Guide to Foundation Planting
Time
Budget
Skill
★ ★ ★ ★ ★Looking for a creative way to keep your home warm during the cold winter months and enhance your curb appeal? Try using foundation plants to insulate your living space!
Tools
Compost
Landscape Spray Paint
Mulch
Rototiller
Round Shovel
A. Benefits to a properly planned and planted foundation planting: Softens harsh lines of home foundation, creates depth and enhances curb appeal, and insulates foundation from cold winter temperatures and wind and heat of Summer.
B. Think about creating foundation planting beds rather than a series of holes as they are more 3- dimensional and visually appealing. Create wide beds with curvilinear lines to soften harsh angles.
C. Choose plants that will not over-grow space in order to reduce pruning maintenance. Plant patches rather than in lines with taller in the back and shorter down in front. Minimum distance from foundation: 3 feet on center. (promotes air circulation, reduces diseases, better insulates)
Spray paint a wide curvilinear planting bed in front of building
Prepare planting bed by removing turf, tilling bed area and incorporating soil conditioner
Plant foundation plants in patches, not lines, creating a layered effect
Plants should not be planted any closer than a minimum of 3 feet from foundation
Mulch with 1-2” of decorative mulch
Keep watered well during establishment period
Add annuals and herbaceous perennials as an accent for seasonal color
Plants recommended: Self contained (“dwarf”) upright and spreading shrubs.
Some examples:
Dwarf Yaupon Holly
Dwarf Hinoki Falsecypress
Yellow Sawara Falsecypress
Goshiki Holly Osmanthus
Podocarpus
Dwarf Cryptomeria
Variegated Daphne
Rhododendrons and Azaleas
Inkberry
Dwarf boxwood
Spiraea
Virginia Sweetspire
Mary Nell Holly
Camellia
Chindo Viburnum