I would take some photos of the front at different times of the year. Make sure you get all the nitty-gritty details. Then go around the neighborhood and surrounding environs, and notice houses that have similarities to yours. See what you like and don't like about their front gardens.

Then, keep a garden journal, I just use a theme book, to record what you have planted where, weather conditions, what blooms at what time. I make a list called, 'What's blooming now?' and go around the yard marking down everything that's blooming. (I also count when grasses/ bushes are looking spectacular.) There are some times of the year when it's a veritable riot, and other times when it is pretty sparce. The list helps me spot that.

I have a large yard, so I have quite a few beds in the front yard, and I like different areas to be at bloom at different times. I liken it to a theatre play, where the spotlight fades out on one side of the stage as a new character comes in on the other. That helps draw the eye away from the spent blooms, onto the new 'actor.'

Then, I'd get familiar with the local library's collection of landscape design books, as well as garden/flower books. Also, magazines have good ideas, especially if you can clip out the articles and keep them in a garden ideas folder. (Or your journal.) Get to know your local public gardens. You will have the ability to view professionally designed beds (or designed by skilled amatuers,) at different seasons, in your climate.

And finally, plant fewer different plants, but more of them. Groupings of three or five look better than one of this, one of that, one of the other. (I learned that by trial and error!! hehe)

Have fun!!

That question is so broad that it's impossible to answer. We don't know what you like (control vs. cottagesque, what your sun/shade conditions are, if you're working with estalished trees/shrubs/foundation plantings, what kind of work you want to put into it, nothing. And when you say your house is "pretty far back from the street," are you talking 30'? 100'? The span of half an acre? Because when you say you want "some" grass, but perhaps not a lot, it's hard to know if we should be suggesting huge banks of easy-care daylilies, or a mixed border which, depending on its size and how much care you want to lavish upon it, will either be a pleasure or a nightmare that quickly spirals out of control. You can soften a square many ways. Curved beds seem an obvious solution, but you can also plant an abundance of soft, billowing plants in rectangular plots, play with scale, and lots of other things.

All I can really suggest, much like cantstopgardening, is to walk around, look at books, watch the garden shows etc. And then dream, plan, plant and know that you'll probably experience--and learn the most from--your own trials and errors.

Km, one thing u can do is go to www.directgardening.com It's located in Bloomington, Il, north of Springfield. Also, it's great gettiing on mailing lists. So far, since Dec, I've received over 30 plant catalogs. It's actually a bit too much, but at least there's various plants in each catalog and you can get some great ideas. Each explain which zone,sun, soil,etc will be needed. Once you're on a mailing list u can count on getting a good number of catalogs Good luck,and keep us informed. Toni

But DO NOT order anything from any nursery down in Bloomington, Illinois, if you want to avoid any headache or aggravation. In fact, in other forums on GW there have been a good number of negative comments about them. I have ordered something from one of them myself and will never do it again.

Please check the Gardenwatchdog site to hear what other people have to say about any nursery before you order.

Goodluck.

Pit, I know what you mean about the place in Bloomiington..It's actually best if you go directly to the gh and order..they go out back and pick out plants for you. If u don't like its looks, they'll go back and select another..I've had good and bad luck w/this company. For instance, I ordered some houseplants and they sent me the wrong plants, and after 3 wks of calling and getting a busy signal, I ended up writing them a nasty letter. Then again, I got perrenials that looked half dead and after planting and leaves grew in, I thought what a deal! All for 1.98 plus .01 for a second..Guess it's like playing the lotto..lol..
One problem w/Bloomington is they have contracts w/at least 8 different companies..if u receive their catalogs you'll know what I mean. So, it's actually up to the individual whether or not they want to risk ordering. Like I said, it's best going directly to their gh. Toni

While I think that you should definately embrace everyone's advice as to what kind of garden you want, the upkeep you are willing to put into it etc, the 2 things that jumped out at me from your post are 1) its winter, and you probably want to start working on this in the spring, and 2)its the squareness that is bothering you. So, my solution to the first is to go to the library or bookstore and thumb thru books of landscape plans, it will give you all kinds of ideas. The second is alot more simplistic, make the grass area round, and in the left over space plant your gardens. Thereby hiding the squareness of the yard.
Just my .02

Or curvy planting beds around the lawn. I love sweeping curvy beds. Don't make them symmetrical. Too boring.

There's a landscape design forum on the gardenweb. The folks there are very kind and can give you some direction. I've asked them questions in the past and they were very patient iwth this newbie! :)

At our last home, my yards were so tiny, I didn't have the option of creating large beds, so on the corner aspect of our lot, I curved it mightily so it wasn't so boxy. That alone softened the whole look of the place. A rectangle in a rectangle didn't look appealing at all. And blooming, mounding groundcover in the front of it, also softened things....

Like roses?
forty years ago,my parents planted climbing roses in the front yard,up against the house.As other plants came and
went these survived.They bloomed all season,houndreds of
roses,but as the years went by they bloomed less and less
and now only bloom once a year,but still have houndreds of
red roses around june.They need occassional pruning,and
some rose food.They have survived the winters without
protection.
Peonies seem to be a full bush plant that bloom early but
the stay green until fall,and need little care.Mine grow
to about 2.5 ft high,2.5 ft wide.
But I am just a novice,and this is my experience.
Good luck with your front yard,I myself am trying to find
some low care perenniels for my backyard.

I found this awesome book at Barnes and Noble that was only about building a front yard garden. It's called
FRONT YARD GARDENS: GROWING MORE THAN GRASS
by Liz Primeau (Andrew Layerle (Photographer)). LOVED this book! It got me so inspired to do my front yard. Eventually I'm going to redo how the front looks after I've gotten the back yard established. This book should definately give you ideas. She walks you through how to get rid of the grass as well as what perennials would work best for your zone, shade and sun tolerance, etc. Need I say more?
I saw it posted for $24.95 online if you are interested.
Wonderful pictures of how-to-do and very user friendly diction.

Heather

I am thinking of planting in the front yard this year. There is a perfect spot at the south corner of my house that the sun shines on all day. I don't know what I'll plant, but I am dreaming of strawberries, sunflowers, and even vine squash! I am wondering what kinds of veggies I can get away with in my front yard? And perhaps I should try herbs, too? Any thoughts? Thanks.

Hi,
Grew up in Chicago and I know what your talking about.
If your home is a bit on the country style and you want that English Garden look consider a picket fence set back a bit...this will allow you to plant some wellcome color in front of the fence (like begonias, impatients). Your entry way could be an arbor or just open with a flag stone walk way. Or if the path is concrete just have your fence end there. The fence & arbor I have in mind is the ones at the Block Stores. The ones that are about 48" curved and white Plastic...if your house is more formal then Black can be purchased also.

This could be your starting point. Create curved beds behind the fence with color, grasses and flowering shrubs.
Your plants will have a backdrop and you can let your creative mind go with it. I have two white fences on each corner of my lot which I plant with reed grass and flowering shrubs, daylilies and hosta. Some interest with a large rock with annuals tucked in adds color. Up the walk way I line it with begonias & argeratums. A salvaged painted chair sits by the front door with a basket of potatoe vines, impatients and anything else I like.

Start small, get your structure pieces in, fence and shrubs and your curve. Then start adding...you have years to garden the fun is the adding! Just cover the bare spots with heavy mulch and place annuals for color.

Spring is in the air.
Happy Gardening.