Front Yard Before

Spring’s been slow in coming this year (we woke up this morning to light snow) but we’re still on track for redoing the front yard in early May. Given that, I decided to take a few before photos. I know from experience that once a garden is established, you tend to forget how much work has gone into it. We really don’t have much going on at all in the front. Jonathan pulled out some grocery store mums and a straggly red rose from the front bed. He also pulled up a bush on the porch side of the house which had completely taken over and later, he and my dad pulled up another one on the opposite side that was adding nothing to the landscape.

The overall plan is boxwood along the foundation and large front beds of herbs and roses. The house will be anchored on the south side with an oak leaf hydrangea but we’ll keep the porch side clear so we can say hi to the neighbors as they walk by. Finally, we’re thinking of adding a birch tree to the south side of the yard to balance out the porch.

We thought we had a blank canvas until spring brought us a small gift.

I had intended to plant lavender along the front steps and walk but the appearance of some lovely daffodils is making me rethink that. The creamy white looks so lovely against our trim I don’t think I could lose them. I had also been looking at roses to mix in with the herbs but hadn’t yet decided on a color (I was worried my favorite pale pink would clash with the house). The daffodils inspired me and I ended up with Windermere roses from David Austin.

That’s the working plan at least. It’ll look small and underplanted the first year but with a little time, our garden will look like it’s always been there.