Front Yard Landscaping - need all the help I can get!

9 years ago

Hi Everyone,

My husband and I recently moved into our first house and are trying to slowly fix it up. It was previously a rental home and the yard was completely ignored. We recently laid down sod and now we're trying to come up with a plan for the front flower bed. I planted a few flowers around the tree but we would like to rip out the shrubs and replace them with something else. We plan on removing all of the shrubs in front of the house, including the one next to the garage. Please help - we have NO idea what we're doing and need ideas! I've attached a picture of our front yard - please keep in mind that this was taken about a month ago, the day that we laid down the sod (it's green and lush now). Thank you so much in advance!!

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Comments (4)

mrs.wiggley
9 years ago
Just a quick impression and thought - I don't know about you but many people never actually use their front lawns. My guess is that it's because there's no sense of privacy. So I might actually consider enclosing that space with tall plants or a wall creating a courtyard feeling. Also would make sure that the view from the front window was really attractive and inviting looking since that window is so prominent I'm sure from the inside. And I'd like to see some tall narrow evergreen along that left corner of the house to obscure/soften the hard edge as well as elongate the front plane of the house.
Don't forget that you don't have to let the current shape of the front yard dictate the outcome. And consider creating levels rather than sticking to a flat ground plan.
Enjoy your new home!
I've attached a link for inspiration.

Here is a link that might be useful: Courtyards

This post was edited by mrs.wiggley on Fri, May 23, 14 at 11:37
Vulture61
9 years ago
Congrats for your new and beautiful house, glb!
I assume you have a steady source of water since you went for the sod. I would certainly cut those bushes in front of the window but I wouldn't get rid of them because they would be the only source of green during winter, when chances are that everything else would be dormant. I actually like the topiary-like bush between the garage and the main entrance.
I would also make just one big and long flowerbed that would include the front of the window and some of the area under the tree that would extend towards the driveway. You would have to kill the grass in that area and ammend the soil with compost and mulch.
I would plant a collection of honeysuckles against the fence (maybe you could place a bench in that area?). Depending on the quality of the soil, water availability and the type of garden you want, you could plant miniature roses, oxalys, variegated liriope, Asiatic lillies(behind the short evergreen bushes), impatiens (in front of the evergreen bushes),agapanthus,plumbago, asparagus densiflorus, carex sp or others...

Omar
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roselee z8b S.W. Texas
9 years ago
Yes, you have a beautiful home and what a lovely tree in the front yard! I like the courtyard idea of planting some things out away from the house to give some privacy. Also liked Omar's suggestions.

I know what you're going through trying to decide how to landscape your new-to-you home. What I did was to drive around neighborhoods to get ideas. I didn't know about blogs then but you might want to visit some blogs.

http://www.penick.net/digging/

is a favorite. She's written a very popular book, "Lawn Gone" with suggestions you might incorporate in your back yard since you've already sodded the front. Also this blog:

http://wwwrockrose.blogspot.com/

has a list of other good blogs to check out.

Below is the link to a book that I still refer to. It has lists of native plants which are sure to do well and suggests landscaping schemes.

Wishing you all the best. You'll be getting more suggestions as the days go by.

Here is a link that might be useful: Landscaping With Native Plants by Wolsalski ...
southofsa
9 years ago
Congratulations on your new house! It's so much fun having a space to work with but it also can be overwhelming sometimes.

Everyone is different when trying to design spaces. Some people can "see" the space they're creating as they learn about different plants, and some people have to see it for real. I'm definitely in the second group. So what I found to be the most helpful is to look at different spaces that I liked, take pictures, and then work backwards to ID the plants, where they work best, what type of soil, and water requirements they'd need.

Where you live in makes a BIG difference. Acid or alkaline soil. Temp ranges, rainfall- lots of things that play into plant selection.

There's a nice, basic book that I liked when I started out "Texas Home Landscaping" by Greg Grant and Roger Holmes. I see it in box stores a lot but your library might have a copy. And I don't know if you're near San Antonio, but the botanical gardens has a section called "Watersaver Walk" that has I think ? 8 houses mocked up with different landscape designs. Same space, totally different looks.

Have fun. Take your time. Don't worry if you kill some of the plants- it's part of the process. Keep reading these boards- some of the nicest plant lovers you'll ever meet hang out here.

Hope this helps- Lisa

This post was edited by southofsa on Sat, May 24, 14 at 4:32