A New Front Entry

I've been wanting to do something different in my front yard for a long time. Finally, this spring my friend who is an interior designer suggested that I hire a couple young men she knows and get my project done. We drew up the plans, and I hired the two who work in the housing industry and who are only sporatically employed right now. In just two weeks, my yard has gone from total 'ho-hum' to 'WOW' with planting still to be done.

The old front walk to my house was a narrow (28") concrete walk right next to the house. It was not very inviting and impossible for more than one person at a time to walk along it. Here's the view of the front yard from the little porch by the front door.

You will notice that there is no grass - I covered it with cardboard and shredded leaves last fall in an attempt to kill it. I had originally planned to put in raised beds with bare gounds between them. Instead, this is how it now looks. I still have planting to do on the berm.

The following photos show the yard where the new walk is planned and the final result.

On the left side of my house - looking at it from the street - is the gas meter, so I have to retain access to that side with the new design. So, the following photos show the before and after of that.

The final two photos are taken from the street looking toward the front of my house. Keep in mind that that pile of soil will be double dug and amended with fertilizer and compost and will then be planted with an upright Japanese maple, grasses and euphorbias. Will probably plant some spring blooming bulbs and some flowering perennials. Whatever goes in there has to be somewhat drought tolerant as I don't want to be watering all the time. That's why I got rid of the lawn in the first place.

So, there you have it. My new front yard. I can't believe it's done after wanting to do it for so long. I've owned the house since 1993 and have dreamed of this since then.