Front Yard Edible Landscaping...Suggestions and/or Pictures!?

[ABHanna4d]

Ive been trying to decide what to do with my front yard! We bought a bank forclosure about 2 years ago and had to completely remodel it...then we took on the backyard and got some chickens and goats and a large garden...now Im ready to tackle the front yard! ... but I am lost!
We have had several ideas, but just havent taken off on anything yet. We would like to do mostly if not all edibles and mostly perennials. I have a pretty large front yard (about 75'x75') and we have even considered doing a few fruit trees.
I would love to see what you all have done! And would love to see any suggestions you have...I want to be ready with a plan and have the garden all prepped for planting next early spring.

Price is somewhat a factor, I dont want to spend thousands of dollars, but I do want it too look good (since its the front yard) and we know it will cost something but we would love to keep the cost down without jeopardizing aesthetics.

A few things we have considered:
1- cedar raised beds (but we are concerned that they will not look very good after only a few years) so should we do stone?
2- natural stone paths (but that could get expensive)
3- Arbors and trellises for some climbing plants
4- mulch or stone? not sure though...I dont mind mulch, but Ive heard it can attract termites to your homes foundation
5- aesthetic rain barrles
6 - fruit trees, blackberries, hops

Thank you all for your ideas!

 

[lesa]

Sounds like you will have a lovely front yard! I really enjoy growing hops. I have mine climbing on an existing fence and it is quite attractive. I planted it, and have never done a thing to it, or for it. A no brainer for sure! Personally, I wouldn't spend money on the raised beds (unless you need your gardening elevated for health reasons). I just make a bed out of soil, that is raised. I try to make an interesting design. Seem to end up kidney shaped, most of the time! Beans are fun and attractive. They can climb trellis or lamp posts, whatever! I like to mix veggies and flowers. That is one way to make it look more "front yard friendly". The fruit trees are a great idea-useful and beautiful. Good luck!

 

[wifezilla]

My front yard has limited sunlight due to 2 rather large maple trees. We also have problems with surface roots strangling out anything we try to plant between the trees.

I do have 1 whiskey barrel and I grow some sort of edible in it every year. This year it is bennings green tint squash. Last year it was flowering kale. In the bed between the trees I finally just put herbs in there. Actually 2 kinds of mint. If anything can fight those tree roots and grow, it is mint

As for rock vs mulch...each has its good and bad points. I am at high altitude and mulch breaks down REALLY FAST. I gave up on any decorative mulch. I use composted duck pen straw. It aint as pretty as bark, but it keeps the weeds down and the plants love it.

In other places I have rock and the weeds love trying to grow in them, but they are eay to pull up as long as you don't make the mistake of using landscape fabric. You heard me. Landscape fabric is a MISTAKE. It just gives weeds a place to anchor roots and it makes it HARDER to get them out.

 

[ducks4you]

I put beds everywhere that it's hard to mow, which is against buildings and against sidewalks. I put down bricks at ground level. Then, I can run my mower right up to the edge and don't have to use a weed-wacker there.
That being said, I would just start a bed with perennials that you like and buy some clearance annuals, and put them in, too, for this season. You can always change the plants out later, if you want to.
I lined my front to street sidewalk this year with the geraniums I had growing in my basement last winter.

 

[vfem]

I have mixed and matched everything in. No one even notices my front beds have tomatoes, squash, leeks, cabbage, melon and peppers mixed right in. They are surrounded by azaleas, cone flower, foxglove, marigolds, creeping jenny and petunias.

I caught someone sniffing my lettuce that bolted... they said they looked like tons of tiny dandalions. Said if they didn't know better it reminded them of a salad! I picked a tomato ripe in front of her and handed it to her. You should have seen the shock when she said "Is that a tomato plant?" Everything is just thick, and green and slightly colorful in the front yard, everyone thinks its pretty and doesn't even notice its functional.

Right now everything is directly planted in the ground. My husband is going to expand it. We're going to mix in more flowers and maybe roses, but still use it for food as well.

There are plans for a raised bed around where an old tree came down, its going to be for my herbs, tea herbs and saffron crocus. I will mix in tulips for the spring, and lavender to bloom all summer. It will be a sea of color and sweet scents.

 

[hoodat]

Many perrenial cooking herbs are pretty enough to go in a flower garden. Sage, rosemary, Mexican oregano, and Winter savory to start with. The small hot peppers are also quite attractive with their dark green foliage and small red peppers.

 

[HappyHomestead]

Rainbow chard is also really pretty. When in doubt I look up English cottage gardens. Those people were in the same boat, not a lot of money or space, and they had to look at their garden all the time.