Selfsufficientish.com

Hi all!

We got a 20ft x 20ft patch in the front garden and we haven't got any ideas what we could plant there or what it could be used for. We are in the process of becoming more selfsufficient and have already put some greenhouses, sheds and vegetable beds in the back garden but really need some ideas now for the front.

The front garden has a hedge all around it. The sun is in the front until noon time. The grounds is good fertile soil. It tends to get at times very windy as we leave up in the hills. (As you can see we are just starters in gardening )

Well, hopefully some of you out there have some ideas what we could use the front garden for? Any suggestions are welcome

Mon

Hi Mon,

I think it depends on a couple of things really. How close are your neighbours? Do you care what they think? Do you want something in line with your self-sufficiency or something pretty to look at?

Personally, I have grown lots of fruit bushes in my front garden which wasn't popular with the neighbours. Occasionally some of them would then make snide comments and in the end it made me feel uncomfortable going out there even! But I got lots of jam and wine out of it When the fruit bushes became past their best, I dug them up and dug it all over. I now have three raised beds and plans for three more. Some of the neighbours have suddenly clicked because they recognize some of the vegetables. OK, I still get the impression they think I'm quirky, but I'm OK with that, and so are they when I give them a share of the goodies . The only 'problem' neighbour I have now is the stupid old hag next door and her middle-aged apron string swingers. So she doesn't get any free veg.

yeah ive being getting comments about my front garden, its on a slope ( angle of it is over 45 degrees ) so an absolute nightmare to mow the lawn! im trying to figure out the best way introduce some edible crops but keep it looking tidy!!

maybe you could turn part of your front garden into a herb garden, ive yet to meet anyone that complains about rosmary, lavender or thyme !

I do wonder what kind of strange people could think that fruit bushes aren't suitable for a front garden? Redcurrants covered in fruit are one of the most beautiful sights to see. It's not like they are particularly ratty the rest of the year and in winter anything that's not evergreen is just a bunch of twigs anyway.

But then on this forum I've heard so many tales of strange (of the non Ish variety!) neighbours that nothing should surprise me any more!!!

Something that doesn't grow too tall or too high perhaps, that it covers the view of your house .

crowsashes wrote:yeah ive being getting comments about my front garden, its on a slope ( angle of it is over 45 degrees ) so an absolute nightmare to mow the lawn! im trying to figure out the best way introduce some edible crops but keep it looking tidy!!

Have you considered transforming the slope into a series of really broad steps? They could then either be lawned, if the mower's not too heavy to lift up and down them, or planted up, and it would be much safer to walk on. You'd probably need some sort of edging to prevent collapse. Ooh I've got your garden all planned out in my mind and it does look nice

Rosendula wrote:Hi Mon,

I think it depends on a couple of things really. How close are your neighbours? Do you care what they think? Do you want something in line with your self-sufficiency or something pretty to look at?

Personally, I have grown lots of fruit bushes in my front garden which wasn't popular with the neighbours. Occasionally some of them would then make snide comments and in the end it made me feel uncomfortable going out there even! But I got lots of jam and wine out of it When the fruit bushes became past their best, I dug them up and dug it all over. I now have three raised beds and plans for three more. Some of the neighbours have suddenly clicked because they recognize some of the vegetables. OK, I still get the impression they think I'm quirky, but I'm OK with that, and so are they when I give them a share of the goodies . The only 'problem' neighbour I have now is the stupid old hag next door and her middle-aged apron string swingers. So she doesn't get any free veg.

We could care less of our neighbour hood even though we live in a small village. To them we are the crazy ones anyway We were thinking of fruit bushes, we have some in the back. Our neighbours told us that we should get our fences repaired, so instead we went and planted a lot of hawthorn bushes along the fence lines as we don't believe in Fence panels. Also some of our borders we used wooden twigs instead of a nice straight lines as most gardens have got them.

No for us it does not matter how it looks but that it serves a purpose for ourselves

So the idea of fruit bushes sounds good, however any more ideas are welcome, thanks folks

i wish i didnt have to care but im in council rented, so i HAVE to have a tidy garden as thats grounds for eviction!

Welsh_Moon_Mountains wrote:Hi all!

We got a 20ft x 20ft patch in the front garden and we haven't got any ideas what we could plant there or what it could be used for. We are in the process of becoming more selfsufficient and have already put some greenhouses, sheds and vegetable beds in the back garden but really need some ideas now for the front.

The front garden has a hedge all around it. The sun is in the front until noon time. The grounds is good fertile soil. It tends to get at times very windy as we leave up in the hills. (As you can see we are just starters in gardening )

Well, hopefully some of you out there have some ideas what we could use the front garden for? Any suggestions are welcome

Mon

Well, we are in the early stages of a herb garden in our front garden padded out with a large portion of Lavender here and there both for herbal and scent usage.

Our garden is a granite stoned garden with a whacking great cabbage palm in the middle so we are putting raised beds around it and making use of the only garden we have (apart from a 4' x 12' strip at the back which quite honestly has been trespassed from the farming land behind over the years... and not by us). So herbs it is... we have room for quite a few herbs and it means any other land / garden you may have other places can be used for fruits and veg and being a front garden it means your herbs are always near for when you need a quick bunch of rosemary or some such :)

I would say your neighbours (if you have any) wouldn't think you so 'strange' for growing herbs and most people thing they are just plants than if you started digging the place up for potatoes...

Certainly here in a tiny village they would probably not be best pleased with the look of potatoes and veggies lol

So... I would suggest large herb garden :)

crowsashes wrote:i wish i didnt have to care but im in council rented, so i HAVE to have a tidy garden as thats grounds for eviction!

I live in a council house, too, and it's never been a problem in that respect. Check the wording of your tenancy agreement and if there's any doubt talk to someone (get it in writing if they agree to it).

Front gardens can be all things, when my old neighbours wife passed away he pulled up all her flower gardens and planted veges, looked great when flowering, sloped lawns can be tricking to mow, an old friend of mine was mowing his girlfriends mother sloped lawn an fell over, he was using a flymo which ran over his thigh and cut a huge chunk out.

crowsashes you could get large diamter plastic pipe and cut the bottom of on an angle to match and create small round raised beds or tree pots, paint them green an the nosey's probly won't even notice.
Or tell the council about the risk mowing it and see if they will let you terrace the lawn and split the cost.

Other ideas could be sunflower gardens during summer or even if big enough a small corn maze for the kids.

cheers

Not just herbs and fruit bushes, a mini orchard of "ballerina" type apple trees, have a few vines climbing around them. Permaculture 3d gardening! Arrange them in an artistic manner with neat paths in between and no one should have any cause for complaint. Not to mention that you'll have a productive front garden!

Love and Peace
Jim

There are some beautiful ideas on this site http://www.sunset.com/garden/fruits-veg ... 000063103/

Rosendula wrote:

crowsashes wrote:i wish i didnt have to care but im in council rented, so i HAVE to have a tidy garden as thats grounds for eviction!

I live in a council house, too, and it's never been a problem in that respect. Check the wording of your tenancy agreement and if there's any doubt talk to someone (get it in writing if they agree to it).

Nope it's definitely grounds for eviction these days, my old Council used to do it as well... they do of course warn you several times before but if you do not keep the garden tidy you can be evicted as you are breaking your tenancy agreement.

StripyPixieSocks wrote:

Rosendula wrote:

crowsashes wrote:i wish i didnt have to care but im in council rented, so i HAVE to have a tidy garden as thats grounds for eviction!

I live in a council house, too, and it's never been a problem in that respect. Check the wording of your tenancy agreement and if there's any doubt talk to someone (get it in writing if they agree to it).

Nope it's definitely grounds for eviction these days, my old Council used to do it as well... they do of course warn you several times before but if you do not keep the garden tidy you can be evicted as you are breaking your tenancy agreement.

already had a warning for not cutting my grass in december then we had the snow on the ground and then constant rain.....

oh well looks like its time to do it now its the first of march