Readers Respond: What Are the Worst Landscaping Mistakes You've Made?

Common landscaping mistakes range from miscalculations with practical ramifications to more subtle errors that ruin the enjoyment of your yard. Here you can list memorable mistakes you've made in landscaping your yard. Let us know what landscaping mistakes you have made -- whether small or big mistakes -- so that others may learn from them.

Think of this feature as a Letters to the Editor column: a spot to relate your thoughts; in this case, thoughts re: landscaping mistakes you've made. It may be tempting to ask questions or respond to another reader's thoughts, but my Landscaping forum is designed for that.

Spruce Trees Shed Too Many Pine Cones

I planted spruce trees on the border of my property and it was a mistake to do this because now I have a lot of work to clean them up. I wish I could sell them to a lumber business or something or if someone out there would be good enough to cut them down for free, I would appreciate it. We have complaining neighbors and they simply hate us because of them.

—Guest dolore

Ill-Timed Use of Pre-Emergent Herbicide

I put down Scotts Turfbuilder with Halts immediately before attempting an overseeding project. After dropping the Turfbuilder I drove to Home Depot to get the seed where I talked to a Scotts rep. I chatted him up for a good 20 minutes over the variety fertilizers and seeds for my small yard. He let slip that Turfbuilder with Halts should never be used prior to seeding because it not only prevents crabgrass, it prevents other grass too! I very much learned my lesson there. That mountain of dirt I bought for the overseeding will have to wait until September . . . I felt like such a dope, but learning things the hard way certainly lends itself to remembering it forever!

—Guest Eric_Anondson

Landscaping Mistake: Trumpet Vine

Never put a trumpet vine in the landscape unless you have acres to cover! I planted one about 20 years ago, and I've been trying to control it ever since! It seemed so pretty and hummingbirds love the flowers. Every time I turn around, there are more coming out of the ground.

—donnafed

Sweet Peas My Landscaping Mistake

Never plant sweet peas, they form a root like a log and the root gets bigger. After 15 years of pulling suckers, I started digging and dug down three feet and there was more root under there than I could get to! So I poured a half bottle of straight Roundup weed killer and it must have killed it as I have no suckers. My husband finally leaves me alone now. Although, when I bought some bee balm, he had to ask if it had roots like sweet peas.

—Guest carrie/noreen

Landscaping Mistake: Hedge and Fence

About 20 years ago I planted a Cheyenne privet hedge (about 50 ft. long) to block the view of a neighbor's chain link fence. I Thought I planted it far enough away from the fence. Now the problem is I can't get between the fence and the hedge to trim it. Also it sends lots of shoots through the fence. Am seeking professional help.

—Guest rdaviexz

Landscaping Mistake: Maytens Trees

I live at the beach in Southern California. After my new backyard hardscaping was completed, my landscaper recommended maytens trees which are just perfect for the area and I love them. The problem is their seeds drop everywhere and grow. If I don't weed for a week, it takes me several hours to get all those little saplings out. And My yard is only 30 x 30. Beautiful trees but a real problem with the seeds. My second mistake was wanting an English garden in this same area. It faces north. Having been in England a number of times, I know they do not get a lot of sun, so I thought my garden would do well. It did not. Last month I was in England and went to a garden center to ask about why my plants (especially perennials) would not last. The man there told me that most English gardeners plant new plants every year - that is why they look so nice! This includes geraniums, foxgloves, hollyhocks, etc. - all my favorites.

—Guest Lyn

Landscaping Mistake: Messy Pine Cones

I planted Norwegin pines along the driveway to work as a snow fence. I didn't realize that they produce the messy pine cones. The lawn mower just shoots them on the driveway. Give me the Colorado blue spruce!

—Guest Margee

Landscaping Mistake: Vines on House

I have a vine that has crept between the walls & under the shingle to now poke through the interior ceiling. Major disaster, since I can't really stop it without tearing down the whole alcove & re-plastering the ceiling, followed by a fresh paint job.

—Guest janice

Bald Cypress: Landscaping Mistake

I wanted a Bald Cypress and I also knew they liked a moist area. The only place I had where I thought it would thrive was just below our driveway which got a lot of run off when it rained. I didn't give any thought to the fact that our mud bottomed pond, which the frogs love, was about 25 feet from where I planted the tree. The tree has done great in its location!! But now I have roots as big as my wrist growing over into my frog pond. If I don't do something soon, my frogs won't have anywhere to lay their eggs in the spring. Hopefully I can cut a narrow trench near the pond and get a metal barrier down between the tree and the pond.

—Shelby24019

Landscaping Mistake: Labels Matter

"What's that plant? It's so lovely, but there's no label on it." "That's a Smoke Bush." Smoke Bush, eh? Sounds good. I have just the place in my entryway for a bush. So I bought it, and I planted it. And it turned out to be a Vitex, a Chaste TREE. I have to prune it with vigor every two months. Looks like now I will be hacking away at the root for the next millenium. That puppy is tough! And its roots are under my house, perfect for termite tunneling. It really is lovely, but way, way too big! Never mind the size: check the label. And if it doesn't have a label, walk away very quietly. Or at least get a second opinion!

—Guest MadforFlowers

Cranesbill Geranium Landscaping Mistake

We rented our house out for 2 years and the tenant put in cranesbill geraniums. OMG! We ended up pulling them out for years - they completely invaded every area of our yard! What a disaster! We have since moved - and left them behind!

—Guest SuzAnne

Landscaping Mistake With Flower Beds

When I bought my house there were very few flowers and I wanted to make some beds. Instead of taking the time to kill the grass that was present, I just tilled up the soil, amended it and planted. I've been digging grass out of these beds for 15 years now.

—bekmk

Landscaping Mistake: Lily Lament

Trying to fill in spaces economically, we used the common orange daylily a number of years ago. Now, we would like to replace them and keep them from spreading. But we've found out how tough they are to control! It will take some work and time; meanwhile, the area looks yucky. Another penny-wise and pound-foolish landscaping mistake.

—Guest lilylament

Landscaping Mistake: Plum Tree Bees

I was cutting down an old plum tree that was rotting out at the trunk. I had removed all the branches and was beginning to work on the trunk just above ground level when I began to get stung all over by angry bees. Yelling loudly I left my chainsaw still running in the groove where it had sliced into a wild beehive, and beat a hasty exit while swatting at the bees chasing me and trying to brush them off. My brother-in-law came running and before I could stop him went to retrieve the chainsaw still stuck in the stump but was driven back and stung a few times himself. Using my telescopic pole-pruner I hooked my chainsaw out of the beehive and switched it off. I tend to be more cautious when working on old tree trunks now.

—Hedgecutter

Landscaping Mistake With Eucalyptus Tree

I planted a hardy Eucalyptus tree too close to my septic tank. It was only supposed to grow 15' at most; but it loved the septic tank so much, it grew to over 100' tall and, unfortunately, my beautiful tree, had to be chopped down (which was cheaper than a new septic tank and field).

—Guest nin40@Shaw.ca