Is your front yard looking tired and needs a face lift? Here are several ideas for you to consider when making up a plan.
Think about what you want to do with the area. Do you have a good view from a particular spot in the yard that you’d like to take advantage of? Do you have a good vantage point for taking in a beauitful summer sunset? Why not position a cozy sitting area or small courtyard to take advantage of this unique feature? Designate an area in the lawn or garden that would give you the best view and put it in the landscape plan. Do something as simple as laying down gravel and adding plants around the perimeter can create privacy and by keeping the plantings fairly low, will not spoil your view. If your going for a more formal sitting area with flagstone or pavers as the floor, add a tellis with vines or a stone wall to create an enclosed courtyard. Which ever you choose, make sure it compliments the style of your home.
Do you enjoy cutting the grass every few days during growing season and, if it’s not irrigated, watch it go brown in the height of the summer. If not, then rethink the lawn. There are several different evergreen plants that can be massed to create the illusion of a lawn that do not require the upkeep. Moss, creeping thyme, blue star creeper, and microclover to name a few all work extremely well as a lawn replacement, plus have the advantage of a flush of colour during their flowering season. Moss particularly is ideal here in the Victoria area as we have very acidic soil, an environment moss thrives in. There are also several varieties of decorative moss that work well. Irish, Scotch, pincushion moss, carpet moss, to name a few. I wouldn’t recommend using these alternatives for a large sweeping lawn replacement, but for a small city sized front yard, these work extremely well.
Something that also needs to be considered when planning your new front yard is the parking. Is it adequate, do you need to add space for the RV that is currently parked on the front lawn? Is the surface in good repair? If you are constantly shuffling vehicles around, consider putting in a turn around driveway. This may need to be cleared with your local municipal government and I would advise getting the OK first, but it could be a real time saver. Add a garden with a feature tree and shrubs to the centre of the turn around and voila you have a whole new look to your yard.
Doing something as simple as adding a definitive geometric shape to the lawn area, minimizing the number of varieties and increasing the size and repetition of the plants and shrubs can breathe a whole new life to the yard. Consider adding a water feature near the front entrance. Even something as small and inconspicuous as a water bowl, if that fits with your style, can add a calming, refreshing feeling.
There are a whole pletera of thoughts and ideas that can come to mind, but, first and foremost, and I cannot stress it enough, you need to start with a landscape plan on paper. This will help get the thoughts out of your head and help you think of new ways to use the space and increase the curb appeal of the front yard. Nothing attracts attention more and increases the value of your property more than a well designed yard, and if you think of the front yard as the cover on a book, it needs to be inviting and clearly state what lies beyond.