bananabeginner

Hi there, I am looking at my backyard and wanting a change. It is facing north and we have alot of tall trees to cut down (fir and cedars). I also want to cut down the old cherry and apple trees as they are not producing much fruit anymore. I know I want bananas!, and some bamboo for privacy but not sure where to get some ideas without having to pay a landscape designer. Any suggestions? ......

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damaclese

hey thanks for asking such a good question the basics of design are simple first think hight then place you plants according to there mature hight not what they are when you get them then thing texture try to place things with varied texture next to each other like a big leaf plant next to one that has furn like leafs allow think color for example i have a red and green tropical bed i try to get all different colors of green foliaged plants and red foliage plants and mix them together is a pleasing arrangement also don't just plant one of a thing try groupings of three plant odd numbers work better then even unless you want a formal garden also and this is just my taste i like to use plants at the front that act as a boarder like i use allot of dwarf box leafed uwonamases they only get 12" high and are ever green sorta helps redefine the edges of your beds now as for the beds them self don't get them to deep you have to think about how you are going to get in there to cultivate weed or do what ever you need to do to them and if there deep you are going to have a hard time reaching in to do all that as far as shaping you beds thats up to you i try to look at the totality of the area that i want to use and brake it up how ever you like theirs no wrong or right and remember as the years go by you will change things gardening and design are a process not a one time task every one makes mistakes but what fun you will have making them and then fixing and changing it over the years some thing will work and some not its your garden theres not really wrong or right thing to do if nun of that helps go get books look at other peoples gardens botanical gardens help my one reference book i go to over and over again is titled "Visions of Paradise Themes and variations on the garden" by Marina Schins total picture over load for the eye theres nothing wrong with coping as long as you tell people who your inspiration was mimicry is the sincerest form of flattery

and lastly all leave you with my mothers semi famous words to me as a little boy when i told her i dint know were to plant some thing she told me to plant it where ever i liked!LOL hope that helps
Paulo

o and i almost forgot the most important rool you must never brake plant things next to each other with similar growing habits for example don't put a Cati next to a water plant one if going to die

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damaclese

OK i know my first post was a bit wordy but i thought i would add a picture that highlights some of the concepts i was trying to describe to you notis in this pic the use of boarders and how like plants are clustered together and the use of multiple plants so that each bed has impact think of how these beds would look if all the plants were mixed in single plant configurations it would look vary chaotic and no single variate would show or stand out

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bananabeginner

I thank you for that! I don't have quite that large of a backyard but I understand the concept. I am more of an interior designer so I am kind of lost outside! I guess trying to find pictures would help. Figuring out the placement of the bananas and where they would thrive/survive is my biggest issue. Then what species will grow here in our climate of wetness. We do need to get those big fir trees down though first as they tend to kill everything around them. I guess we have some work ahead of us!

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lorax

Musa basjoo is proven in your area - the UBC Botanical Gardens has had them outdoors for 50+ years.

If you can describe the shape of your yard, I can give you some diagrams if you wish. I plan formal and semiformal gardens here in Ecuador.

damaclese

yes get rid of the pines they have a way of killing any thing around them i heard that they taint the ground with camphor. i concur what are the over all dementions of your garden? if you are a designer just think of your garden as a out side room or seres of rooms creating viniets just like you do inside
i also have a degree BAFA i have some more pics of varies gardens that i could post if you need more! some times the shapes that we create in are gardens are formed by the practicalities of the dementions and over all configurations of the perimeter for example i have a side yard with a gate on two sides so i had to have a means of egress that created a bisecting path way so there ya go one 40 x 30 garden is now two planting beds i curved that path way for interest making it a slightly indirect rout this helps the viewer to slow down and take in a bit more on there way threw that section and makes the edges of the beds more interesting just ad boarders of plant material and you are starting to build interest see what I'm talking about?

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saltydad

Just to throw this in....take a look at members photos. Some have shown absolutely beautiful yards.

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Men In Nursing- "A Few Good Men"

"Gardening is the purest of human pleasures." - Francis Bacon





"If by a liberal, they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind; someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions; someone who cares about the welfare of the people, their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, their civil liberties; someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicion that grips us; that is what they meant by a liberal, I am proud to be a liberal."
John F. Kennedy, September, 1960


http://flickr.com/photos/saltydad/ and
http://community.webshots.com/user/saltydad
http://s751.photobucket.com/albums/xx151/saltydad/

bananabeginner

I tried to search for backyard photos etc but nothing came up. I guess I have to go into individuals photos then. A little time consuming with my slow computer but worth a try. The backyard is on the northside so the house blocks the sun on all most half the yard, which is what I hate. Trying to plan for shade and sun. With interior designing its more about colour,lighting ,style, without having to worry about growing or killing something. And the search goes on..... Thanks for the suggestions.

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saltydad

as a shortcut-

Bananas.org Members Yard Photos

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Men In Nursing- "A Few Good Men"

"Gardening is the purest of human pleasures." - Francis Bacon





"If by a liberal, they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind; someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions; someone who cares about the welfare of the people, their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, their civil liberties; someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicion that grips us; that is what they meant by a liberal, I am proud to be a liberal."
John F. Kennedy, September, 1960


http://flickr.com/photos/saltydad/ and
http://community.webshots.com/user/saltydad
http://s751.photobucket.com/albums/xx151/saltydad/

bananabeginner

Oh thanks so much, I guess I didn't word the search right and I am not too familiar with this site yet. There are some beautiful yards! Wish I lived in a warmer climate......

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lorax

Man, and four years ago I would have given vital parts of my anatomy to live in Vancouver, because it has such a lovely climate! (I was from northern Alberta, just a bit south of Fort Mud.)

bananabeginner

Yes, I see your point, northern Alberta.....no thank you! That's quite the move!!!, but to a nicer climate! We get way too much rain and wet and dreary days for my liking. This is why I need to get some banana plants growing around here, to get that tropical feel.

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damaclese

This was just a thought! but one of are senor members Chong lives in Seattle. Which i know is quite a bit south of you but the climate is quite similar. He has allot of rain and cool summers just like you. If you get a Chance i would MSG him I'm sure he could give you some pointers. It would be worth it to chat with him and hes one of the nicest guys you would ever want to meet! and highly knowledgeable

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