Not on the tour

I walked by this house last summer on my way to a neighboring property whose garden was on the tour my friend and I were doing. I had to stop and snap a couple of photos because I thought this was a textbook lesson in creating a low maintenance, private space in a front yard. The ground cover here is some type of Lirope. You can just see the seating area off to the side.

I'm guessing the tree here is a tricolor beech. I am not crazy about the addition of the yellow flowers; too jarring a contrast for me. If I wanted a strong contrast I would use some shade of orange. I would add more of the blueish grass down in front and some silver foliage to repeat the color of the rock. Perhaps a pink or soft red daylily and a small shrub like 'My Monet' Wegelia. Maybe a big blue Hosta for drama.

I don't know about you, but I can't help mentally critiqing and redesigning landscapes when I walk by — tour or no tour. 

Comments

[Astrid]

Honestly, I love it! I'm trying to create a mixed shrub privacy shrub border in front of my house. Most of the privacy borders here are monocultures - usually Leyland Cypress (I'm in Georgia). Do you have any more photos of this particular location you can share?

[Linda Brazill]

ASTRID — I'm sorry but I only took those two photos. ​Good luck with your project.

[Elizabeth]

Oh, that last line! I've been doing that since I was a kid -- mainly interiors and now gardens. But unless someone asks my opinion, and often even when they do, I keep my lips zipped. Learned that the hard way. I like my friends and want to keep them, even if some of them have atrocious taste. Had a good laugh though!

[Linda Brazill]

ELIZABETH — ​I totally agree. I just think about what I would do and keep quiet. ​

[Kris P]

I wish I had nearby gardens that looked that good! I understand your concern with the pink-yellow mix - I try to avoid that too but my plants doesn't always cooperate ;) I love the tricolor beech, which I'm sure is something I couldn't grow here.

[h]

Yep, I look over neighborhood front gardens all the time. It's fascinating.

I like the 2nd one more than the first, despite the out-of-place yellow, and the one rock looks lost and alone, all by itself.

[ceci]

Yes, critiquing gardens is one of my mental pastimes. We are coming up to the season here where screaming pink and red azaleas are positioned in front of red brick houses, and I always find it painful.

ceci

[Beth@PlantPostings]

I think it's OK. There are things I like and things I don't like. Most gardens are a work in progress, aren't they? Mine is, for sure! I'm planning some front garden changes, but they will have to wait until 2023, likely. LOL.