Front gardens can be a challenge. How do you keep them lush and colorful, but tidy and presentable at the same time?
Today, I want to share with you a front garden, on a typical suburban lot, that manages to be all those things.
A sweeping path leads from the driveway to the front door of Karen's house.
If we come a bit closer, you can see that Karen has done a wonderful job of mixing shrubs, evergreens (which are going to look great year-round) with perennials such as sedum, lady's mantel, some low-growing ornamental grasses, heuchera, coreopsis and hosta.
Hanging over the pathway leading up to the door there are a climbing hydrangea, pink rose,
rhododendron and purple clematis.
I took these pictures in mid-June, when there was a mix of soft yellow, pink
and purple flowers in bloom.
This birdbath-turned-planter was my favourite garden ornament. I love the way that Karen has used a mix of hostas, with some chartreuse-colored creeping jenny that spills beautifully over the edge of the planter.
Did you notice that she has used a low-growing evergreen at the base of the planter?
It adds understated textural interest that supports, but doesn't compete with the container planting.
Pink astilbe with a Rose of Sharon (to the left) and a backdrop of euonymus on the brick wall behind.
Now, let's take a closer look at the plantings leading to the door.
What a glorious soft pink rose!
Up next, we'll head into Karen back garden.
