Ideas for Front Garden
Hello!
Would love some help with how best to redesign/landscape the front of our house on a budget. We did have lots of yuccas and two palm trees here which we've had removed but the stumps remain. We removed them as we now have a little one and the leaves were just too spiky and sharp and the palm trees require a lot of maintenance.
One day we'd like to completely renovate the front and get a double garage in somewhere, at the moment we have a single carport - but we don't have the finances just now. There's a vast amount of wasted space in the paved courtyard. But the thing that really bothers me right now is this empty garden space. I'd love to use Australian native plants and make it look nice before we can afford to overhaul the whole front. We have a dry, hot climate and this areas gets full sun.
Here's the front of our house - we have since removed the trees and painted the fence and letterbox a deep, ocean blue.
The big empty courtyard, before trees were removed and fence painted.
Here you can see the front door - the shutters on the left cover our living room and on the right is our master bedroom.
Here's the front garden with trees removed. The fountain on the wall here doesn't work. I'm thinking possibly growing a hedge to hide the green fence, maybe with lily pillys?
The window you can see shuttered on the left is our master bedroom. Trees gone but fence on the right has been painted.
Wasted space with this empty, vast courtyard, but fence has now been painted.
Taken from the front door.
Thank you for your suggestions!
Comments (7)
fianou luca
3 years agolilypilys are lovely... I think some more lush green small trees and shrubs (there are plenty of native options) would help cool and soften the hard landscaping. Have you considered a small butterfly garden with a little path of steppers that wanders through? Your little one will love that as they get a little bit older. It will become a special little spot to wander and explore. I've converted my entire front lawn into a nature play space, the kids climb the lilypily and pick and eat the berries, they have a little cubby house they built under the front stairs. there are strappy grass plants and timber pathways that go across a 'creek' of river stones. the kids balance on the river stones and there's a big wooden log to climb. There is no lawn out here, and it seems to inspire a very different sort of play they watch the insects, and look for frogs and the flowers attract butterflies. stepped pavers mean hopping and jumping, wooden timber walkways help with balancing... all in all its still pretty safe though. plants flower regularly, there are bulbs that pop up and surprise the kids, and all the plants are rugged enough to withstand the occasional accidental falling into the garden. grasses that have silky tops, anything with berries and seeds and interesting seed pods things like lilypilys, a small area with river pebbles, the kids love playing with all of that, and lots of little bushes with small flowers that can be picked regularly and harvested into baskets. my favorite cheap and cheerful flowers include dogbane, nasturtiums, calendular, marigolds... herbs with interesting smells that can be crushed like rosemary, mint, lemonbalm. you can even make a safe fishpond in a tall pot... little guppies are fascinating to watch! And a bird bath would be nice. the back yard can be a more of a rowdy rough and tumble play area, but a little front yard can be a special place for wonder and exploring nature. Our front yard is really not a massive space but there's just enough to bring the butterflies and tiny birds and create an extra play option.
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Comments (7)Bronan, Love the black trim around the window and door. I also think you have a nice start with the urns. Would you consider painting those black? You can also add striped hostas in around the base of the little trees. It will make them more prominent and hostas work well in formal spaces. They will be happy to share urn space until the tree gets too big but then you get a bigger urn anyway. I think the added greenery with the white stripes on the leaves will be beautiful with your house colors. Check with the garden nursery near you as some hostas are shade only and others can take some sun. They might suggest something even better... I don't know your budget but I would also suggest brick between the stone squares so guests don't have to leap frog to the porch :-) Good luck. I think you will have a nice space....See MoreA 'Want to be' Gardener needs planting ideas!
Comments (3)A local garden store or designer will certainly be able to help you. In the meantime, you can look up ideas online, but you'll need to know some basic information before anyone can help you choose specific plants. The first and most important is to know your planting zone, which is all about your location and climate. You also need to know the directional orientation of your house and the wall, and whether it is "full sun", "partial sun", or "shade". Will you be planting on both sides of the wall? You may wind up with vastly different plants if one side gets full sun and the other is in the shade. Take into consideration whatever shade is cast by the large tree, and the house itself. If you have the time, spend a day taking pictures of both sides of the wall - maybe once an hour (shadows will shift somewhat throughout the season), so you may want to do this every few weeks and keep a visual log of how the shadows move. Also, before you plant, decide if you want to paint the wall. It will be easier to paint before you plant, of course. White will reflect heat back onto plants. Climbing plants would look nice on the wall, if you're not going with a very structured garden. Ivy is an obvious choice, but there are other vines that flower beautifully, if you like that idea....See MoreHelp, gardening planting ideas for North Facing front area of house
Comments (11)The fence will end up being a modern picket fence, We aren't sure if we should grass the two squares or plant it out, it's a nice sunny spot, but we have nosey neighbours that we are trying to make disappear, if then it becomes more private then a seated area could be really nice, Hopefully the right plants will work or we will have to go with plan B, of installing barbed wire and two wild Dobermans!...See MoreIdeas for front garden
Comments (16)Wow! What a beautiful home :-) It's got lovely clean lines, but these can also look a bit stark, can't they? Have you considered Espalier or something similar against the walls between the garage doors, etc.? That would add some softness and colour (as well as fresh fruit!). For the front garden, you've really got a lot of choice for such a lovely aspect. If you were after a more 'finished' look, then perhaps consider a front (picket) fence with smaller natives and a bigger grevillea or similar as a feature. For privacy, perhaps a hedge of lillypilly. Or for a more formal look, landscape with sandstone to create tiered beds and plant out with smaller natives, lavender a herb garden or a mixture of all three. Enjoy!...See More
siriuskey
3 years agoYour large paved area would look great with a Pergola but using an awning might be more affordable, The garden area outside your master I would consider using concrete sewage pipes in different widths and heights to add instant impact they also make great fish ponds
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fianou luca