Front Garden Assessment
As my regular readers will know, we have just left our 5-acre garden of 16 years and moved into what can best be described as "the ugliest house in Duvall". The garden isn't a whole lot better being a blend of dead grass, dead bamboo (mercifully container in a planter), every self-seeding annual you can think of (Calendula anyone?) and enough of that dreaded variegated Bishop's weed, sometimes called ground elder, that I actually groaned out loud. I've tackled that monster before, but as a friend and colleague commented "I haven't met a weed yet that a Chapman can't handle!" Perhaps I should also mention the bindweed, rampant wisteria that is even growing in the dead lawn and cottonwoods sprouting in my path. Yes, I have my work cut out for me and you're invited along for the adventure as I consider design options, remediate these thugs and hopefully will once again have a garden I can be proud of.
So while tackling the homes interior I'm also assessing the options for our new front garden – understanding what isn't working now is key. Landscape design doesn't start with a trip to buy plants! In fact it doesn't even begin with a drawing – its more about observation.
Front Garden Challenges
Where am I? A warehouse? Parking lot? How do I get in? Do I even WANT to go in?! Or as I said when I first stood at the top of the driveway "Heck no! That's hideous!"
Currently it's hard to even know where the front door of our new home is. Since the house is oriented to take advantage of the lake view it is sideways on the lot, the door being well down on the right side and hidden behind overgrown shrubs. We also have a detached single garage/workshop with an ADU (accessory dwelling unit) above, the combination useful certainly but it looms over the single story home and dominates the scene. To the right of that is hard standing for our trailer tent under an RV canopy – again something we greatly appreciated but not exactly helping my desire for an attractive home entrance. All this together with additional front parking means there's an awful lot of hardscape (driveways, parking) and very little planting to soften it all. Don't even get me started on the architectural discrepancies we need to address!
This is about the extent of the current front landscaping
The planting pockets at the front are limited. The main rectangular bed separating the driveway and parking is a straggly mess of Calendula, Californian poppies, pale pink yarrow (a self-seeding variety), mildew-ridden lupins, a few insipid day lilies and a giant clump of rhubarb. For some foliage interest there are some plashes of that variegated Bishop's weed which has leapt across the parking area, together with a few tenacious blackberries, all nestled into at least 6 inches of arborist chips.
Under the somewhat overgrown hedge is the bulk of the Bishop's Weed while to the right under a neighbors much loved cherry tree are a few basic shrubs thriving on neglect behind a ribbon of dead or dying grass.
Almost everything is herbaceous (dies to the ground in winter) or deciduous leaving minimal winter interest. Plant selections have been made on what looked bright and cheerful on the previous homeowners spring trips to the nursery so foliage color and texture weren't considered although at least everything is deer and drought resistant.
Where to Start?!
By identifying the house – and it's entrance.
If I can add a focal point on a diagonal sight line between this dark leaved cherry tree (imagine you are driving the car) and the front door, it would help to pull the eye in the right direction. Plus move that huge boulder closer to the road
There is a huge boulder with house numbers (which are falling off…) but it is set so far back that visitors can't see it and often end up at our neighbors. If I can find a way to move it closer to the road side that would help. It's a bit too heavy for a dingo but I'm brainstorming with colleagues to see how we can achieve this. The boulder would then have the numbers re-sprayed, re-attached and if "I" can get electricity (i.e. Andy) there, also uplit at night.
I brought this tall container with me from the old house and think it will make a useful focal point to help navigate to the front door. It is approx. waist height on me.
That would at least help folks know they are at the right house. Getting to the front door is the next challenge since currently all I "see" is the tall ADU. Most visitors will approach it on the right side. If I can use my giant rustic blue-green urn on a diagonal sight line between the neighbors cherry tree and our front door that should help. It will be a bold focal point to hold the eye and pull the view away from the ADU towards the house. I'm thinking approximately in line with the start of the house on the left of the driveway, set within a wider border, i.e to the right of where the boulder is now.
The overgrown shrubs (Cryptomeria, Rose Glow barberry and more) need to be replaced with a selection that adds color and texture but which doesn't obscure the front door. The existing border alongside the home will also be made deeper, eliminating the grass but I will add a 2 foot wide 'window washing walk' of compacted gravel immediately adjacent to the house. This allows for house painting as well as window washing and reduces insects and damp problems in the home.
There's room on the front steps for a tall planter to help with visibility too
Finally, I'll add a second tall planter to the front porch which if planted with bright colors will help pull the eye towards the hidden door.
Early Planting Ideas
This wide pathway to the gate needs to stay (but there's no reason for it to dog-leg once that boulder is relocated). The planters will be replaced by in-ground planting. The small door at the corner of the house is to an 'exterior access only' storage shed with utilities etc. This door doesn't need a major path: just a couple of steeping stones would suffice. The battle of the Bishop's weed under the far hedge commenced yesterday!
Two cedar planters with bamboo offer filtered privacy into the living room and prevent cars pulling too far forwards. I plan to replace those with in-ground borders, leaving a path behind to access the gate and adding a concrete curb or similar to prevent cars rolling onto my plants. We will need to remove some of the asphalt driveway to do this but it will enable me to create much more of a 'garden' feel than the planters. I still have to figure out how to get drip irrigation into that area.
I'd like a layered mix of evergreen and deciduous material here. Plants will have to cope with western sun but not flop into the path behind it – or obstruct cars which need to park. I'd like the tallest plants to be around 5 feet tall – no more than 6 and have a degree of transparency. At this point in the design process I don't need to plan more than that. Early stages in plant selection means planning height, texture, form, and an overall color palette.
The shrubs under the neighbors cherry tree will be supplemented as I remove the grass. adding more four season color . This area will get morning sun but filtered afternoon light. Although that suggests hydrangeas or rhododendron neither would be a wise choice as the tree will make moisture levels here tough to maintain. Plantings will need to be drought tolerant once established. Currently there is a variegated weigela which needs some tlc and loses much of its variegation in the shaded conditions but does seem to be OK as does a spirea.
The main planting bed will be stripped bare of as many roots and seedlings removed as possible (I may need to let it lie fallow for a year to confirm that) then replanted with deer resistant shrubs and perennials that offer year round interest rather than only spring and early summer.
Front gardens often have planting beds separated by paths and driveways. It is important to connect them all visually with repetition of color , style and if possible, plants, although the latter depends on lighting.
The House Itself
It gets worse…..!
The home really is a part of the landscape design and it's not unusual for me to suggest a change of color for a front door or the position of a path. We need to peel back the 'multiple personality disorder' of this home to the degree our budget will allow. The Craftsman style doors and Spanish tiled roof will need to stay but shutters and faux rock detail will be removed. As much as we would prefer to replace the stucco with cement board siding that is cost prohibitive so we will have the stucco behind the 'rock' repaired. Light fixtures will be updated (Old English style won't work here) and I'll try to make sense of all that is beyond the door!
The house body will be painted a shade of grey, all trim including the front stair newels posts and handrails will be white and the door a shade of turquoise or teal. The ADU will be painted to match.
Next Steps?
Preparing a scaled drawing to configure paths, bed and finally choose plants. That's my winter project. What's yours?
Want to Learn More about Design?
Join me for a live webinar on September 18th on Foliage & Focal Points, hosted by my good friends at Garden Design. Find out more and reserve your place today! This will be recorded for those unable to attend live. Hope to "see" you there.
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Wow, Ksren your new home – so exciting to start this new journey! True, you have quite a lot of work ahead; yet, you're designing what pleases you & will be beneficial to flora & fauna, as always. Your update / post was fascinating. I'm tickled to be following your progress and eager to see everything come together. I love the Pacific Northwest and visit for a couple weeks, usually twice a year; Alki is one area where I stay. All the best to you both from your fan in Virginia Beach, VA where I garden on my property adjacent to a salt marsh – oh Goodie- my Great White Heron buddy is hunting about 15 feet away – as if to say "Tell Karen hello for me". Enjoy! Michelle
Alki is a great place to swim -come and join me next time!
What an exciting challenge but I can't think of anyone better suited to tackle this property transformation from "ugly duckling into beautiful swan" than you!!! So thoughtful of you to include us in this process. I so enjoy your approach to what you see now and your vision of what it can become. With time, resources, and your experience….we're on a journey of learning and transformation. I can't wait for your next update.
Warm regards,
Jere Stevens
Thanks so much Jere.
It will be fun to follow along on your new adventure, Karen. I hope you'll reconsider uplighting the boulder though, since it contributes to skyglow (light pollution).
Hi Lois, I'm not concerned about light pollution: it is easy to angle the light correctly to simply wash the front of the boulder
I have to say Karen you have your work cut out for you! It’s a good thing you like a challenge. I will read with great interest how you work your magic on the exterior of the house.
Pat M., California
You and me both!! It's not going to be a fast fix unfortunately – I do prefer instant gratification LOL
You DO have your work cut out for you!!! This will be so fun for all of us as we watch you transform this in to a lovely, welcoming home. Thank you for taking us along with you. It will be fabulous, I’m sure!
This is really the ultimate 'before' – it's certainly going to be an adventure
When I saw the first photo I wondered which property you bought as the ADU, though the same color, does not tie in with the home. I know you'll be able to tie them together with thoughtful landscaping/hardscaping and can't wait to see your first drawings of your plans.
I agree – the ADU totally dominates due to its incongruous design and scale. I have a few ideas which I'll start to sketch out over the winter and 'live' with them a while to see which solution functions best as well as looks good
It is overwhelming first to tackle new projects. But there is a satisfaction after it is done and you will say "WOW". I have no doubts about your ability to transform this ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. Please let me know if you are able to conquer the wisteria growing in your yard. After 6 years, Im still battling the wisteria in my yard. Good luck and have fun to your new journey. Ditto to Andy.
Thanks Marilou. I have battled wisteria before but that one was small enough to be able to dig out the root. In this instance it isn't possible since it is literally under my neighbors newly erected fence, although I think it was originally planted in a corner of our back garden. From there it seems to have layered along the fence line, then under a small retaining wall and into our lawn! Sadly at this point I have to resort to carefully spot treating with a suitable vine killer. One of my instructors advised us to take a 'safe but sane' approach to disease and weed treatment. IPM/mechanical removal first and foremost, but if other means are deemed necessary take the least toxic approach possible for the sake of your sanity. That wisdom has saved my sanity more than once!
I'm going to be watching this amazing transformation I know you are capable of accomplishing. You are amazing and I learn so much by observing the magic you perform.
Aww thanks Marlene! Deep breath …..
UGH! Not the prettiest of facades on the house. Best of luck to you.
Is it feasible to get totally rid of the current driveway, then create a new driveway where the annual patch is? By repositioning the driveway, you could create a wonderful front garden directly in front of the house, and the "front" door would be more accessible.
I would also create an arbor with climbers (Campsis radicans or bignonia, anyone?) between the two buildings.
Then perhaps a large gate to hide the RV area?
And how about getting rid of the concrete grid blocks? Surely there must be prettier pathways available.
Of course, this all requires what 99% of us have in small quantities – money.
Hi Rob, all valid ideas but I have some restrictions. I have to leave off street parking for 4 vehicles due to city rules/our ADU. (I currently have enough parking for 5 so am going to apply to reduce the asphalt area in size at least. If I can just have one asphalt parking area adjacent to the hedge I could significanly expand the planting pocket and make it much more inviting.
The concrete blocks were specified for semi-permeability. 5/8- gravel is considered impervious, these pavers 'buy back' about 4%….the City calculated the lot overall and this was the agreement so sadly it has to stay. It also needs to be possible for us to pull the trailer tent in/out so the current location makes the most sense.
I am considering a pergola structure to connect the two buildings but without a vine (keeping maintenance down). I'm going to sketch out a few designs to see what functions best as well as aesthetics.
Thankfully we can do most if not all of the work – but we are still sorting out the house interior, hence slating this for next year.
Great brainstorming though – thanks
Thank you for sharing your new home and garden challenges. We will be moving soon to a new area and new challenges for landscaping, so I look forward to how you will definitely improve your surroundings. I am sure your outcomes will inspire me in tackling whatever we end up with on the other end, best wishes!
Good luck to you! I tell you – who needs weight watcher when you're moving house!!!
LOL Karen, you had me grimacing and grinning with your pics and wonderful writing. If anyone can reimagine this project, it’s you!! Looking forward to seeing your progress and results of your ultimate makeover into the prettiest garden in the neighborhood 🌸
There's always a challenge in every design, but this is a books worth!! Thanks for your encouragement