Difference between revisions of "Front garden"

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<flickr>6969635428|thumb|center|Current front of the Green Garage.</flickr>
 
<flickr>6969635428|thumb|center|Current front of the Green Garage.</flickr>
  
The front garden occupies the best spot on the property for sun - it faces west. Right now it's completely paved, with a stoop that local people use to loiter.
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The front 'garden' consisted of a cement stoop when we bought the property, bordered by a cement sidewalk. It required regular weeding to prevent the site from looking abandoned. In addition, the stoop was often used as a spot for people to sit and enjoy a snack or, more often, a beverage from the party store next door. We had to clean up the site every morning.
  
Our goal is to remove all of the pavement except for the city sidewalk and add the following:
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As we studied the site, we understood that it provided a wonderful spot for a garden. It faces west and gets full afternoon sunshine. We decided to remove all of the cement an add a garden, fencing and a bench for people to sit and relax.
* a wrought iron fence with gate(s) (about chest high) to delineate the border of the garden and to provide a measure of security
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* a plaza-type area that connects to a pathway through a garden
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The new front garden includes:
* some deciduous trees that will provide shade in the summer but allow sun in the winter
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* (mostly) native bushes and plants (see [[Plants for the front garden]])
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* 2 Hop-hornbeam trees (native), tall enough to provide shade, but not so tall that they would block the sun to the solar panels on the roof of the annex.
* a flagpole big enough to hold 2 flags
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* 3 serviceberry bushes (native), providing white flowers in the spring, berries in the summer and a beautiful red/gold color in the fall.
* a kiosk that will provide a spot for people to put up notices
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* bushes along the wall to provide definition
* somewhere to sit and watch the people going by (benches, small tables and chairs), preferably within the fence
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* a stone walkway interspersed with leftover groundcovers from the alley (mazus reptans, Irish moss, elfin thyme and a low-growing form of sedum)
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* a bench made from repurposed materials
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* tall grasses at the fence
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* catmint and coreopsis in front of the fence, in addition to seasonal bulbs
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* a fence made by [http://www.disenosiron.com/ Disenos Ornamental Iron] in Detroit.
  
  
 
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[[Category:site index]]

Revision as of 18:59, 29 October 2012

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Flickr Error ( Photo not found ): PhotoID 2867795441

Flickr Error ( Photo not found ): PhotoID 6969635428

The front 'garden' consisted of a cement stoop when we bought the property, bordered by a cement sidewalk. It required regular weeding to prevent the site from looking abandoned. In addition, the stoop was often used as a spot for people to sit and enjoy a snack or, more often, a beverage from the party store next door. We had to clean up the site every morning.

As we studied the site, we understood that it provided a wonderful spot for a garden. It faces west and gets full afternoon sunshine. We decided to remove all of the cement an add a garden, fencing and a bench for people to sit and relax.

The new front garden includes:

  • 2 Hop-hornbeam trees (native), tall enough to provide shade, but not so tall that they would block the sun to the solar panels on the roof of the annex.
  • 3 serviceberry bushes (native), providing white flowers in the spring, berries in the summer and a beautiful red/gold color in the fall.
  • bushes along the wall to provide definition
  • a stone walkway interspersed with leftover groundcovers from the alley (mazus reptans, Irish moss, elfin thyme and a low-growing form of sedum)
  • a bench made from repurposed materials
  • tall grasses at the fence
  • catmint and coreopsis in front of the fence, in addition to seasonal bulbs
  • a fence made by Disenos Ornamental Iron in Detroit.