Thread: what to plant around new house

Hi everyone, Having just completed a house build, I have been thinking what to plant along the front of the place. The house is raised by 80cms, the front of the house faces due East and as such the veranda shades the ground in front of the house from midday onwards.



(haven't got a pic of the finished house for some reason, but this pic gives an idea of what I'm carping on about).

Initially, I was thinking of planting Heliconia, but I think they will grow too high (the place I am currently renting has these growing next to the house in a similar position of semi-shade and as such they are now 3m tall), and although they can be cut down, really what I am looking for is a plant that doesn't grow higher than 1m.

I toyed with the idea of putting in bamboo palms or a bunch of these: http://www.palmpedia.net/wiki/images...30026489_n.jpg

But have noticed that these only stay small in exposed sunny places, but grow to over 2m if in partial shade, and being a palm will die if cut back.

Perhaps birds nest ferns (Asplenium) http://bomets.com/wp-content/uploads...est-fern-6.jpg would be the way to go?

Any suggestions of tried and tested alternatives? ... ferns seem to be my only option at the moment.

Originally Posted by jonnyenglish

really what I am looking for is a plant that doesn't grow higher than 1m.

You might like to go with a similar sized font.

Heliconia not only grows tall but spreads quickly and you have to take a shovel to it.

Bamboo palm is much the same but grows slowly. It will take years for it to become too tall and spread too far.

You are lucky to have sun there up until noon. It is perfect for bird's nest fern and there are many other ferns. You can grow orchids in that light also.

Some kinds of caladium can take the morning sun.


Plumbago if you want a bit of color. It does grow up and out but easy to trim.

Another option is to find a nursery to come out and plant the area for you. Can't say I've had any dealing with anyone doing this in years but plenty of plant shop owners, like down at Kamtien market, will make the area look nice and not cost a fortune.

OH! From experience...

Don't plant now since it is the end of the rainy season. Plants like those bamboo palms above take lots of water.

If you want to buy plants and arrange them, maybe better to leave them in the containers so they will be easy to water everyday.

Lots of lemon grass. It'll smell nice and keep the mossies away.

Originally Posted by misskit

OH! From experience...

Don't plant now since it is the end of the rainy season. Plants like those bamboo palms above take lots of water.

If you want to buy plants and arrange them, maybe better to leave them in the containers so they will be easy to water everyday.

........

Hmmm.. lemongrass, now there's an idea!

I'm thinking a combo of bird's nest ferns too might just do the trick!

Cheers for the suggestions everyone, much appreciated.

potatoes

^ In car tires!

I'll be putting in Raised beds on the South Facing side of the house in which I'll plant lipstick palms and fox-tail palms with low-growing drought-tolerant plants around the bases, as this side gets a fair bit of sun. This will cast some shade on the side of the house. The side of the car port facing the south side of the house will be planted out with Heliconia, as it can grow as tall as it wants there, this will hide the ugliness of the structure a bit.

The rear of the house faces almost due West, so gets hot sun from 2pm until sundown. I have planted a row of trees by the facing fenceline, but these are going to take a couple of years to reach a height where they will cast some shade on the house.. I'm not even going to try and put in beds next to the back of the house, it's just too arid, so I will lay down gravel, possibly put in some ground-hugging succulents and place some stonking great big urns and pots, planted out with yukka, Cactus and agarve for a desert garden look.


A plan is coming together nicely.

I would not recommend planting mangoes near your house. When they fruit and if the fruits fall off and start rotting they attract a lot of flies.

Mango shades are heaven though, their leaves make air around them cooler and very ideal for building a hammock underneath.

Originally Posted by HuangLao

........

Originally Posted by GracelessFawn

I would not recommend planting mangoes near your house. When they fruit and if the fruits fall off and start rotting they attract a lot of flies.

Mango shades are heaven though, their leaves make air around them cooler and very ideal for building a hammock underneath.

Mango season finished now in Laos. But yeah your right in my soi have a lot of big mango trees nobody harvests them . They just drop on the ground. Fookin flys love it

hibiscus is nice and so many different varieties and colors.
mine do really well.
just a thought.

Originally Posted by beerlaodrinker

in my soi have a lot of big mango trees nobody harvests them

You obviously live on a hiso soi where residents think it's beneath them to harvest mangos.

We have 8 or 9 mango trees near the house. We harvest as much as we can consume and the rest are gone in a New York minute once the wife gives the word to have at it.

As GF said they are one of the best shade trees but better harvest them.

Originally Posted by Norton

You obviously live on a hiso soi where residents think it's beneath them to harvest mangos.

We have 8 or 9 mango trees near the house. We harvest as much as we can consume and the rest are gone in a New York minute once the wife gives the word to have at it.

As GF said they are one of the best shade trees but better harvest them.

Said above, usually the case.

Planting fruit trees such as Mango, Lamyai etc near to a house (or building a house near to these trees) is not a good idea, apart from flies and leaf hoppers, they attract lots of ants, which will also take up residence in your house. I have planted over 40 trees on the land, 8 directly next to the house, they are growing away nicely after all the rain. I set off yesterday to buy a load of plants for the pond, and have a look at ferns for the front of the house, but my pickup truck suffered from break failure and now I have spent all the money I was going to spend on the truck instead!

You might explore the varieties of hardy [non-fruiting] hardwoods that are plentiful -
In time, great shade and landscaping foundation.
Plenty of flowering bushes/trees.
Don't forget the orchids at every turn - can never have enough of these.


Just have fun doing your thing. Experiment.