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someone suggest a front yard garden, which reminded me of post I read some where I think on the garden web site linking to an article about a small community in which one of the neighbors was sick of taking care of a big front lawn, so he ripped it out and put in all vegetables and with trellises and it looked nice in my opinion. But, his neighbors had a fit, because it ruined the uniformity of the look of the other house. You could get away with it, if you have the house not so close together in a more rural look and some hedges and things blocking the view from the road. Otherwise I would not put one in. So, basically they got the town council to declare it illegal to grow vegetables in the front yard, as I recall. I wish I could find that article again.
I don't get it. Gardens are as much work to take care of as lawns, maybe even more. They have to be planted, every year, weeded, harvested, etc. Then there's the issue, discussed in the above thread, of what to do with the produce once it's been harvested.
Why does every green space have to be "repurposed"? What's wrong with the purpose it's being used for?
I've gotten hassled about the above. We've had an influx of people moving from the metro DC suburbs who were raised on the "golf course for a yard" with "tasteful" plantings which may or may not complement the house architecture.
I tried for years to grow grass in the front and it just wouldn't take, too hot at the beginning and too shady now so I gave up and turned part of it into a cottage garden with various lilies, daisies, Black Eyed Susans and loosestrife (a no-no near marshes but I got the non-invasive sterile variety) daylilies, etc. Have climbing roses on the fence along with raspberry bushes while the largest, shadiest part is covered with shredded bark and has a double swing, old metal chairs and matching table.
Wouldn't you know that, although there were some complaints, several people in Town emulated us so even if there are still front yard putting green style yards a lot of people now have the front yard cottage garden. Those types of gardens fit with the dominant style of houses, too.
I don't get it. Gardens are as much work to take care of as lawns, maybe even more. They have to be planted, every year, weeded, harvested, etc. Then there's the issue, discussed in the above thread, of what to do with the produce once it's been harvested.
Why does every green space have to be "repurposed"? What's wrong with the purpose it's being used for?
The theory of lawns is they take a lot of water and also care and you often need to use harmful chemicals. Most people hire guys to come and do it for them. It costs big bucks. But, you get a garden costs also, but you get some produce and produce is now sky high priced in grocery stores and even farmers markets are so expensive. So, you come out a head, more or less I guess.
The theory of lawns is they take a lot of water and also care and you often need to use harmful chemicals. Most people hire guys to come and do it for them. It costs big bucks. But, you get a garden costs also, but you get some produce and produce is now sky high priced in grocery stores and even farmers markets are so expensive. So, you come out a head, more or less I guess.
Seriously? Not where I live! Most people here do their own, or they hire the neighbor kid. We don't apply any "harmful chemicals", nor do most of my neighbors. Now maybe in Beverley Hills, or its Colorado equivalent, Cherry Hills Village. Vegetable gardens require about the same amount of water. The produce you get is only in season a couple months, at most. The rest has to be preserved. Our popcorn looks real good this year.
I think mileage may vary for water needs between lawns and gardens. Here lawns will take more water while gardens will need less.
I don't water lawn so my gardens need more. This summer has been such that the only watering I've done has been the potted/hanging plants.
Having a lawn "service" (even if it's just the old guy down the street) is a status symbol here. As long as he has a sign on the mower or a shirt with his name on it you're one of the select.
i think mileage may vary for water needs between lawns and gardens. Here lawns will take more water while gardens will need less.
I don't water lawn so my gardens need more. This summer has been such that the only watering i've done has been the potted/hanging plants.
having a lawn "service" (even if it's just the old guy down the street) is a status symbol here. As long as he has a sign on the mower or a shirt with his name on it you're one of the select.
Currently our backyard contains a patio, lawn, and a trampoline. We would like to repurpose it in a few years. Here is our plan:
Take out the yard and install a pool and hot tub. Build a back yard bar BQ, increase the size of the patio and cover with pavers to have a new look. We will get rid of the trampoline as it will be in the way of the pool. We will replace an aging block wall with and rear fence with a new taller block wall. Near the block wall we will have palm trees dotting the outside edge of the yard.
All that'd be required would be for the home-owners to chip in and have it mowed. Wouldn't be much different than a HOA fee. Or if someone feels like it, landscape part of it.
A friend of ours bought a nice older house a few years ago. She was out mowing her yard one afternoon when a neighbor came over to inform her that everybody on that block is supposed to mow just on Wednesdays. She told him if he starts making her house payment then he can decide what day of the week to mow. She told him it was her yard and if she wanted to, she'd let it grow high enough to get a warning from the city, then mow it. Man hasn't talked to her since and she's happy with that.
There was a Vietnamese family that lived in where I used to. Their yard was something to see when you walked by. Every bit of the yard, front and back, was growing something to eat. They had trellises, lattice, everything for plants to grow on. Their daughter said they never had this much land (maybe a quarter acre yard) before moving to the states and didn't want to waste any of it.
Seriously? Not where I live! Most people here do their own, or they hire the neighbor kid. We don't apply any "harmful chemicals", nor do most of my neighbors. Now maybe in Beverley Hills, or its Colorado equivalent, Cherry Hills Village. Vegetable gardens require about the same amount of water. The produce you get is only in season a couple months, at most. The rest has to be preserved. Our popcorn looks real good this year.
And yes for much of Long Island, which is closer in income to Louisville than Cherry Hills Village*. People make comments based off what they're familiar with. Not sure how many people use "harmful chemicals", certainly some do, my parents don't, though the "perfect looking" lawns likely do. Some waste water (the goofiest was the automatic sprinkler running just before at tropical storm), though water conservation isn't much of an issue since the climate is wet enough.
*Beverly Hills is hard to compare; it's per capita income is super high but its median household income is above average but not exceptionally high. Demographically, maybe it's a west coast version of certain parts of Long Island (Great Neck area) with a large Persian Jewish population and mostly Jewish in general.
I've gotten hassled about the above. We've had an influx of people moving from the metro DC suburbs who were raised on the "golf course for a yard" with "tasteful" plantings which may or may not complement the house architecture.
I tried for years to grow grass in the front and it just wouldn't take, too hot at the beginning and too shady now so I gave up and turned part of it into a cottage garden with various lilies, daisies, Black Eyed Susans and loosestrife (a no-no near marshes but I got the non-invasive sterile variety) daylilies, etc. Have climbing roses on the fence along with raspberry bushes while the largest, shadiest part is covered with shredded bark and has a double swing, old metal chairs and matching table.
I personally don't care for the "golf course look". Bland, over-manicured, sometimes nearly an eyesore IMO. Some grass is nice, and is useful (play space for children, nice to sit and stand in) but I don't get why people hold it as a standard. If you want some nature near you, have a meadow or woods. Tall, perennial flowers are great, like the ones you gave as an example. No, I'm not suggesting people should be forced to give up lawns. But I dislike how lawns are often held up as the norm and better than say, your cottage garden.
Since I don't care for lots of grass but get that it has its place, that's why I came up with the idea of shared yards.
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