Front Yard Design Charette

Centuries of collective gardening experience converged on the Steamstead yesterday to share wisdom on front yard landscaping.  It was a comfort to hear unanimity on several topics across all groups-- 

• Vegetable gardens won't work in the deep shade of the west by northwest corner of the lot
• Camellias, Hydrangeas, and Azaleas are more likely to tolerate shade and add interest... one of those options makes most types of tea, another is extremely toxic... 
• Grapes on the east perimeter could provide privacy, some sound dampening, and snacks
• A prominent water feature could also provide interest and sound dampening
• The perimeter fence needs an update, probably wrought-iron looking
• Rethink the irrational aversion to roses, they can work in so many applications-- climbing entry arbors, ground cover, etc.
• Surprisingly no shared skepticism about the difficulty of removing the established morning glory along the fence

I also learned some really fascinating and hopefully useful tips

• Natal plum stays small (boxwood-sized) looks good in shade and is edible
• Mondo grass comes in many colors and can be mowed annually (or never)
• Dramatically lighting things is not just for Irvine palms, it could help accentuate the star pine, walkways, etc.
• There are solar powered fountains and fountains with remote control
• Consider planting for pollinators if you anticipate you might be too busy to do lots of maintenance or the site isn't sunny enough to support fruit/veg

I want to take a little time to digest these ideas as I revisit A Pattern Language which also has a lot of ideas on what it takes to design a space so it feels humane to humans.  Plus today, I'm stuffed from eating potluck leftovers and wiped out from a sleepless night of searching general contractor websites, Monrovia "grapes" section, and the inspiration vortex that is Pinterest... 

My homework:

1.  Get a headstart on the construction stuff I will probably need an adult for (perimeter fence, house paint) 

2.  Continue to experiment with ways to create a hang out worthy space in the front so that the final design is sensitive to all the gotcha's that come up through play testing.  

Today's contribution:  meditation chair with camp chair privacy "hedge"