TrailGaiter

Originally, I was going to plant them near my chicken coop...which is in the front yard...(it's a nice looking building...), but I'm starting to have a change of heart. I have an ugly eye sore that's been a thorn in my side since this house was built 10 years ago. Right outside my front door are the big, concrete, septic tank covers...that of course we have to have access to, so they can't be buried, and I was told they HAD to go there. So, of course, they stick out like a sore thumb, and it's the first thing people notice when they come. Well...I've always considered putting some sort of planting bed around them, and maybe putting some planters on top of the covers themselves. I'm trying to picture having my two beautiful basjoos growing, one on each side of these two covers....just to help "soften" the area. I have some planters with persian shield and coleus in it, perhaps I could set those on top of the covers.... what do you think? I know I'd need to have them out a little ways, I'd want them to have room to "pup", but I'm thinking this could be a perfect option, since they don't really have a big root system to think about. I'd love opinions!

They'd get mostly sun here, except for the late evening when the sun is in the far western sky, closer to setting. And another plus, the garage where it is may protect the basjoos a little from the wind coming from the west. In this photo, you are looking south.

I am leaving for Iowa later this morning, but will try to check in tonight, otherwise I will be checking in here again later tomorrow when I'm back home! Thanks much!!

(there are currently some purple coneflowers planted in between the two covers, and some weeds...the basjoos, I'm thinking, would be planted in that general area, but out, of course, away from the covers, in the grass, to the left, and the right of the coneflowers.)

lava lounge

I would conceal those septic covers in a second. keep them accessable but come up with an idea to make a little oasis in that spot. also maybe the ground there may be a little warmer than the rest of the yard so that may help if your going to winter the basjoo there, who know's. Good luck..

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TrailGaiter

Just what I was thinking...a little "oasis" there, and I thought perhaps with the tanks there, the ground may be warmer over winter? (like planting along foundation keeps the ground warmer? Not sure.....but it was my guess too! Thanks!

lava lounge

Im in michigan and my tanks are under ground BUT in that area the snow is always gone sooner than other parts of the yard. I dont plant there because of location but my guess would be a good spot for you. Just make sure if that area is wet throughout the winter that the bananas are raised so they dont stay wet, I have not had good luck over wintering mine as of yet, my yard is to wet it seams. I went to planting the praying hands type of bananas and dig them up every year and store in the crawlspace of my house bare rooted. Bring them out about april, plant them in pots and let them grow them place them in the ground about now, they just over winter bare better then the musa basjoo.

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DoctorSteve

Maybe build an oval wooden planter box with a vent that covers them. Then you could cover them, plant in the top of it and plant stuff around it. The planter could have handles in it so it can be moved when needed, or a lid that comes off or something. I don't know much about septic tanks so forgive me if I am overlooking something. From what I understand they have to be emptied every so often so some handles to move it would make sense to me.

Or maybe a little brick wall around it that a wooden planter sits on top of.

lava lounge

Im sure doc steve and I could spend your money well for you. Maybe a possibilty would be start at the corner of the step/porch make a nice curving line out to the tank's and then back to the left corner of your house which would take in the tanks and the plantings you have already. You could use a garden hose to lay it out to see what you have first then, off with the grass in that area plant some nice tropical looking perennials plus your bananas. Im sure you could come up with an idea, its more work but maybe the flow of it may look nicer and less grass to cut . We will expect new pictures of the completed project by monday!!! LOL, just kidden.

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TrailGaiter

I was eventually thinking of doing that, Lavalounge! I want to read up on how those fancy landscapers make those nice edges on their planting beds...I'm no landscaper, but have the budget of a do-it-yourselfer! lol

I'm out of state for part of the weekend...but looking forward to getting back and getting ideas thought out even more! Sitting here, on my laptop, in my hotel room, somewhere in Iowa...thinking about my bananas, and front yard in Wisconsin...lol

varig8

No matter what you end up doing, I have an idea that will help to conceal your eyesores............. purchase some artificial turf, its not that expensive and comes in sheets or rolls. Its also weather proof, so would last quite a while. Ive seen several different grades but sure you could find it some place like maybe Home Depot or Lowes? Then just cut out matching circles for the tops and make some slits for the handles,etc. Cut some strips that will cover the sides and glue it all down permanently. Instant camouflage. Then you can plant around it to disguise it even further.

TrailGaiter

Varig8...never even thought of that! hmmmm

raygrogan

Fun project and some good ideas so far. As the guy who does both the mowing and the planting beds I try to make it easy on the mower and have lots of room for all the things I want to plant.

One of my favorite ways to make a border between lawn and planting area is a plain hosta. (It might be the one you have on right, longish dark leaves.) A row of these planted about a foot apart makes a solid line, and the mower can go right up to where the leaves hang over the grass, so you don't need to do any trimming, etc.

A way to lay out the bed is to make a line with your mower wheel following an easy curved shape. Everything inside of it gets sprayed with glyphosate, then plant the hosta pieces about a foot inside of the wheel line, then pile mulch or compost on the sprayed area, start filling it up with with basjoos and whatever else.

Dividing the hostas - there is probably an ideal season and way, but I have had good luck every time I try, often in the fall. I just slice the clump up with an old knife, and pretty small pieces will grow. The smaller the pieces the easier it is to plant.

The effect is sorta like the second picture down on this site: The Occasional Gardener: May 2007

TrailGaiter

Thanks for the idea Ray! I'd love the look! I don't want to go with too big of a planting area there, simply because that area of my yard is not all that big.... my garage takes up a large portion of the front of my house, so all I'm left with is a small area that consists of two bedrooms and my entryway inside the house itself. The house floorplan is quite square, deep, so the house looks smaller than it really is. I don't want to have this massive bed in front of the house. I LOVE hosta though...as you can see, I've got them growing in front of the house, and some in back by the pond as well. All of them were pieces of plants I divided from a friend's plants late last summer. The one you're talking about isn't a hosta (on the right side of the pic), that's a scarletta fetterbush, and a rather sad one at that. It suffered some winterburn....but it should come back in time.

So, I am back from Iowa, and drug the hose over there, and, the way I have it, it's a pretty narrow bed. I want to cover up those nasty eyesores, but weeding has not been something I've done a great job with, so the smaller the better! But I'm wondering, for looks, if it should be wider towards the house than I have it.... here's a pic. The more I look at it...the more I think I should go out more, towards the house. If anything, to make it easier mowing around those lines. (we use a rider). At least make the curve more subtle....

And the red dots are there to show where I'd considered planting the basjoo trees.

raygrogan

Assuming you are looking for ideas that may be a little nutty, and entertain you more than help you come up with something you like for the basjoo covers ...

The red line would be rider-mower friendly and give you a huge area to plant with something that would fit in with your house front.

For me a big open area covered with mulch is an easy area, about like a mowed area. I just walk around with a sprayer (or spritzer bottle) of Roundup glyphosate once a month or so and zap anybody I don't like. If I do it frequently enough I can get them small and they don't show.



Above I think it was Doc Steve who suggested building planter boxes. That reminded me of some boxes I saw in a Chicago suburb. These boxes aren't planters, they just mute the appearance of utility boxes the phone and cable companies put in. (Two closer views in my gallery to see how they are built.)

TrailGaiter

Thanks for yet another idea...and hey, I really like those boxes! The only conern I have with a larger bed, is wouldn't it make my house look even smaller? With the garage set in front of the house, it already gives the illusion of being smaller than it is...people say it all the time! I do have a whole house pic somewhere......

Speaking of pics, I just took new ones. I'm hot, totally sunburned, and have had a productive morning outside, aside from mowing the lawn. I got some stuff planted...but not my basjoos yet, although they are soaking up the sun outside. In the pic above, you see two concrete covers, and a PVC pipe behind them. The pipe....GONE! Wooo hooo! Cut off just slightly underground...with just a thin layer of soil over it....I know where it is, obviously, if the pipe is needed....but I don't have to look at it, I don't have to mow around it...and I'm thrilled! Hubby surprised me and took care of it while I was mowing.

I have a "thing" for milk cans. I have a few laying around.....I paint them up with a hammered metal finish, and found two pots that fit in 'em perfectly. Well, I have a coleus in one, and I put my persian shield in another. The coleus was hanging out over by the chicken coop...but I moved it. I've got one sitting on each one of the covers for now. Anyway......what I've taken a picture of....the vent pipe, GONE, and I put my two little basjoos about in the area I'd like to plant them. Think that's too close to the tanks? I'm thinking about ordering a couple of Colorguard Yuccas too...to put around the bananas somewhere...I just like them. I have a tropical heart...but living in So WI...hmmmm. I'd like to get some cannas as well, but I'm wondering if at this point I'm biting off more than I can chew...I'm debating. I've been offered some to purchase...but I've got so many open projects right now I'm wondering if I should hold on those. I've also got a nice bed in the back yard I'm working on. Just planted some lilies and ice plants in there this morning so far....and some phlox in the rock wall...and...ugh. I'm beat. But my plan was to get those basjoos in the ground. Thinking about just putting them there, and working around them with that bed when I can.

Thinking out loud here! Thanks for bearing with me! lol
Angie

And a closer up view...

raygrogan

Good work. I don't think I have any more brilliant ideeees ... can say I like your idea of using pictures to do landscaping plans. Eventually that ends up what you want if you ever sell, to have a great set of 4 pix to go in an ad. Makes sense to now look at those potential pix and see what you want to change. And see how you like what you've done, etc. I don't know what effect a bigger planting bed would have ... may you can learn to do that in some picture program, it's beyond me. And as far as a picture to show the house bigger, maybe you can find some angle, season, lens, etc. that helps you. Maybe from a neighbor's roof or in a big tree with Feb snow.

There is one funnly little advantage to the house looking smaller than it really is. One of the most enjoyable house tours I ever was given was down in the woods of Arkansas. It started with what would someday be a garage. John and Jan had built that first, with a plain wall where one day they would put in the bay doors. Inside that area was a gigantic sleeping and everything else room. Off to one end was the kitchen and bathroom. They all slept there in the years they were working on the main house. I was already impressed just with this garage part, and thought it was a good staging plan. Then we waltzed over to the main house. It started rather plainly, just a house in the woods. But once we got in a bit it opened up like an opera house. Views everywhere, it was perched on a cliff, looking down a very nice little valley. More levels down lower. Huge house overall, with everything you could want. But I see that all the time - the memorable effect was how I started with relatively low expectations and got blown away.

jeffaroo

Id build a bed out of railroad ties, plant all around it and cover the whole thing in mulch. Mulch is easy enough to pull back on septic days

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