Foundation Plantings for a Ranch Style House

Usually composed of shrubs and small plants, foundation plantings are positioned along with house foundations. Thus the name, to beautify homes and make garden spaces more pleasing to the eye.

Installing foundation plantings is a quick and relatively easy way of improving the overall look of any home, no matter its style. Whether you own a house from all the way back in the 1920s or a contemporary abode built in the current century, foundation plantings are sure to help your home look it’s absolute best.

Why Should I Install Foundation Plantings?

A brief look into the history of foundation plantings will tell us that, in the past, when the foundations of houses were raised a significant distance above the ground and particularly obvious, small plants and shrubs were planted along the wall of the house to hide these raised house foundations. Through time, for both aesthetic and practical purposes, house designs have significantly changed. Nowadays, neither excessively high house foundations nor harsh lines caused by a nonstop siding of vinyl are desirable in a home.

This is where foundation plantings come in. These shrubs and small plants are made to ease the edges created by house construction to make the overall appearance of the lot more pleasing. Besides, the installation of house plantings not only improves your home aesthetically, but it also helps create a safer and breathable environment.

How does it do this? Well, the shrub you choose to grow may affect even the heating costs acquired by your home or even the insulation within your house although changes caused by these shrubs might be minimal and unnoticeable, every little bit of help counts when it comes to taking care of your home.

Factors to Consider for Foundation Planting

The Front Entrance

In any landscape plan, you will surely find an element referred to as “hardscaping.” Hardscaping involves adding artificial features and aspects such as stone paths, rocks, driveways, walls, and patios that meant to contrast with other elements surrounding the soil beds.

Although utility and efficiency are essential elements in building a home—of course, you have to make sure that any home is easily accessible and easy to navigate—aesthetic factors also come into play when creating a home that is complete. 

For example, although installing a walkway that goes straight from the gate to the door ensures that people get to the house quickly, putting in a curved walkway softens the hard edges that a straight walkway might otherwise create. This improves the house’s overall angularity. Taking these factors into consideration, you might conclude that installing a curved sidewalk is a better choice than installing a straight path.

Trees

Trees not only improve your lot aesthetically, but they also make the air fresher, and cleaner. If you own a ranch style house, you likely have a few trees nearby. If this is the case, then the only thing you have to think about is keeping the roots and growth of the tree under control so that they don’t disturb the architecture of your home. 

In the case that you do now have trees in your lot, you might first want to consider what kind of trees you want to plant; what variety of trees is best for your taste and lot size. Typically, tall shady trees are an excellent choice as they keep the air around the house cool and make the lot’s overall look more pleasing. If your lot is not big enough to accommodate big trees, you might want to consider smaller specimens or even trees that are seasonal.

Distance from the House

Where you put your plants is a crucial factor to consider when it comes to foundation planting. You definitely don’t want to plant something only to have it grow too big, obscuring your windows or even blocking your doorways. 

Thus, before burying the seeds in the soil and waiting for them to grow, think of what exactly you want to plant first. Foundation plantings can be composed of only one type of shrub or a number of carefully chosen shrubs that compliment each other. Some common plants chosen for foundation planting are flowering evergreens such as the Oregon grape holly or the flannel bush, both of which feature colorful foliage.

Most Important Things You Must Consider First In Your Foundation Plating Plan

• When coming up with a plan, always take your house’s style and your lot’s size into consideration. Think of your home’s symmetry, think of where the doors and windows are positions, think of what style of planting foundation best suits the kind of home you have. For example, if you have a ranch-style home, then a plant scheme that is asymmetrical and not too formal might fit your lot’s theme best.
• Always keep in mind that plant groups placed in odd numbers are more appealing than those positioned in even numbers. Additionally, keep patterns triangular instead of uniformed and straight.
• Know your plants before you plant them. How much water do they need? How much sunlight and water should they get? How big do they grow? What soil do they like? Preparing your soil is an essential part of a foundation planting. Also, it is always helpful to keep an eye out for shrubs and plants that come with a guarantee.
• When you’re satisfied with your plan and have prepared your soil well, plant the shrubs. Digging a hole that has twice the width of the root ball’s depth is an excellent way to go. Keep the soil loose and apply fertilizer into the soil. After this, put the plant in, make sure the ground is firm, and then water the plant well.