Exterior Decorating

When talking about a subject one doesn’t know much about, better not to talk much about it. Hence, this blog will be more pictoral than usual. I find myself without the vocabulary to discuss what it is I want “decorating” the outside of my house. With landscaping, as with decorating, less is more, more or less. I don’t want to overdo it; start simple, put in the basics and let it evolve. Let nature take its course. Given my age, that course can’t be too long. Budget permitting, I will help nature along, adding tree by tree, bush by bush, shrub by shrub.

Cost and maintenance are two big considerations in my landscape planning. Gravel might be the way to approach this. I love its practicality. It can be planted, furnished with pots, sculpted, and even parked upon. It’s rather an all purpose surface. I also enjoy the neutrality of it; no major statement could be described as petrified dirt. Hopefully this material is as cost efficient as it looks. I will let you know.

This beautiful assemblage of weeds and shrubs is the buffer between my lot and the one next to it. By code, I am required to keep either this or plant something else to maintain the privacy. Who am I to one up nature? And of course, cost has nothing to do with it.

In keeping with the given foliage, I think gravel and grasses will fit in quite well. Again, this is an uneducated guess, but I am hoping they are budget as well as maintenance friendly. As far as I know, they don’t need to be mowed, just cut back once a year. I would love to have a beautiful manicured lawn down to the water’s edge, but since there’s no water… Lots more information to follow after I meet with the landscaper; whoever it shall be. Anyone have a name of someone who works in the Hudson area? If so, please let me know.

From top: The perfect neutral beige backgroud; landscapting by Mother Nature; love these grasses.