Turn Your Front Yard into a Garden

Step 3 Planting Beds

Plants as Structure
Size?
Color?
Bloom time?
Winter interest?
Potential for goring (e.g., cacti)?

Plant Care
Water?
Fertilizer?
Pruning?
Invasiveness?

Sensory Experiences
Texture?
Form?
Color?
Fragrance?
Edibility?

There are a range of sizes in plants, and because we live in a two story house, there are some large plants although they're small right now.  To block the entrance to the back yard from the street view, there's a line of  evergreen shrubs.  The plants largely have a silver-and-gold color scheme with punches of purple, and there's something that will be in bloom almost all year round.  When there isn't something in bloom, there are evergreens and interesting foliage.  Evil plants are largely pushed from the paths.

Plants with greater water needs were placed closer to the faucet and the eventual water storage tank.  These plants also have higher fertilizer needs and were clustered together for that reason.  I personally don't mind pruning, but if you're someone who hates it, be careful what you pick.  I do have one invasive, and it's called mint.  I remove the flowers and control the runners.  Know what you're getting into though.

Gardens should be full sensory experiences in my opinion which is why I selected many fragrant plants with a variety of forms and textures.  There are also edible plants ranging from herbs such as sage and rosemary to thornless blackberry bushes.