Our master plan for our front yard is ready for it’s reveal. And I am ridiculously uber excited to show you the ideas that we have a-brewin.
Currently our yard is like this – the driveway on the righthand side is the highest point in our yard. Since we are on the side of a slope…the base of the big oak tree on the left hand side is probably around eight feet lower than the driveway. The two smaller trees are dogwoods. The previous owner haphazardly planted the little suckers with no regard for aesthetics or the side of our car. Everytime we pull into the driveway, the side of our Honda gets assaulted. Seriously, the screeches are worse than what you can imagine come outta Janice Dickerson. Obviously this plan doesn’t show the Magnolia tree – since the boys brought it down like chinatown.
And here is the Grand Master Sensei Kick-A Garden Plan. aka – the plan for our yard! Yay! Ok – let me explain.
In order to grade the yard (grading is evening it out so that it is more flat) we need a retaining wall that will hold back the soil that is supporting our driveway. So in a curly “s” shape we have a stone wall about five feet from the side of the driveway. Above the stone wall will be a bed for lower growing plantings – perennials, some small shrubs, maybe some hostas and ornamental grasses, annuals. And a small tree – maybe a White Fringetree or a Vitex. At the corner of the bed closest to the house, I plan on planting a few more rose bushes…since the ones I previously planted nearby are doing so well. The stone wall will taper down near the end of the driveway and blend seemlessly with a drainage area that runs under our drive.
In the midsection of our yard is a beautiful grassy lawn (a girl can dream, right!?!)…hopefully we can score some sod and recruit a few peeps to help us lay it out. And while we are in fantasy land…let’s throw in a sprinkler system too 🙂
On the left hand side of the lot, we have a plan to create a sense of balance by faking out the eye. Since our grassy area in the middle will be relatively flat, the dropoff will take place in the left hand bed. A little topsoil and mulch will definitely help but what the real solution will be is to use LARGE plantings. Three Nellie R. Stevens trees will take root near the front edge and will provide a nice evergreen backdrop as well as some privacy. Closer to the house will be several forsythia (in yellow) and some large hydrangeas (in blue) and many additional azaleas (pink). The gray stone path that will lead from the front to the side yard will pass by a retaining wall. The retaining wall will be instrumental in creating a matching bed for the left hand side of the porch.
Since we don’t live in a subdivision, I feel like our curb appeal is crucial. So if your name is planting professional or garden ho or greenthumber – I would appreciate any suggestions, cheesy jokes, planting advice that I can get. Help is welcome. And those of you that have crapperific yards too – well my dream is at your disposal 🙂