Landscape boundaries around a house increases its curb appeal in addition to the value of this property. Small trees, shrubs, perennials and ground covers all have a spot in the edge. Building the landscape edge yourself enables you the freedom to select favorite plants and to try new interesting varieties that are appealing to your color scheme. The edge around the house does not need to be planted all at once, but filled throughout the year.
Mark the outline of this landscape edge around the house with spray paint. Eliminate all weeds, grass and debris in the area within the edge. Loosen the soil with a shovel to a depth of 12 inches. Break up large soil clumps and remove any big stones. Install edging, if desired, to clearly mark the border of the edge and maintain plants from propagating into the lawn.
Place taller plants and bushes in the area of the border nearest your house, as foundation plants offering a backdrop to briefer border plants. Find the tallest plants along blank walls and plant briefer foundation plants in front of windows and porches. Make over half the foundation plants evergreen, so the border stays partially green throughout the year. Try variegated English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens “Variegata”), that grows best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9, reaching 5 to 8 ft tall with white and green variegated leaves.
Plant smaller shrubs, ornamental grasses and flowering perennials in front of the foundation plants. As an example, evergreen foxtail ferns (Asparagus densiflorus “Myers”) create dramatic fluffy texture in a landscape edge, reaching 2 feet tall and creating white spring flowers and red fall berries in USDA zones 9 through 11.
Plant smaller, creeping, spreading or spreading plants near the front edge of the edge, like cypress vine (Ipomoea quamoclit), that rapidly grows 6 to 10 feet long. This evergreen tropical leaf develop best in USDA zones 6 through 10, attracting butterflies and hummingbird into the edge with its bright red summer flowers.