Reclaiming the Curb
You know the feeling – that giddy thrill you get when you pull up to your house and can’t help but admire its polished, picture-perfect curb appeal. Well, I’m here to tell you that you can experience that joy every single time you come home.
It all started a few years back, when a nasty windstorm left my poor little house completely exposed to the world. You see, I used to have this veritable forest of towering spruce trees out front – six of them, in fact. They were at least 60 years old and just way too big for our modest property. One had already come crashing down a few seasons prior, miraculously missing the house and cars on the street. But that last storm was the final straw – those trees were becoming a real hazard.
So I took a deep breath, pulled out my phone, and bargained a bulk deal with a local arborist. Down came the trees, and suddenly our cozy little cottage was left standing there, naked as the day it was built. It was a shock, to say the least. Whereas before, the house had been completely hidden from view, now it was desperately in need of some serious curb appeal TLC.
That’s when I knew I needed to call in the professionals. Even though I had a bit of gardening experience under my belt, designing a cohesive, visually striking landscape from scratch was way out of my league. Luckily, I knew just the person for the job – Maryanne White of A Garden by Design.
Putting the Pieces Together
Maryanne is a landscape design wizard, and she wasted no time getting to work on my little “Kleenex box” of a house (her words, not mine!). After sending her some quick measurements and a collection of “before” photos, she got to work crafting a plan that would transform our blank canvas into a true showstopper.
The first thing that struck me about Maryanne’s initial design was the gorgeous, sweeping curves of the walkway and planting beds. I probably would have just run the sidewalk straight up the middle, but her vision was infinitely more visually appealing. She also included plans for a proper front porch – something we’d been wanting to add for years.
But perhaps the most brilliant part of Maryanne’s design was the structured, clipped hedges she proposed lining the foundation. One of my biggest pet peeves is a scraggly-looking foundation planting, especially in front of a light-colored house like ours. Maryanne’s solution of using yew shrubs to create a polished, tailored border was exactly what our little box of a home needed.
Balancing Structure and Softness
Of course, Maryanne didn’t stop there. She knew that while the structured hedges would provide a smart, sophisticated backbone to the design, we also needed some softer, more natural elements to create visual interest and contrast.
“I wanted to combine the structure of the hedge with some of the wispy textures you have going on in your back garden,” she explained. That idea of blending formal and informal, structured and free-flowing, is something renowned garden designer Piet Oudolf is known for. And Maryanne pulled it off beautifully in her plan for my home.
Along with the clipped yew hedges, she incorporated a variety of cold-hardy perennials and grasses that would add movement, texture, and seasonal interest. Things like prairie dropseed, Siberian iris, and Russian sage – plants that would thrive in our challenging Zone 3 climate and create a sense of softness to balance the hedge’s crisp lines.
Selecting the Right Plants
Speaking of our northern growing zone, that was another crucial consideration in Maryanne’s design. See, I may have a bit of a green thumb, but my gardening knowledge is definitely tilted more towards the wild, carefree plantings in my backyard. When it came to choosing the perfect mix of foundation shrubs, perennials, and trees for the front, I knew I needed an expert’s guidance.
Maryanne immediately nixed the idea of using classic boxwood, since those wouldn’t survive our frigid winters. Instead, she recommended hardy, evergreen yew shrubs to anchor the foundation. And for the rest of the palette, she selected a stunning array of cold-hardy favorites – from the delicate white blooms of Siberian iris to the vibrant chartreuse foliage of ‘Limelight’ hydrangeas.
The key, she explained, was striking a balance between structure and softness, while also ensuring every single plant could thrive in our challenging climate. No sense in creating a beautiful design that wouldn’t last through the seasons, right?
Bringing it All Together
With Maryanne’s vision in hand, my husband and I got to work turning our barren, tree-less yard into a lush, layered oasis. First came the demolition – removing the old stumps and laying the new concrete walkway. And let me tell you, seeing that fresh, clean path leading up to the house was a total game-changer. It was like suddenly having a blank canvas to work with.
Next up, the planting began. Maryanne had provided us with a detailed plan, complete with a list of all the carefully selected shrubs, perennials, and trees. As each new element went into the ground, I could practically see the transformation unfolding before my eyes. The structured yew hedges lining the foundation, the billowy grasses and flowering plants adding pops of color and texture, the stately birch trees providing height and visual interest.
It was like watching a master painter bring their vision to life, brushstroke by brushstroke. And the best part? I knew that with Maryanne’s expert guidance, every single element would work in perfect harmony, creating a cohesive, show-stopping design.
Enjoying the Fruits of Our Labor
Now, as I pull into the driveway and gaze upon our freshly revamped front yard, I can’t help but feel a swell of pride. Gone is the barren, exposed “Kleenex box” that once greeted me – in its place, a lush, layered landscape that radiates curb appeal and charm.
The structured yew hedges provide a sleek, tailored foundation, while the billowing perennials and grasses add softness and movement. The birch trees draw the eye upward, creating a sense of height and grandeur. And that meandering walkway? It beckons visitors to slow down, take their time, and drink in all the beauty.
It’s the kind of front yard that makes you want to linger awhile, to pull up a chair on the porch and soak in the view. And that’s precisely the feeling I was going for. After all, a home’s exterior is the first thing people see – why not make it a feast for the eyes?
Of course, the work isn’t quite done yet. We still have plans to build that proper front porch Maryanne included in her design, which I know will only amplify the welcoming, neighborly vibe. And who knows – maybe I’ll even find the perfect bed swing to hang out there, just like she suggested. After all, what says “come on over and stay a while” better than a cozy, pillow-topped lounger?
But for now, I’m content to simply soak in the beauty of our newly transformed front yard, reveling in that giddy feeling every time I pull into the driveway. It’s a feeling of pride, of accomplishment, of a job well done. And it all started with a little help from a landscape design pro who knew exactly how to bring out the very best in our humble abode.
So if your own home is feeling a bit “Kleenex box-esque,” take it from me – don’t be afraid to call in the experts. With the right plan and a bit of elbow grease, you too can turn your house into the envy of the entire neighborhood. The curb appeal secrets are out, my friends – and they’re waiting for you to discover them.
