Front Yard Design

My husband and I knew we had a lot to learn about our newly-purchased and over 100-year-old home, and many decisions to make as we settled into it. We looked forward to the peace and quiet of our own inside space, with no more footsteps or other sounds above us, and to having our very own outdoor space as well.

With a dozen years of practice at our condo building under my belt, I was ready to dig into my very own garden, with gusto. I knew the previous owners of our house had worked in the yard and put time and attention into it. I looked forward to building on their efforts.

We moved in late December and could only recall or see a few plants in the yard: a large lilac bush, some kind of thorny rose, many hostas, and IVY. It grew thick from the corner house, through the fence and filled the strip along our front sidewalk. 

In the spring, we waited to see what would show up. As the days got longer and warmer, new sprouts peeked up all over the place. Every day was a discovery as another plant lifted its head through the healthy soil to say hello. This is what it looked like in late March of 2013: 

What we didn't see until late spring were HUNDREDS of colorful bulbs planted the previous fall, from early crocuses to hyacinth, tulips and daffodils of various colors, sizes, shapes and bloom times. What a sweet gift to welcome us to our new home and garden!

As the warm months continued, perennials popped up and many bloomed into fall. I added garden beds along the front and side fences, where grass and ivy had been before. I split plants that were overgrown and moved them around the yard, including hostas, sedum, Solomon seal and bleeding hearts.

This is what it looked like in June:

I put annuals in pots for height and pops of color, and planted small pansies along the fence. I switched the large pots at the bottom of the steps from spring bulbs to a summer display, and later a winter one when I returned the bulbs to the big pots last fall. 

But I waited to tackle the full front yard space until I'd lived with it for a full year. And with that year nearly up, I'm ready to plan for the front yard and garden. This way, I'll be ready to roll when the weather breaks.  

This month, I started reading articles for shade gardens, since my front yard is shady due to nearby trees and buildings. It's kind of a relief, as it helps narrow down options for plants. 

I made a list of plants I want to add in the front yard: more coral bells, corydalis and hydrangea, new Virginia bluebells, cardinal flowers, and Japanese forest grass or Japanese tassel ferns. I'm sure I'll be able to find most, if not all, of these plants at my local plant store, Gethsemane, when the weather warms up and I'm back out in the yard.

Then I thought about the things I'd like to change or fix in the yard. 

It turns out my idea to identify problems first was a good one, according to Jeff True of Hursthouse Landscaping, in a front yard design class at the Chicago Botanic Garden this week. Once you know the issues, you can find creative solutions to solve them.

Before you go pick out plants, Jeff True said, you need to consider the house and property, and use that as a guide in your design process. And it is a process, he reminded us, and will have multiple stages and steps along the way. In fact, he suggested doing projects in phases to help break it down into more manageable steps, and spread out the costs.

To get started, get a broad view of the house and front yard, he said, including the fences, building, driveway and sidewalks. Each of these will affect the design and function of the home and garden. Also consider your own personal style and how you want to use the space itself, as it will be a reflection of the gardener when it's all done.

 A few design elements to keep in mind for the overall space: 

* Consider a greeting area for family, friends and guests, i.e. a landing, porch or patio.
* Think about lighting in the space and consider adding solar or LED lights.
* Screen areas for more privacy where desired, using trellises or other items.
* Check the views from inside the home as well to keep sight lines clear out windows.
* Keep front door visible from all access points to the house, if possible. 
* Use the same materials for patio, landings and planters as on the house to unify it.

For the garden itself, these are some design elements to consider:

* Make a list of favorite or new plants; experiment and have fun with them.
* Keep plants below the line of the window sill so they don't block or crowd windows.
* Balance evergreen, deciduous and broadleaf plants in the design.
* Anchor corners of property with shrubs or trees to delineate space from neighbors.
* Generally put shorter plants in front and go taller toward the back.
* Consider form, texture and color when choosing plants for eye appeal.
* Generally plant shrubs and larger plants at least 3 feet from the home's foundation.

Considering the overall space first, I will definitely use these design ideas as I start making plans for my garden this year. I look outside and it is raining, but it's okay because it makes me think that maybe, just maybe, spring is not too far away after all.