Small Front Yard - Should I Rip Up the Grass?
lucyd_58
8 years ago
This is my front yard. I had previously put in the roses and hydrangeas. In the second photo you can't see phlox, a daylily and bee balm behind the rose and hydrangea. I'm thinking of ripping up the grass that's left. What do you think? Did anyone do that? Does it get sloppy looking? What do you suggest I plant? I'm in north central CT, Zone 6a. This yard faces east. It gets good sun except to the right of the hydrangea, the shadow from the house puts it in shade for a good part of the day. My only problem area would be the shade area because that is where I would need to pile the snow, so no woody plants can go there.
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PROYardvaark
8 years ago
emmarene9
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Bermuda Grass Front Yard vs back yard
Comments (6)The percolation test is quite simple -- Dig a hole about 1 foot deep. Pour it full of water and wait... Observe whether it soaks in... Then, once it has soaked in -- fill it up full of water again and let it soak in again.. If it all soaks in within a few minutes -- you may be draining too fast and the grass dries out too fast... If it doesn't drain within a day... you have other problems.... Sometimes clay soils will soak in great on the 1st round, then will become impermeable after the 2nd or 3rd round -- as the clay saturates... It can also help point out problems in the subsoil like pure coarse sand, big rocks and hard-pans... (Gosh, my lawn drains fine here, but doesn't drain at all over there... I wonder why?) The 2nd test is outlined on here somewhere -- but it is to determine your soil makeup.. You take a mason jar about 1/3 full of dirt (No rocks and sticks).. Fill it mostly full of water.. Shake it up really good and let it sit overnight... Then shake it up really good again and let it sit again... It will separate out into various layers.. Sand and rocks on the bottom, silt in the middle, clay near the top, and light organic material on the top or floating... You then measure the layers with a tape measure and it tells you the soil makeup... These tests will help lead you in the direction of which amendments will help vs which ones will hurt... If your soil is all sand and already drains too fast.. Adding more sand won't help anything... but adding a little Clay would help quite a bit... and vice versa. Thanks John...See Morebuilding up lawn area in front of retaining wall for grass (w/ pi
Comments (14)I can put whatever grass back there is appropriate. Not married to Bermuda but the majority of yards do around here. Previously it was a 6 foot fence with a tree. Now it is an 8 foot fence and no tree. The direction the Sun travels from the picture is back to front. The shade from our house is there from morning till noon and is unchanged from the project. The shade from those houses behind us is cast before the fence. Neither of these things prevented the Bermuda from growing before. Around the tree canopy shade area yes. Was starting to see some effects but now it's gone. :) The goal of the project was to raise the area and remove the tree. Basically we are doubling the size of our backyard in terms of usable (for kids) space. Other goal is to not create a drainage problem. Before it was excellent drainage but obviously by raising it, we must be mindful not to create a problem. For instance, I have put in drain pipe for all of the gutter feeds to that area and daylighted that directly out the wall. Before it was on the plane of the yard. Not ideal green thinking wise but it's done. Now that area only takes on water from the plane of the yard surface itself. I do have a drainage question related to grading which I'll post on the landscape forum. Is there another grass that I should be using back there? It's not out of the question for me to have something completely different since the entire area save for about 5 feet, is surrounded by hardscapes (driveway, wall, patio, house). I'm open to any suggestion....See MoreWhat do you think I should do with my front yard?
Comments (9)What a nice space for a garden. I like the rock wall. What kind of light does this area get? Dappled sun and shade all year like in the photo, or either more sun or more shade during the growing season? What is your soil like? I find it difficult to tell how large the area is, so a ballpark estimate would help to tell what there is space for. I'd start with removing any non-garden plants growing here and then mulch (cardboard with cut-outs for the hosta with an organic mulch like chopped leaves or wood chips on top) and weed a lot the first year so that when you add plants your weeding and maintenance will be minimal. Since this area will be visible as folks go in and out of the door, having plants with year-round interest and/or some ornament such as sculpture or a birdbath will be important in making this area appealing. I think I would try to plant mostly lower growing items in the front part of the garden, or at least airy plants so that the stone wall is a visible feature. If some of these are evergreen/gold/red, they will provide interest in the winter. In the upper part behind the stone wall, if there is room I'd add background plants with year round interest such as a colored foliage evergreen, and /or variegated red-twigged dogwood, ones that would stand out well against the light walls. With any woody plants, check the ultimate size and be sure you have room to paint or do maintenance behind it if it isn't a plant like the dogwoods which don't mind being cut to the ground. If there is enough light, a pretty trellis with a clematis that gets cut back in the winter (type 3 pruning) would feature the clematis in the growing season and the trellis in the winter. I would probably put a row of low-growing or easily pruned evergreens such as one of the smaller boxwood varieties under the window to provide winter interest and then plant the rest of the area with perennials to give you more interest in the growing season. Particularly in a smaller garden such as this that is in such a prominent place, thinking about varying the foliage color and texture (as you are doing in thinking about adding coral bells) will help add interest to the garden when there aren't many blooms. In addition to the library as a resource, Pennsylvania has public gardens that might give you inspiration, both for plants and for design. Here is a link that might be useful: Pennsylvania public gardens...See MoreI should be happy they're cleaning the yard up, but...
Comments (5)Oh, do I understand! The house across the street was purchased three years ago by NJ woman who was going to retire in five years. She gets down here twice a year. The front yard is beach grass and weeds--the St. Augustine died a couple of years ago. She doesn't fertilizer the lawn because she doesn't have to do that in NJ. The sprinkler system quits when the electricity goes off. She removed a 7 year old orange and a matching lemon tree--they had thorns. They looked bad because they had never been fertilized and didn't get watered regularly. She cut back three red bay trees to 5-ft trunks and then applied to the city to remove them because they died. Her place looks neglected and unloved and the house needs paint. She just doesn't see it! Yards bordering her are well maintained. My yard across from her is also well maintained. She just doesn't care! I dread the day she moves here permanently!...See More
PROTripp Landscaping
8 years ago
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
8 years ago
melle_sacto is hot and dry in CA Zone 9/
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agolucyd_58
8 years agojaybar
8 years agoemmarene9
8 years ago
posierosie_zone7a
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
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woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada