Curb Appeal
The front garden is the one thing that really brings out my exhibitionist tendencies. I want it to grab the attention of people walking or driving by.
Late summer is one of the times when the front garden has its greatest visual impact. Some of the blooms of mid-summer become even showier and more prolific.
Most of the excitement is generated by the Driveway and Sidewalk Borders, as well as the Front Island Bed.
Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum), at the back of the Front Island Bed, flowers even more profusely.
The same is true for the Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia).
While the flowers of Sweet Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum) fade to a fluffy brown, the Spotted Joe Pye Weed ‘Gateway’ (Eutrochium maculatum) show off their richer pink-purple blooms. I’ve been giving ‘Gateway’ some extra drinks of water since our wet spring turned into a dry July and August. This is a plant that loves moisture, but it seems to be doing fine even though it is in a raised bed.
The Yellow Coneflowers (Ratibida pinnata) are also reaching their peak, and they are in a sufficient mass to be noticed from a distance. It is a struggle to keep them from flopping excessively, though.
Also at this time of year, drive-by garden observers may notice the Orange Coneflowers blooming in the East Parkway Bed. That’s a Western Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) growing in the parkway, incidentally.
In the Sidewalk Border, the ‘Raspberry Wine’ Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) are fading but still have visual impact. It combines well with the Bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana) at the bottom of the photo, which takes on a bright Chartreuse color by late summer. I cut it back by at least half when it is done blooming in June.
Another foliage plant making a significant contribution is the Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium), whose dangling seed heads will soon turn from green to tan. This year, though, I plan to remove the seeds not too long after they ripen to prevent excessive self-sowing.
Normally I get a nice dose of blue color from Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum). However, the damage from four-lined plant bugs caused this wonderful plant to bloom rather feebly this year. There is some compensation from my compact ‘Blue Adonis’ Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii). ‘Blue Adonis’ also takes up where the Orienpet hybrid lilies left off in terms of providing a sweet fragrance for sidewalk passersby to enjoy.
For next year I am thinking of planting some short, late-blooming Clematis (possibly C. integrifolia ‘Mississippi River’) to provide a backup source of blue.
There was some historic giant of landscape architecture (I forget his name – Daniel Burnham?) who dreamed of how all suburban front lawns should flow together in a sort of common sward. That vision has been mostly realized in the typical American suburb. My dream is a little different. Rather than a never-ending green carpet, wouldn’t it be wonderful if those front lawns were replaced by billowing grasses and bright flowers? That would make for a commons of much greater richness, I think.
gardeninacity 
I so agree…I wish front lawns were all replaced by gardens! Your is looking particularly good right now…so full and lush, it really must stop traffic 😉
Some, but not enough. When it comes to the garden, I am a glutton for attention.
Beautiful home garden…..you can be proud!
That’s nice of you to say, Phyllis.
Thanks!
The curb appeal is brilliant and I’m sure your street is the better for it. I love the different layers and foliage colours as well as the wonderful flowers! Have any of your neighbours joined in with creating wonderful gardens, or are they still a slave to their lawns?
I get a lot of interest in my garden, and some neighbors close by have talked about doing something along those lines, but not action yet.
Very beautiful, Jason. I’m not surprised you have bus tours of visitors! Your front garden has real impact – a wonderful mixture of lush foliage and flowers with gorgeous colour combinations and shapes. I’d certainly be making a detour to admire it if I lived anywhere near you! Love your house, too 🙂
Beautiful, Jason. Can’t help noticing most of your plants are native to the Midwest Andrew Jackson Downing and Frederick Law Olmstead were the first Landscape Architects to dictated that individual front lawns should all flow together along an entire street, unimpeded by hedges, fences, or walls. The cause was taken up by Frank J. Scott shortly thereafter.
Olmstead, that’s the name I was thinking of. Thanks!
Absolutely gorgeous front garden. A show stopper!
I am also learning from your readers about the history of the American front lawn. Very informative!
I am with you about how a garden should look. While mine isn’t as jammed packed as yours I try to incorporate many natives in my garden. My Dearly Beloved likes the “lawn” so I will never have a lawnless garden that I would prefer. I don’t mind the give and take of it. He cares for the lawn. Your garden is lovely. I am sure the birds and bees think this too.
We still have a fair amount lawn in the back garden. In the front, though, just some grass paths.
Lovely. I would be standing at your curb for hours! You would most likely be looking out your front window saying” there’s that same lady again”. I’m sure your wonderful planting is attracting bees, butterflies, and bystanders!
Yes to all three. Just had a very nice talk with a gardening grandmother who was taking her grandson for a walk.
Curb appeal is normally something I see in a magazine or on TV. However, you have achieved it, and I would definitely be standing with Denise from Fernwood Nursery at your curb trying to figure out how I could do something remotely that good. Pat yourself on the back because you earned it. 🙂
Curb appeal indeed! The strong colors of your summer flowers are really enhanced by your white brick house. I love the way it backs the clean yellow and orange of the Silphium and Tithonia and lets us see the subtle dusky pink of the Eutrochium. Happy high summer!
The neighbors’ red cedar tree also provides a good background.
At first I thought you could dispense with the lawnmower but, alas, no — there are teeny tiny patches still. Very lovely indeed. You have sure packed a lot of punch in that small space. I definitely have to add Tithonia next year — but where?
Any place with sun. It likes hot weather. I still have a push mower, I have to mow the grass paths in front and there is still some lawn in back.
You have created a most welcoming (and appealing) vista for visitors and passers-by. Well done.
Gardening for late summer appeal is difficult for me. Everything is dying back and structure is falling away. You’ve achieved quite a wonderful combination of textures and colors and heights. Gorgeous.
Thanks. I think your longer, hotter summers make August more of a challenge.
I like your vision for suburban front yards much better, Jason. Your garden is beautiful! Has it inspired some of your neighbors to plant more flowers instead of grass? I’m curious about your cutting back your Amsonia–I’ve never done this during the season. Mine is getting so huge; does cutting it back help to control its size for the next season as well? What a gorgeous stand of cup plants!
I’m not sure cutting back the Amsonia reduces its girth, but it does control the flopping and makes it more compact and neat.
Holy smokes! You certainly achieved curb appeal. How lovely it is. Even if people don’t stop, I’m sure they notice and admire. And with such beauty, not only have you made the world a better place for creatures that flutter and fly, but also for those who walk on two legs.
Your front garden is stunning. It’s so nice that so many get get to enjoy it… bees and butterflies included! So much better than a lawn, any day..no comparison!
I agree!
Your front garden is lovely, so lush and full of flowers. I have a large garden in the front too, but I’m the opposite of an exhibitionist. It’s there just for me.
That may be a more sensible approach.
You don’t need drapes in your house! 😀 I am sure the pedestrians on your street admire your late summer display, as does the pollinators. My neighbors have difficulty with my front planting and it is half the height of what you have. They tell me they can’t see when backing out of the driveway. I think that is really not their problem, but the fact that so much is planted and no other garden looks like that.
Some people have problems with anything different. I’m sure it has nothing to do with backing out of the driveway. Luckily I haven’t had much of that problem with neighbors. They are either supportive or don’t complain.
Simply gorgeous! And thank you for proving so beautifully that a large swath of turf is definitely NOT mandatory in a front yard. 🙂
I guess in some places they are, but they shouldn’t be.
Impressive Cup plant display. How tall is it? Great colours.
I’d guess about 10 feet. I should really measure to make sure!
I wish you were my next door neighbor! (looking fabulous) Seriously, gardens are so much more interesting than lawn – and for those who don’t want extra “work” if they chose plants wisely so much less work than a lawn.
Very true. Lawns can be a lot of work, though of course a lot of people just hire a lawncare company.
Just beautiful, it’s too bad many folks don’t spend as much time on their front beds, or even their backyards for that matter. We don’t have a blade of grass in our urban setting, but flowerbeds that keep me busy in the back and front. I see you do have some lawn.
Mainly for paths in the front, but there is more in the back. I have been forbidden to dig up any more.
I just love the exuberance of your front garden at this time of year; your neighbours and passers by are very lucky to be able to enjoy the fruits of your labour. Well done!
Curb appeal indeed! Your garden must be the talk of the town Jason. It’s beautiful.
I, for one. would be hanging around your sidewalk snapping pictures and hoping for an invitation to see what’s around back.
You have a standing invitation to a garden tour.
Having plants blending together would certainly be better for the wildlife! How lucky your neighbours and passers by are to be able to view your gorgeous garden, complete with flutterbys!xxx
The front garden is looking simply mah-velous, dahling! Truly!
Oh, it’s just something I threw together at the last minute!
I think your gardens probably turn a lot of heads!
I agree with your thoughts about turning lawns into gardens. Just imagine all the pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers that people could stop using. And they would be far less frustrated too, I think.
And think of the quiet from the lawn mowers standing unused.
Jason – your front garden looks fantastic! I imagine you do get a lot of attention from passers-by. I agree with what Ricki said – if it were me, I’d be lurking around until I got invited to see the rest as well. In our neighborhood, it seems true that it takes one to take the first step to exchange turf for plantings, then at least a few will follow. It is nice to see – hope it happens in your neck of the woods too, before long!
As I said to Ricki, you have a standing invitation for a garden tour.
Would love to! 🙂
Your front garden is gorgeous! I plan to do something like this at our next house. We have nice landscaping at our current house, and many native plants–especially in the back. But the front garden has too much grass. Maybe I’ll put a little money into it before we move, but it’s always a balancing act for how much we want to put into a place before we move. Good to know about ‘Gateway’ Joe Pye Weed. Don’t tell anyone, but I’m not a fan of that rose/brown color of the straight species. I know the butterflies like it, though.
I’m not thrilled about that dusty pink either, but I still like it. I won’t report you to the Native Plant Society for your disloyal thoughts.
And you certainly succeed, Jason! It’s just breathtaking and I love the height you introduce with your big perennials. Only goes to show that big plants work superbly in smaller spaces if you chose the right ones.
Just think of those big plants as perennial trees.
I love your Orange Coneflowers and think this view of your garden is great, Jason. It must be one of the best.
With a front garden that beautiful, Jason, there should be a pile-up of traffic outside each morning and a crowd of people ignoring it and instead looking towards your house!
Love it! Love it! Love it!! 🙂
So … you like it?
Fantastic!
Happy Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day!
Lea
Happy bloom day to you!
You have curb appeal down to a science and I agree we should have our front gardens flowing together and not a sea of lawns.
We should be neighbors!
This is one of the best front yard gardens I have ever seen! Thank you for sharing it with all of us!