Should You Landscape Your Front Yard?
The lawn is king. The lawn is an American institution. Whether stemming from an innate desire to show that you have dominion over nature or just a desire to create something beautiful, the lawn is here to stay. Landscape design experts, lawn care products, and lawn care maintenance has grown into multibillion dollar businesses.
Front yards, for the most part, are boring and most people focus their time and energies on creating a private retreat to the rear of the house. The main difference between gardening in the front and gardening in the back is that your neighbors can see it. The front yard is a little more difficult as it only stretches from the house to the road and is interrupted by a paved driveway, sidewalks, steps and the front stoop. A few shrubs, a tree or two, and a square of grass are generally the extent of most landscaping efforts.
If you aren’t particular creative or have no idea what you want to do, you may need to hire a professional to design your garden.
Cities are crowded and houses are close together. Your backyard is your own personal sanctuary, but what about the front yard? If you are tired of that same old stretch of green that graces 9 houses out of ten, go ahead and express yourself creatively. A tiny front yard garden can give you an opportunity to express yourself and give the neighbors something to enjoy too. For resale purposes, a beautifully designed front yard says that the owner cares about how his house looks to the neighborhood. It is the first thing visitors see.
With a small yard, design is everything.
Decide what look you are going for and stick with it. We aren’t just talking about sticking in a few bulbs and trimming an overgrown hedge. Every plant and every decorative element (no flamingos please) shows in a small front yard garden, especially when it is close to the street.
Take measurements so that you can visualize exactly how much yard you are going to be working with, make it blend with the style of your house and consider what will be acceptable in your neighborhood.
Some front yard ideas: vegetable or herb themes, market gardens, something formal, something modern, something that looks like a prairie or the ever popular oriental theme. Stick with one theme though.
The idea is not to confuse or overcrowd a small space but to actually follow a design pattern that will create a peaceful illusion (you might need help with this, unless you are terribly clever).
There are rules and regulations for everything. Before you begin you will need to check into city bylaws that could prohibit plants of a certain size or location such as corner plantings that might inhibit traffic visibility. Is planting allowed in your ditch, or what is an acceptable height for fences? Another concern is the location of water and telephones lines that might interfere with plantings, or underground irrigation or wiring for nightlights. Be mindful of city property and property lines. After you lay the groundwork you can let your imagine soar.
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