Here are the proposed ideas we came up with at our late April meeting:

Mizzou Botanic Garden, Conley House project
Grounds ideas from 4/27 meeting

Summer 2010 plans
• Recommend to remove or relocate the dogwood tree located on the NW corner of the House, between the downspout and the side-porch. It is too close to the building and is not thriving.
• Plant coral bells (or some other full-shade tolerant plant) in the two small beds on either side of the back (east) door.
• Inquire about removing one or both pines on the far-east slope abutting the north-facing drive into Turner Garage. The smaller pine in particular has very few branches.
• Plant shade-tolerant spreading groundcover on the far-east slope abutting the north-facing drive into Turner Garage. Proposed plants: coneflower, English ivy, gooseneck loose strife
• Recommend to trim lilacs on north border of Conley House grounds – trim by 1/3rd. MG volunteers to do trimming.
• Plant flowering vines such as morning glory, hyacinth bean and scarlet runner bean along the chain-link fence on the south border of the property.
• Plant mixed annuals and perennials in the north flowerbed to provide color for summer 2010. Suggested plants: zinnias, phlox, marigolds, hollyhocks, daisies.
• Move the lilies currently located on the bank at the east perimeter of the property between the Turner Ave Garage and the garage sidewalk to a sunnier location, such as along the north-facing entrance to Turner Garage.

Long-Term Plans
• Keep all of the healthy trees.
• Keep the boxwoods.
• Inquire about health and long-term viability of the large tree directly east of the back (east) door.
• In the existing north flowerbed, plant mixed bulbs and perennials, such as hostas, columbine, coral bell, lily-of-the-valley, lamb’s ear, phlox, bleeding heart, and dianthus.
• Request assistance identifying the existing shrubs and trees.
• Plant jonquils, iris, and tulips in the south-facing flowerbed between the house and the driveway (in front of the air conditioning units and basement entrance). Iris can be thinned from the bed of purple iris around the tree on the southwest corner of the yard.
• Move the daylilies on the east-facing wall of the far-east addition to a sunnier location.
• Propose 2 tall arborvitae in front of the 2 blank brick expanses on the north side of the house.
• Place decorative fencing around the air conditioning units to disguise them and prevent plants from growing into units. Allow honeysuckle (?) and spirea to grow out and drape.
• Install a lattice for climbing vines (such as morning glories) on the south edge of the west porch.
• Install a ‘dry creekbed’ drainage leading from the downspout on the northwest corner of the west-facing porch.
• Add a large feature (perhaps a heavy planter) on the small north patio.
• In the east yard, remove the yews and install a memorial bench.
• Propose moving the roses in the west flowerbed in front of the west porch to the rose garden in the north yard, and expand the latter as necessary.
• Propose installing a raised flowerbed in the north yard, approximately where the berm was located historically. Use a rounded edge to facilitate mowing, and fill the bed with low-maintenance multi-flower rose bushes. Place a large white urn with cascading petunias in the center of the bed (to recreate a known 1940s feature of the yard).
• Propose adding a flowerbed border alongside the brick sidewalk that runs north from the east (back) door.
• Inquire about removal of the evergreen hedge on the northwest corner of the property (depending on MU Landscaping plans to open the yard or keep it secluded). Could replace the evergreen hedge with shorter barberry, to increase visibility of yard but continue to discourage use of the yard.
• Suggest installing a wrought-iron fence on the west and north borders of the yard. (This may be cost-prohibitive.)