Problem Areas

A tree that's messy and too large

A large pine tree is tangled in the power lines, and it drops pinecones and needles. Because of competition for moisture, grass can't grow beneath it.

Solution: The proximity of the branches to the power lines--plus the height of the tree--necessitates removal of the tree by a professional arborist. After the tree is out, the stump needs to be ground and the surface roots removed. James' friend will wait six months to a year before planting anything else in its place.

Bare fence

The fence is barren of plantings nearby and seems too stark.

Solution: First, get a soil test and make any necessary amendments. There are different ways to spruce up a bare wall--you can give it some height with vines or a trellis, adding climbing roses or other evergreen or deciduous plants that will give it a vertical element.

The homeowner sprayed some weeds in the yard with herbicide and wound up with unsightly brown spots. And there are lots of weeds still remaining.

Solution: Remove the turf with a sod cutter and reseed or resod the entire lawn. You can also use both pre- and post-emergent herbicides to eliminate weed growth, or you can pull out some of the weeds by hand.

Front of the house is barren

The house has a small patio that's composed of uneven brick and no plants.

Solution: To improve the look, James suggests removing the bricks, working the soil and adding plants to dress it up. The first plants to go in are podocarpuses.On the other end, a viburnum, hydrangea and a couple of container plants.