FRONT YARD MAKEOVER
Simplicity, functionality are key
Like a spy thriller, my new front yard project is keeping the neighbours guessing.
No one knows what will happen next.
An entry garden saying “come on in” is something we all need.
So if yours does anything less, draw up a plan and start renovating.
My Helpful Husband (H.H.) knows I am “playful and folksy” in the garden but I’m redoing my front yard so it will be simple. No surprises.
I promise.
First, we remove the hedge and use cardboard and bark mulch to kill the lawn.
A bobcat pushes the dead turf into a pile to keep the soil for future planting.
And now the real work begins: walls, steps, sidewalk and front planter are built.
H.H. agrees with my ideas for the front yard renovation because visitors using our old narrow driveway as a sidewalk must squeeze past cars and climb steep stairs to reach the front door.
Do you have a front garden that needs a new look?
I offer these talking points for families considering a makeover.
FITYOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD:
The decisions you make about your front yard begin when you choose the home location and style.
When “Dan” picks up my young niece for a date I am surprised by his appearance: piercings and tattoos cover his face, body and earlobes. With her blond hair swinging in a ponytail, my shiny young niece is thrilled by the possibilities this character offers.
I mention this because, like teenagers, neighbourhoods have their own character.
If your street is all grey stucco and double garage doors, a wildflower installation with a massive fountain is too complex. Remember, your house is an extension of yourself but your front yard is a reflection of your neighbourhood, so respect that.
If you live on a quirky side street in an older neighbourhood, let your inner artist shine. Paint the house a bright colour and go for a “folksy ” garden design with crafty brambles, blooms and butternuts.
BE REALISTIC ABOUT THE ROLE OF FRONT YARDS
Deliveries, visitors and positive externalities: this is the front yard in summary. So keep it simple. A curving path through a forest of shrubbery may be fun in wonderland but, in a suburban front yard, it is too much. Get visitors to the front door quickly so your Amazon parcel can be dropped off and your niece’s date can make a fast escape.
Install gnomes, fountains and fairy gardens full of flowers in the backyard, but keep the front simple.
FORGET UGLY FEATURES:
Ian asked about hiding his ugly green electrical box in his front yard with a circle of shrubs. He is not alone: many gardeners attempt to hide utility features by planting around them.
Think of driveways lined with petunias, telephone poles planted with Swedish columnar aspens, and electrical boxes surrounded with shrubs. These attempts to “soften” offending features draw even more attention to it.
Again, the best front yards draw attention to the front door and get people in and out of the house in a simple, safe manner. Anything else is a wasted effort.
So as our garden renovation approaches completion, the discussion between Helpful Husband and myself goes to the planting scheme. We live in a neighbourhood in transition. I agree to keep the front less folksy than our wild and wilful backyard. H.H. agrees to keep the utility trailer parked out of sight.
Our large lot has existing shrubs and trees so we keep those. I propose adding ornamental grasses to existing plantings.
In Calgary, Karl Forester Grass (as well as the variegated form ‘Overdam’) are hardy and easy to care for. Shorter blue oat grass grows in mounds and annuals like orange sedge (Carex testacea) and silvery artichokes add colour without the fussiness of blooms. Large-leaf plants like rhubarb (for sun) and Ligularia (in shade) add contrast and summer interest.
Why trash your front yard this season? Because you can create a new layout to make your home more welcoming, the entry less complicated and the landscape more suited to your house and neighbourhood.
My project is a work in progress so I impulsively add one folksy element just for fun by planting watermelons in the large formal front planter. Oops — that broke a few rules.