Small Front Garden - Ideas?

[scrivomcdivo]

I'm in the process of buying my first house and am looking for ideas for the tiny front garden. Here's a picture of it:

...click here...

Just wondering if anybody has any ideas? Ideally, I'd love a fruit tree of some sort (apple, pear) however I am worried it'll obscure the front window and grow to big.

Any ideas?[/url]

 

[breezer]

i would opt for any fruit in the front garden.

any joker can take it

 

[Thermo]

depends on what you want really. too small for turf, id be inclined to suggest some nice feature plants like cordylines, small bamboos etc. Then go for easy maintenance with a decent membrane covered with stone chippings. Easy to look after and will look good all year round.

Dont go for pots as you wont look after them/water them!

 

[JohnD]

A fruit tree will get too big. If you like the idea of fruit to eat, try a nice thorny bush in the corner furthest from the pavement. You will change your mind once the birds eat all the fruit and your car is covered in red muck!

 

[breezer]

wont notice if the car IS RED

 

[Diyisfun]

I have a small f/garden. Its slabes with a small strip of soil by the house, This I have planted ornamental grass, fusia. Then I pots that I plant up & move from back o se to front as well required, so about every 3/4 months it looks different.

 

[Nerine]

I think Thermo has the right idea. You can train dwarf apple trees on the right rootstock but its a lot of work, pruning etc. and you are less likely to want to 'potter' in a front garden. If you get a bamboo make sure its not too agressive. Phyllostachys 'Nigra' is a good one.

 

[scrivomcdivo]

Thanks for all your ideas.

Does anyone have any images they can post to inspire me?

 

[JamesA]

It depends whether you want privacy or light, but what about training the tree to grow up some trellis?
You could put some trellis on the wall to the right of the picture. That way you'd get privacy from people walking past and kids wouldn't sit on your wall.
You could train a pear tree or something to grow up the trellis.

(I've seen it in a book, I haven't actually tried it myself)

 

[JohnD]

Grape vine. I have two, they take a couple of years to establish and grow fruit, but are entertaining. People will steal it all.

 

[scrivomcdivo]

Will the grape vine not take over the garden?

When should I be looking to work on the garden? Wait until early Spring 07?

 

[breezer]

planting yes, hard landscaping any time weather permitting, but i would start with planning

 

[scrivomcdivo]

So I got out in the garden today and got rid of all the old bushes etc... (well most of them - see here.) Now, we've decided to just have a slim path running to the front door from the gate and the rest of the garden to be covered in chippings / stones with planters here and there so that it's low maintenance.

We're looking for strong smelling plants (nice smelling) to put in the planters but also plants / flowers that will deter cats.

Any suggestions?

Also, I'd love a small self-operating water feature. There's no problems getting a mains electrical supply to it but we can't get a water supply to it. So, the water would have to circulate around the feature itself.

Any suggestions?

 

[Steve]

but we can't get a water supply to it. So, the water would have to circulate around the feature itself.

Yes, this is how ALL water features work.

 

[breezer]

Buy one form a garden centre, or better still make one.