Bridgehampton - Your foundation planting should echo the overall essence of your home's surrounding landscape style. How we wrap our homes with landscaping is often not given the attention it deserves. You should consider creating the right statement, organically anchoring your home to the earth, softening the hard edged corners and creatively concealing the foundation base of the home.

An example of a cramped Weeping Beech tree planted too close to the house. Photos by Linda Ardigo

One of the challenges you discover is that you must imagine the foundation at its peak in years to come. Will the plantings eventually grow so tall that they will cover window views? Will the plantings encroach on to the pathways. How deep to make the beds themselves? Of course all landscape design requires foresight. Remember that foundation plantings should develop more and more into a lush seasonally changing surround for your home, one that is beautiful and not either overpowering or too meager.

Keep in mind when laying out your foundation landscape design, planting a small size tree very close to your home may seem like a good idea at the time. The sad thing is that in a matter of several years the tree will struggle to survive and eventually grow so close to the house that the likelihood of survival and or flourishing is quite dim. I have seen, at times, trees that have the potential to grow over 40 feet tall, wedged so close to the home that the tree's growth began to entangle the home's plumbing and electrical cables. One must always consider trees growth pattern and of course in most cases, their full sun needs. Nurseries have a wonderful way of seducing your imagination when their trees, shrubs and flowers are at peek bloom.

However enchanting the widdle tree may be - you would be best advised to plant it further from your house foundation. Far better to choose a choice location on your grounds where the tree will flourish and give you far more delight in seeing it develop and gradually grow through the years into its destined shape and size.

Limelight Hydrangea in foundation planting at their full glory mid to late August.

Another thing to consider is the evergreen factor. Planning your foundation planting should always include several wisely placed evergreen shrubs. Ilex crenata compact, Ilex Steeds, various Junipers, global shaped blue spruces (Globus) or Mugo pine shrubs will work, and, of course, Boxwood Buxus - siempervirens, Winter Gem, and Winter Green of all sizes.

For continuous flowering elements, I like to use Tardiva, and other varieties of Hydrangea, Deutzia, azalea (Delaware White), Korean Lilac, and Rose of Sharon.

A very powerful lush statement towards the end of the summer season is to have several Limelight Hydrangea included into your foundation planting. They are simply gorgeous and can be complimented by just about any other colors you may have blooming at that time. I personally always combine Limelight Hydrangea with dark purple Buddleia (Dark Knight), hot pink (Anthony Bumalda) Spirea and white and dark blue Salvia flowers.

Using ornamental grasses always works for me. I particularly like the fact that they work for the garden throughout the entire season, giving grace and motion. Also, by the time autumn rolls around, they are in fully glory and begin to turn golden hues with wonderful plumes and tails. When the sunlight adorns them the ornamental grasses steal the show!

This is an example of very lackluster front foundation planting with boxwood in Bridgehampton.

Your foundation planting should always look generous. It sets the tone for entering your home. Do your best to balance the plantings. Sometimes, extending the bed at a corner or corners of your home adds a wonderfully solid anchor to the overall picture. There in that extended bed you can have some fun with small patio trees like Pee Gee paniculata, Vitex (Chastity Tree), Stewartia, miniature Japanese Maples and Rose of Sharon. You can also include taller more stately grasses and perhaps a wonderful (bird feeding) Cranberry Viburnum as well.

Between the plantings a great ground cover like Pachysandra, and Periwinkle always works, and sometimes for the right plan they are a good, low maintenance filler.

Sketch your plan out. Visualize the future growth of chosen plant materials and begin by putting the evergreens in their position as per your plan sketch.

Then, if you do have a foundation bed extension bed; plant the tallest element first. All else should follow. And remember it is O.K. to redesign as you go. Generally no matter how tight your plan is there is always another layout that may be better to enhance the design. Go for it!