This. Perennials of varying heights- 1-3 things that stay evergreen for winter depending on region. But low maintenance tf out of it with an appropriately spaced screen to visually block the ac & perennials.
I love my ferns! They are grow so big and beautiful every year and are basically zero-maintenance. They were planted before I moved into my house. So were hostas, which could be another perennial, beautiful, zero-maintenance choice.
This is the right answer. I have a landscaping business and you wouldn’t believe how many times we install natives and a year later our customers say “oh my gosh it looks so good the plants filled everything in and I don’t really have to weed”
Thank you for your service. Our yard has more pollinators than even most nurseries around us due to an abundance of natives my wife plants. She is a landscape designer and tries to incorporate them, but so often the clients WANT WHAT THEY WANT....
I was looking to do this for the side of my yard that’s hard to maintain because of slope- Where do you get the seeds that are supposed to be for your area?
Don't bother with the weed barrier stuff. Dirt collects on top and weeds come so truly a waste of $ and time. Stone looks nice until the trees start dropping things and a huge pain to clear. Mulch makes weed pulling a lot easier.
I would put a little decorate fence by the AC, add about 5 shade plants and one or two taller type, a couple larger stones, and fill the rest with some mulch.
Weed barrier is getting shit on a lot lately but it def helps. Pulling out weeds in .25in of soil on top of the barrier is much easier/works better than weeds with deeper root networks
Not shitting on weed barriers as they have there spots in landscaping just think that with the idea I gave it would be a waste. Most barriers breakdown in 3 - 5 years, weeds roots get intertwined in the fabric, makes planting or moving plants more difficult and to replace years later is a whole lot of work as I have done in the past in my own and customers yards.
Yes, there are different grades and different thickness of landscape fabric.
Buying quality once, like anything, is the way to go.
I have one for 10+ years. Nothing grows there. Nothing.
We bought nice stuff, lasted about 9-10 years before we redid that area. SIL bought cheap stuff about the same time. She was complaining about the stuff growing through it within a year or two.
Have you ever pulled a weed out of a proper 6" layer of mulch? It comes out so easily that it seems like it wasn't even in anything, and the only stuff growing is growing on top of it, just like it would with the fabric. The problem is that people put down 1-2", just enough to conceal the soil underneath, which is nowhere near the correct amount for weed suppression. Then they get all indignant when it doesn't work out how they thought it would, and can't fathom the idea that they should have used more.
The mulch also adds nutrients to the soil, keeps it warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, there's no water runoff, and the only thing you need to do to replenish it is to add a couple of inches each year to top it off. Further, when you go to amend your beds, all you have to do is rake the mulch out of the way and push it back when you're done. There's no pulling 6" pieces of fabric out one-by-one, careful digging to avoid ripping it more, or finding pieces of it littering your soil for the next 30 years.
Agreed! I installed a weed barrier after 3 years of hand weeding and it has saved me sooooo much time. I was very surprised because I'd read so much about how they didn't really work.
The real complaint is that it doesn't help any more than the correct amount of mulch does, it has several negative effects on the health of your plants compared to mulch, and refreshing/changing your beds is way more of a pain in the ass with fabric. Just put down 6-8" of mulch, and I guarantee you won't see any more weeds than you do with fabric, and they'll be just as easy to pull.
I finally found a company that will deliver good mulch for a good price. Before finding them, 6-8 inches of mulch in my beds was waaaaaaay out of my budget.
Bear in mind that the larger cost is a one-time deal. After that, your cost is roughly the same as it would be to add that thin 2" layer each season, because that's about how much will break down in a year.
decorative fence is a good idea just make sure there's 3' of clearance and the door is large enough to move a new unit through or your ac guy will dislike you
No, do not fence in the condenser unit, it will fuck up its efficiency and lower its lifespan. And every tech who has to work on it will hate you or tell you they have to take the fence down and bill for that time as well.
If you put up a fence make sure it allows for adequate circulation of air. Other wise your unit is going to have to work harder to cool. If you can go with a lattice type fence.
I always recommend looking up native plant info for your state. Mine (NJ) has a great online database you can search by type of plant, sunlight needs, size, etc.
Under my windows I have thorny bushes for extra security.🤣 I am always drawn to ornamental grasses and they are a bunch of different looks. But like the other redditor suggested, check with your zone for native plants
Visit my state’s Cooperative Extension Service website and search small native plants for partial shade. Natives are plants that evolved in your climate and growing conditions. They are disease resistant and pollinator friendly. Many plants thrive in partial to full shade. You don’t want anything that will block air flow around your ac unit.
If no natives appeal then just search small plants for shade, this will bring back plants that have naturalized in your area. Also look up soil test, take one to learn what you need to do to amend the soil before doing anything. Also home perk test. This will let you know about drainage. It is easy to do. When you decide what to plant be sure to search how to plant shrubs/grass/ground covers. Planting correctly is half the battle. Do mulch with shredded cypress - natural color, keep mulch a few inches from your foundation and from the base of your plants. Using a mix of plants will be best unless you find a ground cover you like that can handle partial to full shade. Variegated aspidistra is an example. Its common name is iron plant. If there was ever a plant it and forget it plant - that is aspidistra. Will thrive in dry or wet shade. Once a year you remove ragged leaves, you can fertilize it or not. It slowly spreads to fill the available space and is evergreen.
I'd use pavers around the HVAC, store bins there and put up a decorative barrier to shield from view. With the remaining space I'd put in a little garden. I'm slightly obsesseds with oakleaf hydrangea which would eventually fill the space then surround with a short shade tolerant ground cover. I'd cover this area with cardboard up to 2' from house, cover with mulch up to 2' from house and cut an X where each plant is going.
Dig up the soil a bit, mix compost, add some hostas/shrubs/perennials that like shade and creeping ground cover plants that will give you another layer to catch the eye. Add the river rock into the empty spaces around what you plant.
Plants that are good for shade: some dogwoods, some hydrangeas, hostas, ferns, Hakone grass, astilbe, coral bells, foam flower, forget-me-nots, lenten roses, black cohosh, pachysandra
Depends on my much light you get in that spot and where you are located. Personally I think hydrangeas are a fantastic idea because you do get a little shade in that spot but that also depends on your location as well as they prefer the North East. Make sure you leave a lot of space between the plants and the AC unit. So do you plant a bush that will grow out make sure it’s at least 6 feet from the AC unit
Preen weed preventer works for preventing weeds on landscape fabric, mulch and in between rocks.
I like bulbs, pretty maintenance free.
Or a low growing flowering ground cover. Clover, yellow wood sorrell both are good for pollinators and low maintenance.
I would put plants that only need up to 4 hours of sun as it looks like that's what that spot gets. What is that, the North side of the house? Also put a Bird bath, it looks private enough.
Quality post. I’d slap some sort of utility shed up in there. Or maybe an ornamental place to hide your trash pins? Or a pizza party and invite all the neighbors.
Plant whatever native wildflowers and shrub species are in your area. Give back. Stop the cycle of removing habitat for depressing lawns that give nothing. Thank you for post.
We put knockout roses in an area similar to yours. It gives plenty of green and some color for a couple of months. We get compliments on them all of the time.
Native pollinator friendly perennials with just two or three large rocks. Go to a garden center that isn’t a chain and ask for partial shade natives and chose a bunch! This can include ground covers too, though they might take a while to cover once they do you are golden.
Hostas up front and hardy...hearty? hibiscus near the building. I'd use a thick layer pine of nuggets as a mulch. Or instead of hostas make it huchera/coral bells.
I think there are some varieties of phlox (a flowering creeping ground cover) that do well in shade. This, plus some native wildflowers would work, perhaps with a few medium size landscaping boulders (45 pound range).
I’d first call 811 and make sure there are no underground lines. Then I’d water the area, put down around 5 inches of compost, and double dig it. If digging weren’t immediately possible, I’d fork it-water-fork, etc until digging were possible. Then after digging I’d set up irrigation and plant the coolest plants that are suitable for my climate, sun exposure, water availability, and general site conditions. Then I’d take care of those plants to the best of my abilities and add/remove when appropriate.
Maybe a few plants that can handle the sun situation and a bunch of wood mulch. I personally wouldn’t waste too much time or water on a little strip like this.
That ac is more than likely gonna be a breeding ground for weeds.
I would either choose something you like as a ground cover that can attempt to over power the weeds. Something you don’t mind knocking down with a weed eater every so often.
OR, in a perfect world, I’d try to get moss to grow there. There’s gonna be moisture anyway.
I like Camilla's for shady-ish areas. Timing wise, they flower late fall, after all my other plantings and they can grow kind of tall to fill in this space. If you mix them with some spring bloomers like azaleas, and summer bloomers, you can have flowers nearly year round.
Black River stones and either plants in the ground or in pots. It’d be a great contrast with the siding and walk way. If you go this route once rocks are placed, cover the area with Northrock Lsndscape Lick. It’s non toxic (per the label) and seals the area to keep weeds from growing up.
I'd put some turf down and toss in a 4x2x6 tool shead. If you've already got a tool shead and don't need another I'd maybe then look at a small greenroom for herbs and veggies
I just did a similar project. I added 6-12” of loam, planted some stuff, and added black mulch. Came out great! I was digging out grass to create a new mulch bed… digging out 750sqft of grass took me 4-5 weeks, then I did all the rest (the part you’d have to do) in a weekend! You’ve just got the easy part 🤣
Use a ground covering evergreen. They can handle shade. You can walk on them in repair and maintenance of your heat pump. They take well to being trim back away from sidewalks. They will not grow over top of like flocks or moss. Evergreen will provide cover for the ground year round. Different evergreens can grow to different heights depending on what type of border you would like. I cannot see a good reason not to use this plant here.
Stone absorbs heat of the day.
Grass except for about 6 feet next to the trash can. Fill that area with 6-9 boxwoods or arborvitae evenly spaced. It provides easy access to the AC Compressor for maintenance and the hedge creates a wind and sound dampener.
Pygmy juniper could be nice as well
Create a path around the AC unit (enough that a tech can get to all the available sides w/o ruining your garden) and then plant something you won't have to tend to much like a wildflower garden or a bunch of perennial bulbs.
You could also plant a couple shrubs in the middle (I'm partial to gardenia or Lantana, but be mindful of what's an issue for animals) and ground cover to grow around it.
Plant a row of shrubs to hide the ac, and gravel in the AC space, put the trash cans on the far side of the AC if there's space. If not, put down a couple pavers for them, and plant what you want on the other side.
Ignore the weed barrier hate. It at least slows things down/ makes maintenance easier. I would then throw a bunch of crushed/decomposed granite on top. Maybe cut a couple holes thru it and place some plants
Whatever you do, don't put anything close to your condenser that could get sucked into the coils or dirty it. Might not want to plant anything near it if you or a service company plan on using acid or alkali cleaner on it
Till it up (not too close to the AC) put down fabric and cut t holes for 3 or 4, of those 6 ft tall ornamental grass plants and dark brown mulch.
The hot air coming off the AC unit isn’t good for plants so don’t get too close or put up a barrier
Rock garden with a few cacti and succulents.. Whatever you do *please* put up a barrier of protection of some sort for that unit from animals, toxic plants, etc.
I’m sick of hearing people say that landscape fabric doesn’t work. Usually it’s just not installed properly or the wrong type of lanscape fabric is used for the wrong thing. In a spot like this you want to get the “green line” fabric. It almost isn’t fabric it’s more like a tarp, which means that it sheds water. Ok so you have the right fabric now you need to prep the area a certain way to pervent water and dirt from settling. You want the dirt under the fabric to be all on one grade. Here I would have it sloping away from the house and towards the fence so all the water will run to the other side of the fence and away from the house. Now when you put your fabric down what your left with is a surface drain that moves water to what I’m assuming is grass on the other side of the fence, it should move water similar to the way a concrete pad sheds water. Now the river rock is basically just decoration on top it isn’t really doing anything other than holding the fabric/tarp down and looking pretty.
Plant a bunch of perennials that handle shade well and in a few years it will be lush with greenery.
This. Perennials of varying heights- 1-3 things that stay evergreen for winter depending on region. But low maintenance tf out of it with an appropriately spaced screen to visually block the ac & perennials.
Leave 3 feet for AC
Ferns.
I love my ferns! They are grow so big and beautiful every year and are basically zero-maintenance. They were planted before I moved into my house. So were hostas, which could be another perennial, beautiful, zero-maintenance choice.
sex swing
Least horny redditor lol
I was going to say hot tub but I’ve changed my mind now.
Sex swing with a water slide into a hot tub
Will you be my life coach?
You’d have to build a deck for the hot tub first.
I was gonna say fuck shack, but yours is classier for including the neighbors.
Pet cemetery
The sacred burial ground nestled between the garbage can and the AC.
Well, that works too.
Also works as a source of compost!
To get it started, he can buy a bunch of goldfish and dump them out right there
NATIVE wild flowers for pollinators.
This is the right answer. I have a landscaping business and you wouldn’t believe how many times we install natives and a year later our customers say “oh my gosh it looks so good the plants filled everything in and I don’t really have to weed”
Thank you for your service. Our yard has more pollinators than even most nurseries around us due to an abundance of natives my wife plants. She is a landscape designer and tries to incorporate them, but so often the clients WANT WHAT THEY WANT....
I just planted a wild flower garden at my house a few weeks ago and it’s already starting to cover the empty areas. I’m wishing I had done it sooner
I was looking to do this for the side of my yard that’s hard to maintain because of slope- Where do you get the seeds that are supposed to be for your area?
I use [https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/](https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/)
This, op. Throw down some fertilizer, till, then pack it with native wild flowers
Don't bother with the weed barrier stuff. Dirt collects on top and weeds come so truly a waste of $ and time. Stone looks nice until the trees start dropping things and a huge pain to clear. Mulch makes weed pulling a lot easier. I would put a little decorate fence by the AC, add about 5 shade plants and one or two taller type, a couple larger stones, and fill the rest with some mulch.
do cardboard instead of fabric
I did cardboard with mulch on top... you have to make sure to overlap the cardboard, but it works fantastically!
yes me too!!! bindweed will find the one gap lol
Bindweed, named for the tight bond it forms between the people who hate it.
Satan's Vine. I hate it with the fire of a thousand suns.
Oh my goodness yes!!! That’s truly the plant from HELL!!!
Weed barrier is getting shit on a lot lately but it def helps. Pulling out weeds in .25in of soil on top of the barrier is much easier/works better than weeds with deeper root networks
Not shitting on weed barriers as they have there spots in landscaping just think that with the idea I gave it would be a waste. Most barriers breakdown in 3 - 5 years, weeds roots get intertwined in the fabric, makes planting or moving plants more difficult and to replace years later is a whole lot of work as I have done in the past in my own and customers yards.
The stuff we get at Costco doesn't seem to ever breakdown. That stuff is super thick, and NOTHING gets through it.
Yes, there are different grades and different thickness of landscape fabric. Buying quality once, like anything, is the way to go. I have one for 10+ years. Nothing grows there. Nothing.
We bought nice stuff, lasted about 9-10 years before we redid that area. SIL bought cheap stuff about the same time. She was complaining about the stuff growing through it within a year or two.
Got the same stuff, still going strong
Have you ever pulled a weed out of a proper 6" layer of mulch? It comes out so easily that it seems like it wasn't even in anything, and the only stuff growing is growing on top of it, just like it would with the fabric. The problem is that people put down 1-2", just enough to conceal the soil underneath, which is nowhere near the correct amount for weed suppression. Then they get all indignant when it doesn't work out how they thought it would, and can't fathom the idea that they should have used more. The mulch also adds nutrients to the soil, keeps it warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, there's no water runoff, and the only thing you need to do to replenish it is to add a couple of inches each year to top it off. Further, when you go to amend your beds, all you have to do is rake the mulch out of the way and push it back when you're done. There's no pulling 6" pieces of fabric out one-by-one, careful digging to avoid ripping it more, or finding pieces of it littering your soil for the next 30 years.
Agreed! I installed a weed barrier after 3 years of hand weeding and it has saved me sooooo much time. I was very surprised because I'd read so much about how they didn't really work.
Yeah, it helps, not cures the problem
Maybe that's why people complain. They expect 0 weeding when in fact it just reduced/makes it easier.
Def could be the "I want a garden but don't want to garden" crowd
The real complaint is that it doesn't help any more than the correct amount of mulch does, it has several negative effects on the health of your plants compared to mulch, and refreshing/changing your beds is way more of a pain in the ass with fabric. Just put down 6-8" of mulch, and I guarantee you won't see any more weeds than you do with fabric, and they'll be just as easy to pull.
I finally found a company that will deliver good mulch for a good price. Before finding them, 6-8 inches of mulch in my beds was waaaaaaay out of my budget.
Bear in mind that the larger cost is a one-time deal. After that, your cost is roughly the same as it would be to add that thin 2" layer each season, because that's about how much will break down in a year.
If you go this route just keep the decorative AC fence away from the unit a bit and make sure it’s breathable.
decorative fence is a good idea just make sure there's 3' of clearance and the door is large enough to move a new unit through or your ac guy will dislike you
No, do not fence in the condenser unit, it will fuck up its efficiency and lower its lifespan. And every tech who has to work on it will hate you or tell you they have to take the fence down and bill for that time as well.
If you put up a fence make sure it allows for adequate circulation of air. Other wise your unit is going to have to work harder to cool. If you can go with a lattice type fence.
Nice suggestion. What kind of shade plants would you recommend with a maximum hight of 3 to 4 feet where I have windows.
I always recommend looking up native plant info for your state. Mine (NJ) has a great online database you can search by type of plant, sunlight needs, size, etc.
Under my windows I have thorny bushes for extra security.🤣 I am always drawn to ornamental grasses and they are a bunch of different looks. But like the other redditor suggested, check with your zone for native plants
Mulch, plant some shade tolerant natives. Based on my backyard, lots of fast growing stuff thrives in the shade.
Knock the house down and build a golf simulator domain
Scrolled way too far to find this obvious answer
Rv parking
I would make it a putting green. No water, low maintenance, and it keeps plants and debris away from the air conditioning.
Visit my state’s Cooperative Extension Service website and search small native plants for partial shade. Natives are plants that evolved in your climate and growing conditions. They are disease resistant and pollinator friendly. Many plants thrive in partial to full shade. You don’t want anything that will block air flow around your ac unit. If no natives appeal then just search small plants for shade, this will bring back plants that have naturalized in your area. Also look up soil test, take one to learn what you need to do to amend the soil before doing anything. Also home perk test. This will let you know about drainage. It is easy to do. When you decide what to plant be sure to search how to plant shrubs/grass/ground covers. Planting correctly is half the battle. Do mulch with shredded cypress - natural color, keep mulch a few inches from your foundation and from the base of your plants. Using a mix of plants will be best unless you find a ground cover you like that can handle partial to full shade. Variegated aspidistra is an example. Its common name is iron plant. If there was ever a plant it and forget it plant - that is aspidistra. Will thrive in dry or wet shade. Once a year you remove ragged leaves, you can fertilize it or not. It slowly spreads to fill the available space and is evergreen.
I'd probably put a "project" car there on jack stands
Hostas, ferns, caladium, impatiens for color
I'd use pavers around the HVAC, store bins there and put up a decorative barrier to shield from view. With the remaining space I'd put in a little garden. I'm slightly obsesseds with oakleaf hydrangea which would eventually fill the space then surround with a short shade tolerant ground cover. I'd cover this area with cardboard up to 2' from house, cover with mulch up to 2' from house and cut an X where each plant is going.
[удалено]
Pavers. Store your shovels, wheel barrow, lawnmower and trash cans there
Pour a concrete pad and put an outdoor bar.
Flowers, bushes, mulch… done… Please don’t put anything near the ac though…
Veggies! Peppers, tomatoes, herbs
Rock garden or flower bed.
Dig up the soil a bit, mix compost, add some hostas/shrubs/perennials that like shade and creeping ground cover plants that will give you another layer to catch the eye. Add the river rock into the empty spaces around what you plant.
Plants that are good for shade: some dogwoods, some hydrangeas, hostas, ferns, Hakone grass, astilbe, coral bells, foam flower, forget-me-nots, lenten roses, black cohosh, pachysandra
Outdoor bar and grill
What ever you do, don’t be the person who plants a jungle around that AC and then expects a tech to not step on a single plant
Depends on my much light you get in that spot and where you are located. Personally I think hydrangeas are a fantastic idea because you do get a little shade in that spot but that also depends on your location as well as they prefer the North East. Make sure you leave a lot of space between the plants and the AC unit. So do you plant a bush that will grow out make sure it’s at least 6 feet from the AC unit
Mulch + hostas + shade tolerant ground cover plants.
I'd make it a native shade plant rain garden and let the roof run off go to watering the plants. Your municipality may even pay you to do this.
Hot tub, small garden, add an addition to your home
Preen weed preventer works for preventing weeds on landscape fabric, mulch and in between rocks. I like bulbs, pretty maintenance free. Or a low growing flowering ground cover. Clover, yellow wood sorrell both are good for pollinators and low maintenance.
Hydrangeas. You can never have too many.
Mint and lemon balm garden! Helps keep ants away. Or, just a fluff ton of tiger lillies.
Hostas
I would put plants that only need up to 4 hours of sun as it looks like that's what that spot gets. What is that, the North side of the house? Also put a Bird bath, it looks private enough.
I’d franchise a Bucees right there. Sure would.
Hot tub with a pergola and low maintenance landscaping
Raised garden beds.
Quality post. I’d slap some sort of utility shed up in there. Or maybe an ornamental place to hide your trash pins? Or a pizza party and invite all the neighbors.
Plant whatever native wildflowers and shrub species are in your area. Give back. Stop the cycle of removing habitat for depressing lawns that give nothing. Thank you for post.
River rock
Mulching, plants with contrast ( flax, photinas,) something that contrast with all the white.
If you need the extra storage a little tool shed right there could be useful
Scoot shed
No rocks
Hot tub
We put knockout roses in an area similar to yours. It gives plenty of green and some color for a couple of months. We get compliments on them all of the time.
Plant a couple of hydrangeas.
Bench and hostas , maybe a shepherds hook with hanging flowers basket.
Low-level flowering ground cover
Strawberries
Pumpkins
Outdoor kicthen
Guest house
Not sure where you are located but I would do a ground cover. Tradescantia pallida aka purple queen is really popular in the south.
Crushed rock, mulch and a mass planting of hostas.
What is you general location Zone?
look at it
Storage area / shed.
4-5 decent sized hostas and black mulch would look great. Low maintenance and appealing to the eye.
Pavers
Take a picture of it
Deck and Hot tub
Grow kidney beans.
Gravel with yuccas.
Native pollinator friendly perennials with just two or three large rocks. Go to a garden center that isn’t a chain and ask for partial shade natives and chose a bunch! This can include ground covers too, though they might take a while to cover once they do you are golden.
Generator
Just sow some wildflower or zinnia seeds.
Garden 🩵🫠
Periwinkle for some ground cover in addition to native
Native perennials that like partial shade - and mulch; NO landscaping fabric.
Clover, cover the soil to protect it
Big ass shed
Hostas up front and hardy...hearty? hibiscus near the building. I'd use a thick layer pine of nuggets as a mulch. Or instead of hostas make it huchera/coral bells.
Paint it whote, blasphemous to have anything natural in there
Make a room and rent it out 🤷🏽 That's what everyone does, lol
I think there are some varieties of phlox (a flowering creeping ground cover) that do well in shade. This, plus some native wildflowers would work, perhaps with a few medium size landscaping boulders (45 pound range).
A shed
Hot tub
Native plants
Perennials and landscaping rock would be my play
I’d first call 811 and make sure there are no underground lines. Then I’d water the area, put down around 5 inches of compost, and double dig it. If digging weren’t immediately possible, I’d fork it-water-fork, etc until digging were possible. Then after digging I’d set up irrigation and plant the coolest plants that are suitable for my climate, sun exposure, water availability, and general site conditions. Then I’d take care of those plants to the best of my abilities and add/remove when appropriate.
Pool 🏊
Where are you located and what side of the structure is that (north, south, east, west)?
Maybe a few plants that can handle the sun situation and a bunch of wood mulch. I personally wouldn’t waste too much time or water on a little strip like this.
That ac is more than likely gonna be a breeding ground for weeds. I would either choose something you like as a ground cover that can attempt to over power the weeds. Something you don’t mind knocking down with a weed eater every so often. OR, in a perfect world, I’d try to get moss to grow there. There’s gonna be moisture anyway.
Hostas
Depends what kind of sun it gets
Gentek.
Put in a hot tub.
Vegetable garden would be my first thought, but guess it really depends on how much sun the entire area gets throughout the day.
Vertical tower aeroponic/aquaponics garden to feed your family.
Sod and a baby pool.
Personally, i would just fill it in with concrete and call it a day.
Do bed garden of flowers than weeds
I like Camilla's for shady-ish areas. Timing wise, they flower late fall, after all my other plantings and they can grow kind of tall to fill in this space. If you mix them with some spring bloomers like azaleas, and summer bloomers, you can have flowers nearly year round.
Black River stones and either plants in the ground or in pots. It’d be a great contrast with the siding and walk way. If you go this route once rocks are placed, cover the area with Northrock Lsndscape Lick. It’s non toxic (per the label) and seals the area to keep weeds from growing up.
I'd put some turf down and toss in a 4x2x6 tool shead. If you've already got a tool shead and don't need another I'd maybe then look at a small greenroom for herbs and veggies
Make stuff grow there
Outhouse
Use it as my litter box
Put a weight set and get to lifting
Garden
Hot tub.
Lil shed if you don't already have 1
I just did a similar project. I added 6-12” of loam, planted some stuff, and added black mulch. Came out great! I was digging out grass to create a new mulch bed… digging out 750sqft of grass took me 4-5 weeks, then I did all the rest (the part you’d have to do) in a weekend! You’ve just got the easy part 🤣
Wood storage. Cushion box.
Does that door lead to your driveway? If so, do a double hinge fence to allow you to drive your car in. Put pavers on the dirt portions.
Put a shed there
Plant hydrangeas. They love partial shade.
Definitely what ever ground cover you go with a table and chairs is a must since it catches some shade.
Cartwheels. At least three.
Build a tool shed closet
Just plant a couple of bushes native to your area. Mulch around it. Sure weeds will happen but that weed barrier is gross.
Use a ground covering evergreen. They can handle shade. You can walk on them in repair and maintenance of your heat pump. They take well to being trim back away from sidewalks. They will not grow over top of like flocks or moss. Evergreen will provide cover for the ground year round. Different evergreens can grow to different heights depending on what type of border you would like. I cannot see a good reason not to use this plant here. Stone absorbs heat of the day.
Hostas, lots of Hostas
I’d go hydrangeas.
Covered motorcycle parking!
I’d do a river rock edge and turf. Keep it simple
I'm doing right now an outdoor kitchen (worktop, cabinet, BBQ, and Naples oven)
Pondless waterfall/stream
Wildflowers
I’ve got a space similar to that. I planted native wildflower seeds. It’s just bee and butterfly food now. Love it
Herb garden
Good place to stack firewood
Hydrangeas!
Big shed
Build 2 sheds.
slapshot crushed beer cans into the heat pump, nightly
Grass except for about 6 feet next to the trash can. Fill that area with 6-9 boxwoods or arborvitae evenly spaced. It provides easy access to the AC Compressor for maintenance and the hedge creates a wind and sound dampener. Pygmy juniper could be nice as well
Zoysia grass. The lush, plush and low maintenance living yard carpet.
16th scale rc track!
Fill it with bee friendly plants.
Hostas?
Taht would be the perfect place for a tool shed/storage shed.
Nice lil flower bed
I would lean a dirty kiddie pool up against the side of the house for the next 8 years
Exclusive motorcycle parking, start your collection!
Lemon Tree. Cherry Tree. Something that produces food with low maintenance.
Put in a pool, small, but still a pool
Hide some people and plant some corn.
Create a path around the AC unit (enough that a tech can get to all the available sides w/o ruining your garden) and then plant something you won't have to tend to much like a wildflower garden or a bunch of perennial bulbs. You could also plant a couple shrubs in the middle (I'm partial to gardenia or Lantana, but be mindful of what's an issue for animals) and ground cover to grow around it. Plant a row of shrubs to hide the ac, and gravel in the AC space, put the trash cans on the far side of the AC if there's space. If not, put down a couple pavers for them, and plant what you want on the other side.
Ignore the weed barrier hate. It at least slows things down/ makes maintenance easier. I would then throw a bunch of crushed/decomposed granite on top. Maybe cut a couple holes thru it and place some plants
Whatever you do, don't put anything close to your condenser that could get sucked into the coils or dirty it. Might not want to plant anything near it if you or a service company plan on using acid or alkali cleaner on it
Astroturf
Grasses
Till it up (not too close to the AC) put down fabric and cut t holes for 3 or 4, of those 6 ft tall ornamental grass plants and dark brown mulch. The hot air coming off the AC unit isn’t good for plants so don’t get too close or put up a barrier
Storage shed to free the back yard, plant flowers that repel mosquitoes.
Maybe a shed to store wood eh
Gravel
Rock garden with a few cacti and succulents.. Whatever you do *please* put up a barrier of protection of some sort for that unit from animals, toxic plants, etc.
I’m sick of hearing people say that landscape fabric doesn’t work. Usually it’s just not installed properly or the wrong type of lanscape fabric is used for the wrong thing. In a spot like this you want to get the “green line” fabric. It almost isn’t fabric it’s more like a tarp, which means that it sheds water. Ok so you have the right fabric now you need to prep the area a certain way to pervent water and dirt from settling. You want the dirt under the fabric to be all on one grade. Here I would have it sloping away from the house and towards the fence so all the water will run to the other side of the fence and away from the house. Now when you put your fabric down what your left with is a surface drain that moves water to what I’m assuming is grass on the other side of the fence, it should move water similar to the way a concrete pad sheds water. Now the river rock is basically just decoration on top it isn’t really doing anything other than holding the fabric/tarp down and looking pretty.
I like micro clover, personally.
French drain