The drip line of your roof is an important factor in locating foundation plants even in regions which do not get much or any snow and ice. Falling rain should reach the plants, so, except in unusual cases, they should be placed at least a foot beyond the drip line. At first they may look as though they were sitting out there by themselves, but in time, as the branches spread and the plants get larger, they will gradually reach back to the house and occupy all the space provided for them.

Plants under Eaves

When under unusual circumstances, you have to place plants under the broad eaves of a mod em type house, it is perfectly all right to do so if you make sure of a constant and sufficient supply of water for them. Do not wait until the soil is bone dry before applying water; set up a regular schedule of watering (adjusted to the weather, of course) so that the plants will never be in danger of injury from drought.

Mulch

If you do not choose to maintain a ground cover under the plants, the next best thing is a layer of mulch which will keep the soil cooler in hot months and keep a supply of moisture in the ground over a longer period. This practice is absolutely essential to success in regions where several months of hot, dry weather are the rule.

The temptation to grow flowers in the midst of the foundation planting is widespread. My own view is that theoretically and ideally there should be no flowers in the public area, including the foundation planting. However, the desire for flowers is so strong that it is next to impossible to convince the average home owner that he should not have some annuals or perennials in his front yard.

If you feel that you must do that, one permissible way to do it.

Keep in mind the fact that foundation plantings “wear out” much as do the clothes we wear. Do not be disappointed at the looks of some plants after 10 or 15 years.

Instead of trying to shear them down into so many inverted ice cream cones or spheres or flat topped cylinders, you should be willing to tear them out and put in a new planting that will last another 10 or 15 years.

Quality

In plants, as in everything else, there is good and inferior quality material, and the latter will not save you money in the long run. It grows quickly and you pay less for it in the beginning; but it requires a lot of care over the years, and it never really becomes attractive. Moreover, because it overgrows the place quickly, an inferior quality planting cannot be expected to last much more than 6 to 8 years.

On the other hand, plants of good quality look more attractive as long as they are in place and often such a planting will last for 20 or even 30 years. So take your choice. It is your money and your landscape.

Front Elevation Sketch

It is a good idea to make a front elevation sketch of your foundation planting ideas before you decide on a final plan. You do not have to be an artist to do this; it is simply a question of drawing straight lines that will represent solid masses. This shows how this can be done without knowing about the plant which you will eventually decide to use. Here, as in our discussion on how to purchase trees, it is important to figure out first the areas to be filled with plants. Later on you can decide what plants to use. The sooner you acquire skill in using your imagination to picture masses of foliage, the sooner your landscape designing efforts will take on professional tone.