What are the prettiest streets in Nashville? (Franklin, Oak Hill: HOA, houses)

[aaronmidnight]

I realize everyone has a different idea of what makes a pretty street.

For some people (most people in Nashville area from what I can see) it meets large manicured lawns with homes sitting way back in the distance.

Personally, I'd prefer a smaller lawn or a street where the lawns are heavily landscaped with bushes, native plants, gardens, paths, etc.

I'm asking because sometime in the next year or two, I'll probably start looking for my next home (one where the HOA won't mandate a lawn in the front) and I don't want to be the only 'weirdo' on the block without a lawn. Plus I'd just like to live on a street where I can walk (or drive) up and down and admire flowers blooming, butterflies, bees, birds, etc.

Does this exist anywhere in the SW quadrant of Nashville (say south of Vanderbilt, west of I-65, southeast of I-40)?

Thanks

I promise this is the last landscaping related question for a while!

[septimus]

They are all money streets that come to mind, but the streets around Whitland Ave and Richland Ave (houses are closer to the street, sidewalks, etc) , and then of course Belle Meade Blvd which is a huge blvd with real mansions (not mcmansions).

Fair St. in Franklin is pretty too.

[BirdieBelle]

Right. Plus my idea of pretty streets in southern Nashville (like Page Road) is not exactly what you described (not really walkable etc.)

Most of what I think are pretty streets, such as the Tyne Blvd. area, (unfortunately) don't have sidewalks.

[aaronmidnight]

Thanks y'all.

@septimus, I think Whitland street was sort of what I had in mind. I'd prefer even MORE landscaping (cottage garden style, lots of flower beds out front, maybe even a front yard garden) but Whitland has smaller front lawns and more landscaping than I've seen most anywhere else, from what I can see on Google Maps street view.

@Wsmn4Life - Sidewalks aren't mandatory in my vision. I don't mind walking on the shoulder or the grass on a 35 mph or less road (not on 70 South though or OHB though)!

I agree that Tyne is very pretty. Although even on Tyne, many many homes (according to Google Street View and what I recall from driving) have huge front lawns with minimal landscaping.

Why does the lawn reign supreme here (and in so much else of USA)? Is it because landscaping is (or is perceived to be) expensive? Or because most people don't care and would rather just have a big flat expanse of green against which to show off their house?

I wish we had more homes or streets that looked like this:

- http://www.herbcompanion.com/uploadedImages/articles/issues/2008-04-01/Southern-Color-Lucinda-Huts.jpg (broken link)

- Cottage Garden | Charleston Home Magazine

- Cottage Garden Outdoor Ideas Pictures, Review

[Edmund_Burke]

The ones that actually get paved.

[BirdieBelle]

I remember the first time I went to Martha's Vineyard, wondering why it looked like a story book and why my neighborhood couldn't look like that. The Vineyard has its advantages; we have ours.

I think the difference is a combination of factors: lot size, climate, free time for gardening, motivation.

[nashvols]

I agree with the mentions of Whitland and the Richland area in general. Lots of beautiful houses, lawns, landscaping, etc.

Bowling Ave is nice, too...especially closer to West End.

Lots of side streets in that particular area might fit what you are looking for...but they come at a price.

Belmont Blvd. is one of my favorite streets as well...especially between Belmont University and I-440.

Linden between Belmont and 21st is very nice.

Fairfax Ave is nice.

Douglas between 8th and 10th.

16th St between Fatherland and Eastland.

Trousdale between Hogan and Broadwell.

Caldwell Lane

Estes Road

Glendale Lane

Franklin Pike in Oak Hill

North & South Curtiswood & Glen Leven Road

Bluefield Avenue

Lots of pretty roads...but a lot of them don't have sidewalks, or have adequate sidewalks.

In lower traffic neighborhoods, people generally just walk along the street, and that seems to do just fine.

[aaronmidnight]

Thanks to all.

Thanks especially Nashvols for all the street suggestions.

Just to reiterate, sidewalks are not essential in my mind. Nice, but not essential. I'd be happy to drive slowly down my street and admire the flowers in bloom, butterflies making their way from flower to flower, hummingbirds buzzing, etc.

I'm hoping it's not just a pipe dream, but worried that unless I hit the lottery, I may have to drive down someone else's street (Whitland, Richland, Bowling, etc.) to get what I'm looking for!

[aaronmidnight]

@Wmsn4Life - Good advice on remembering that everyplace has its pros and cons.

I think you definitely highlights some of the main reasons (climate, time, motivation, lot size) that explain why the lawn reigns supreme over so much of Nashville.

After all, I'm pretty motivate to have a zero-lawn or little-lawn property someday, and I enjoy gardening and even for me the idea of landscaping and planting and maintaining a large lot seems incredibly daunting.

Which I guess explains why the best-looking landscaped properties are in places like Richland and Whitland where they can afford teams of gardeners...

Since I cannot afford a full-time gardener and would prefer to mostly DIY, I think I'll either have to decide between a smaller property (1/4-acre to 1/2-acre?) or look for a larger property where a good bit of the land is already wooded and can be left on its own as zero (or near to zero) maintenance.

My parents in PA have a woods behind their house. Occasionally they need to have a tree cut down if it threatens to fall the wrong way. And they occasionally need to fight to keep the woods from encroaching on the cleared land, but otherwise it's a nice green buffer zone vs the rest of the world

Incidentally, if anyone has ever done an extensive landscaping project - large perennial beds, hedges, blueberry glades, etc. - I'd love to hear about it (either via direct message on the board).

Thanks!!

[YallWantHam]

Originally Posted by aaronmidnight

Thanks y'all.

@septimus, I think Whitland street was sort of what I had in mind. I'd prefer even MORE landscaping (cottage garden style, lots of flower beds out front, maybe even a front yard garden) but Whitland has smaller front lawns and more landscaping than I've seen most anywhere else, from what I can see on Google Maps street view.

@Wsmn4Life - Sidewalks aren't mandatory in my vision. I don't mind walking on the shoulder or the grass on a 35 mph or less road (not on 70 South though or OHB though)!

I agree that Tyne is very pretty. Although even on Tyne, many many homes (according to Google Street View and what I recall from driving) have huge front lawns with minimal landscaping.

Why does the lawn reign supreme here (and in so much else of USA)? Is it because landscaping is (or is perceived to be) expensive? Or because most people don't care and would rather just have a big flat expanse of green against which to show off their house?

I wish we had more homes or streets that looked like this:

- http://www.herbcompanion.com/uploadedImages/articles/issues/2008-04-01/Southern-Color-Lucinda-Huts.jpg (broken link)

- Cottage Garden | Charleston Home Magazine

- Cottage Garden Outdoor Ideas Pictures, Review

Different strokes. That first house to me just looks like an overgrown mess. The other two just have a lot of landscaping/garden areas that have to be meticulously maintained to look nice and not get overgrown with weeds. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy nice landscaping and don't mind dedicating a day or afternoon each week to yard work, but I have other hobbies as well that I'd rather be spending time on.

And of course a lot of people just pay others to do the work, but that doesn't work for all