourself a break!!
I just LOVE that sun! It seems to my eye to be just the "right" place for it! I love that little corner of your house. Very welcoming!
I've been selling on and off on eBay myself for years. I'd like to start a lil' side business, but I really don't want to make it full time, dealing with wholesalers, etc. I sell an occasional item here and there. I'm toying with selling plants from my garden. One project at a time!
Wow! That Blaze Climbing Rose would look good against any sunny wall...like mine! Is it scented?
That would be a great addition to YOUR landscape, WUZO. It wouldn't take up any parking space either.
I have a problem with the wind. ( I live in the Midwest) I have never had a trellis that didn't break.
If you do something like that with a trellis, you need to attach it to the wall in several spots with "stand-offs" that hold it 8 or so inches away from the wall. That prevents soooo many problems.
No scent on this rose really but really looks great most of the summer. Spring is its best time but blooms most the summer time here in PA. It can get blackspot so I spray it everyday year. I love it and its about 5 years old now..
I was born and raised in Edison NJ. Got married and lived in Cranford, then Andover. Where are you? I consider Edison central, but more towards the east coast. and thanks for the suggestions. This is going to be a very slow transformation, but well worth it.
Glad to see some New Jersey people on here. I was raised in Morris County, NJ, but moved down here to the Atlanta, area to avoid the cold winters. This winter has been surprisingly cold, but generally over the past 16 years we have been glad we made the move. We sure miss the NJ tomatoes though. About your house . . I have to go along with the shade tree suggestion . . either that or a line of arborvitaes.
I sure wish I could move the satellite dish to the roof but they do't allow it anymore..at least in my area. They said they had too many repairs to make on the roofs. Mostly the wind that does that. I was considering havig it moved to another part of my yard. I have to agree,it limits my options.
Flowerjen! Sayreville? The home of Jon Bon Jovi? I do remember the town a bit. I had an Aunt and Uncle that lived in South River and a friend in New Brunswick.
Umgowq...I know Morris County extremely well. I was a stones throw in Sussex County. Nice to see some Jersey folks on this site. My sister now lives in GA...Fayetteville to be exact. She's been there for over 20 years and just loves it.
Thanks for all the suggestions. :) I have a few things in mind that I will be getting to in the Spring. I'm going to end this thread for the time being though. Happy Gardening, Everyone!!
