A new front yard

Several weeks ago we went to the Home, Garden and Remodeling Show. While there we looked at new countertops, outdoor lighting and talked with a landscaper. You see, our front yard was just overgrown. The plants had outgrown their original spaces, and not in a good way, some plants had died and been replaced over the years, and it just looked like a hodgepodge. I had wanted to do a particular type of landscape when we moved n twelve years ago and let the landscaper talk me out of it. Well, not this time. So we went to a display at the Show and I asked,

"Can you do an edible landscape?"

Seriously, the guy looked at me like I'd just beamed down from Mars.

What's crazy about an edible landscape? Didn't Michelle Obama just dig up 1100 square feet of White House lawn for a kitchen garden? My philosophy is if you're going to plant it and take care of it, you should be able to eat it.

So, not being able to find anyone to design this for us, we just decided to take matters into our own hands and design it ourselves. It's not quite done yet, but it's close. Some plants we kept, some we moved.



The front line, which once was shrubs, is now alternating red Double Knock Out Roses (OK, so you can't eat those) and currants. Around the statue birdbath is rhubarb, and to the side are three half high blueberries. Behind the metal sculpture is a semi-drawf Bartlett pear.


The dwarf red maple is from the original landscape plan and we love that tree. It took a little damage from the ice storm, but has recovered and looks to be fine. A red Double Knock Out rose is on the corner. If you aren't familiar with Knock Out roses, they are the roses that are planted in the right of way at a lot of Metro intersections. In other words, they don't require much attention and bloom like crazy. Here's a closeup.


So, now I think we're going to add some Rosemary. And I'm looking everywhere for a gooseberry bush. Every nursery center seems to be sold out for the season. If you find a couple, let me know. And I want big plants.