Beauty is

Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder.  And in the perceptions of the beholder. 

I am quite positive that the local birds, bees and butterflies consider my front garden patch beautiful.  Like the large bumble bee I spotted on the broccoli blooms the other day.  I think the bee had to stop in mid glutton for a quick nap.

Many of my neighbors think it is lovely.  I've spotted walkers commenting on the lovely 'flower' garden.  My husband thinks it looks nice.  I mostly think it is beautiful.  Of course my baby is beautiful.  I have to believe that do I not?  I frequently find myself stepping out into the middle of the street and trying to take an objective outsiders eye to my garden.  What do the neighbors across the way whom I don't really talk with think when they walk out their front doors - and their sight rests upon my baby garden?

How can I make this garden spot look more visually appealing?  And more nutritionally productive?  What Would Brian Boitano Do?  This winter garden is coming up on the end of it's season.  I've been pondering how to improve next winter.  What changes I want to make to the garden bones this spring.  Then I read this interesting post over at Root Simple:  How to Design a Garden:  Clues to Care.

Eric Mr. Homegrown goes on to say:

Clues to care include:

• Defined pathways
• Raised beds
• Mulched beds and paths (vs. bare soil)
• Artwork
• Trellises and other attractive supports
• Birdbaths
• Benches

So I stood back and took a look at my garden.  Tried my very best to put my 'I am pretending to be a critical stranger' glasses on.  I have found, that it is much easier to assess a photo with a critical eye, than to assess critically on the spot.  So, here is my photo.

This is how it looks as you are facing our house.  Oh, did I mention?  This is indeed part of our front yard.

OK, better than last winter.  But room for improvement I think. These past few months, I have been working on safety in the garden.  Secure footing, pathways, grab poles and elevating the growing space.  If I were to consider this the front room of my house, I have been working on the walls, floor covering and furniture.  Oh, and traffic flow.

In my outdoor front room, this is where I am at now.  This shows the ground level hardscape.  The pathways, connector ways and access path.  As well as water features and of course the raised planter beds.  I am pretty happy with how this part of the plan is working out.  A few things to tweak here and there, but overall I am pleased.  The flow of the garden and access around the garden is working well.  The connector paths made of heavy, heavy flagstone is working simply marvelous.  I need two more stones to complete the west pathway.  I like the main grass pathway.  It works to contribute a bit of continuity to the changing of the annual edibles.  At 3' wide, and being bahia grass, it is walker/rollator/wheelchair friendly.

The brown outlines indicate the raised planter beds.  Continuing the front room analogy, the furniture.  There is roughly 175 sq ft of planter space for both edibles and ornamental perennials and annuals.   I am learning the raised bed are not raised enough, and that multiple tiers work much easier for me to access.  I will start raising my raised beds over time starting with the west bed when I pull out the last of the winter crops.  A final note on the raised beds.  Some are perfectly straight lines.  Perfect straight lines do not belong in nature.  Nor in your front room for that matter.  Since I am building most of the raised beds from lumber it is impossible to avoid all straight lines.    I have added as many 'sexy curves' to the garden as I can feasibly - to soften the harshness of the straight boards.

I could stop now and have a functional space.  Likened to my front room, a stranger walking in would find a spot to sit for a spell.  Floors to walk safely upon and walls for shelter.  A front room of white walls, floor covering, a couch and a few chairs is boringly functional.  There is no beauty or character to be found in the bare bones.  The stranger would leave our home with a sense of blase indifference at best.

If my front yard garden looked like my backyard garden, I am quite sure the neighbors across the way and around the corner and up and down the street would have been complaining long since.  And the city would have come a knocking on my door with complaints of violations.   Much like the neighbors in Oak Park considered Oak Park Hates Veggies front yard garden unsuitable.  Functional - yes.  Appealing - NO.  Clues to care?  Sort of.  We've got the raised beds, path ways, seating, benches and trellis.  But the art, love and decor is missing.

It is the finishing touches that showcase clues to care; both inside and outside your home.  A garden arbor to transition outdoor rooms, lighting, accessories, color and pizzaz.  Take a step back and think of your garden space as the front room needing decoration and love.  Approach your garden decor much the same as you would front room decor.

How to start?

Find your inspiration piece - something that speaks to your heart and you just know belongs in your spot.

From your inspiration piece - choose your color scheme.  A single primary color with one or two complimentary colors.

Armed with your inspiration piece and your color scheme - go forth and accessorize.

Remember, art is function and function is art.

In my garden room, I need and want:  lighting, seating, grab bars, trellising, staking, wildlife amenities, squirrel determent's, statuary, large pots, and art.  These are the things that will bring joy to my heart and show clues of caring to visitors.

So .......

Stay tuned for part II when we do an accessory make-over on my front garden.  To improve our quality of gardening.  Of course.  Finally done!  get your part II - Garden Decor Planning.