Question: is that front yard one big concrete slab? Or--?? Can't see what it is.

What is planted between the sidewalk and the fence? Will it grow higher?

It's a big concrete slab :) the original owners poured it in the 60s so the kids could ride bikes on it and not in the street. I planted Clusia rosea between the sidewalk and retaining wall. It will grow tall in time. It's grown some since that first pic was taken. Here's a pic from today.

I would create a big garden of potted plantings. Trees, veggies, seasonal, whatever. BIG pots, even colorful and artistic ones. What do you use the space for??

What part of Florida? I think you'll need to add more pictures: one similar to the last, but that shows the left side; closer of house front but still showing both right and left front corners; closer of right side of house ... can see planting space, but can't tell it's limits.

Here is a closer shot from just outside the corner of the yard. The tip of the yard is just left of this shot.

This picture helps clarify the right side. Hopefully, the other two pictures will follow.

While a sea of concrete might sound unappealing, fixing this does not seem un-workable. A couple of very large containers could be nice, but many more might be troublesome as it is much easier to maintain plants in the ground. Are you open to removing some of the concrete? It needs plants.

Here are some renders I did a while back in google sketchup. There are a lot of angles in here as well as fly-over so you can see the entire property. I'm not opposed to removing some concrete. I had though maybe to cut some circles or rectangles out here and there for trees but i'm not sure where to do it and how to lay the yard out.

Another

From above

Corner low shot

Side of house low shot

Rear from street

Rear corner

Beautiful! It will be useful.

I'm in west palm beach btw. South FL :)

Not trying to show too much planting detail ... just the general idea. A gentle berm (not shown) below the palms -- at the corner of yard -- could be nice. Hamelia patens (not the dwarf) or something like it, come to mind for clusters of small flowering trees.

For saw-cutting concrete, it works best to use straight lines instead of curves.

Arachis glabrata could make a nice, low everblooming (except in the coldest months) groundcover...
{{gwi:44782}}

Does it make sense to you to keep all that concrete out front? Doesn't it contribute to heat and glare issues, and lessen any desire to hang out and enjoy this area? Chipping away at the edges in a gardenesque fussy way while retaining the center majority as existing paving doesn't create any sort of interesting space to be in while also adding interest and beauty.

Questions to address would be need/desire for additional shade against house, how to accentuate views from the house windows as well as from the street, how and for what purposes you'd like to use this space, assuming totally paved for kid's play area is no longer the objective.

Removing impermeable wall to wall concrete for more planting would help with drainage run-off issues as well as making it more inviting, especially as the fencing layout seems to preclude use for offstreet parking.

Does it make sense to you to keep all that concrete out front? Doesn't it contribute to heat and glare issues, and lessen any desire to hang out and enjoy this area? Chipping away at the edges in a gardenesque fussy way while retaining the center majority as existing paving doesn't create any sort of interesting space to be in while also adding interest and beauty.

Questions to address would be need/desire for additional shade against house, how to accentuate views from the house windows as well as from the street, how and for what purposes you'd like to use this space, assuming totally paved for kid's play area is no longer the objective.

Removing impermeable wall to wall concrete for more planting would help with drainage run-off issues as well as making it more inviting, especially as the fencing layout seems to preclude use for offstreet parking.

I'd almost rather see some random squares cut out (not a checker board) than edge plantings. Would take some careful consideration and planning, but would afford places to plant trees to soften all that hardscape.

House is facing east?

I see you are using the shaded side for a patio with chairs and table. I would preserve that, along with a straight shot from the exterior stairs to the front door. In keeping with the cubed home design, I would do any cuts to remove concrete along practical grid lines. At the same time, I would look at ways to add some elevated features to interrupt the flat parking lot look of the front. Consider adding low seating walls around a succession of large overlapping square or rectangular raised beds, and/or a lily pond? Consider changing out the fence for something less institutional -- even a lower chain link fence would seem more welcoming. Budget constraints will dictate how far you can go with it, but you have a different kind of blank slate, and a terrific chance to be creative with it. Take your cues from the cubic assymetry of the house for a cohesive look.

I need help,with what to place in front of my home, also how or where to place it. I will be doing most of the work my self. I had a house fire. And what what was up they tossed. The front get all day Houston sun. Thank you.

shaernurse - start your own new thread rather than tacking on to one in progress.

Also, shaernurse, in addition to starting your own thread, please take a look at the thread on photographs (which is near the top.)

kburks1230 - Can I ask what you ended up doing?