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Before & After: A California Front Yard Made Easy

Hey everyone! I hope all your landscapes are thriving with color and curiosity during this first week of summer! It’s been a beautiful June here in Wisconsin– lots of rain, but nothing a good rain jacket won’t take care of. But in California, we’ve got garden ideas to inspire your own backyard (or, in this case, the front yard) oasis.

The flowers are loving it, and it’s been nice just to let the garden do its thing. Anyway, let’s get onto the featured post! You may remember seeing Jerry Galanti’s work on the blog from time to time in the past. This week’s Before & After features a makeover out of Los Angeles, California.

A backyard with grass and bushes before and after.
See this California garden transformed with these English garden-inspired ideas. Cottage garden elements like colorful flowers and lush greenery add a charming aesthetic. In this garden they will add a classic English rose garden and herb garden for a touch of elegance.

Jerry sent a few photos along with a quick write up about the project, stating that the homeowners had slightly different desires for the space. The wife wanted a clean and minimal look, but the husband wanted to keep his prized roses and vegetable gardens…two very different ideas if you ask me! Let’s see what Jerry came up with!

A backyard with a gravel path and plants.
Jerry created an inviting outdoor space with cozy seating areas, a water feature, a rose garden, and space for front yard vegetables to enjoy the sunny California climate.

To keep things simple, Jerry started by removing the water-chugging lawn and built two raised beds to house the veggies alongside the cobble-gridded rose bed for the husband. He selected warm-colored gravel to build upon the cohesive feel and to add texture and warmth. The wife’s clean and minimal area features a clothesline and potted succulents.

A backyard with cactus plants and a stone walkway.
Transform your front yard into a bountiful vegetable garden in California! Embrace the trend of edible landscaping by planting a variety of veggies like tomatoes, peppers, and lettuce. Consider the region’s sunny climate and water-wise practices for a sustainable and lush garden that enhances your curb appeal.

I like how this space was designed with two separate areas, each catering to differing tastes and ideas. So, this raises the question- how do you guys deal with differing tastes in your gardens? Do your significant others have an equal say in the garden decisions, or do you have the freedom to do whatever you want? We’d love to hear about how you deal with this challenge! And, as always- thanks so much for sharing, Jerry! -erin

Images by: Jerry Galanti

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  1. Debbie Feely says:

    Good question Erin! For years my husband had the front yard and I had the back. I am a cottage gardener, he is Pacific Rim. Then we redid our front yard and decided to have everything be ‘ours’. To blend our styles we went with colorful shrubs in the front yard. We have crepe myrtle, dwarf pomegranate, barberries, grasses, and lots more, some blooming and some just with colorful foliage. We both like it and it is easy to maintain and easy on the water.

  2. Diane says:

    I adore pavers and find more and more uses for them. Just like rock, (my number one love) pavers are forever! Lots of heavy lifting during the installation, yet when completed, hurrah! Check out my blog post on my herb bed redo using pavers here in central VA.

    http://dianelasauce.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/the-thing-about-renewal/

    Always looking for more ideas to reduce the amount of turf here, more paver projects are on the way.

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