Boring.

This is how Paul James describes typical foundation plantings, or shrubs, trees and flowers planted near the foundation of a house. He said people should “break from tradition” and throw some different shrubs and trees into the mix.

“It doesn’t have to be shrubs or hedges,” says James, master gardener and host of Home & Garden Television’s “Gardening by the Yard.” “Small trees work well or perennials can be used.”

He also suggested edible landscaping, including various fruit and vegetable plants. For example, James said he once saw corn growing toward the back foundation of a house. It caught his eye because it was different.

Years ago, foundation plants were used to cover up unattractive areas of homes. Master gardener and garden writer Don Engebretson says he can date a home just by looking at its foundation plants. Until the 1960s, plants were only 28 inches from the foundation.

“When I’m doing a landscape renovation on an older home, I don’t even have to put a tape measure down,” says Engebretson, an on-camera gardening expert for HGTV’s “TIPical Mary Ellen.” “I see this narrow little strip of earth and I know it’s exactly 28 inches.”

But this is not nearly enough space for the plants to grow properly, Engebretson said. He recommends at least four feet, telling homeowners this equation: Take the height of your house. One-third of that height is the minimum that you should be expanding your beds.

The key to a successful foundation planting is making the house “nestle,” Engebretson said. To ensure the house does not look “like a dollhouse sitting on a pool table,” people should make sure the plants and home are to scale.

Marjee Righeimer, master gardener and floral designer, said three things are important in foundation planting:

— Test the soil to ensure it is good growing and not just rock and debris.
— Make sure the soil is not too compacted so oxygen and water can get to the plants.
— Allow for shrub and tree growth.

A common mistake is overcrowding the area with plants because they want it to look full and healthy right away. Righeimer said people don’t want to be patient to wait for plants to grow to their full size, but they need to leave room for growth.

“It looks nice and pretty when you plant it, but three years from now it will be larger than the house,” says Righeimer, who also is chief executive officer CEO of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society.

Engebretson advises gardeners to find out from the catalog or the nursery how wide and tall plants will get at maturity. Each shrub should come with a recommended planting distance, and planning ahead for growth will eliminate overcrowding.

“Know the mature width and height of your plant, and you’ll have all the options in the world,” Engebretson said.

To combat the urge to plant, plant, plant, Righeimer suggests using fill-in foliage, such as annuals or perennials, until the foundation plants reach maturity. A combination of plants and small trees varying in height and texture will draw people into the landscape.

“Good landscaping looks as if the landscaping came first, and the house just fits in there naturally,” Engebretson said.

Some plants work better than others as foundation plantings. It depends mainly on climate, Righeimer says, so natives to a certain area are best for foundation planting.

Even those with smaller yards can experiment with foundation plantings. Engebretson says tall, narrow-growing shrubs such as dwarf evergreens could be used along a city lot. Get rid of the side lawn, he adds, by filling it with shrubs and putting a winding pathway through it.

“There’s no reason for grass where it’s not going to be utilized,” Engebretson says. “Don’t be afraid to renovate. Rip out shrubs. Make the lines of the foundation planting curve.”