How to Landscape Around Brick Mailboxes

Use pen and paper to design a layout for your mailbox garden. Measuring the mailbox and the general area will help you to identify what size of garden to plant. In general, leave the area in front of the mailbox free of landscaping so that the postal service will have easy accessibility to your box.

Identify any special considerations for the mailbox area. For example, if the mailbox is in a high traffic area, you will want to look for plants that need little maintenance. Note the light conditions. Is the box in full sun all day or partial shade? This will make a difference when choosing the plants. Keep in mind the proximity of the area to a water source. If there is not a close water source, you will want to choose plants that need infrequent watering after they are established. Depending on the area, you may even want to look for drought resistant species.

Using planting guides, a plant dictonary and your local garden center, identify plants that fulfill all the planting conditions for the mailbox garden. Lay out on paper the overall garden design.

Using a waterhose or flour, "draw" the outline of the garden on the ground. Step back and make sure you like the overall shape and size.

Using a shovel, remove any turf from the area.

Work the dirt and add any necessary topsoil and soil amendments. In general, adding three inches of a commercially prepared manure will improve the quality of a soil. If the area is too rocky or full of clay to work, a raised garden bed provides a solution. Use pavers or landscape timbers to outline the garden area, then fill with topsoil and amendments.

Set purchased plants in the area according to the garden plan. Move plants as necessary. Look for balance in the overall look. Pay attention to planting guidelines when allowing space between plants. Plants that need 18 inches of space to spread out will quickly overfill a bed when only allowed 6 inches of space.

Plant and water the plants. Most plants will require regular water for the first few weeks to help them establish.

Apply a mulch several inches deep throughout the bed to keep weeding at a minimum. This also helps the soil retain moisture. If the plan includes few future additions to the garden, the addition of a weed barrier under the mulch can help cut down on weeding. For example, a bed with only a few shrubs and no flowers can use a weed barrier. If a bed is planted with bulbs and several annual plantings, you will not want to put down a weed barrier.