melissel Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 We live in one of those neatly manicured suburbs--not uber fancy, just middle-class, but the neighbors still complain among themselves when one person doesn't mow regularly or keep their hedges neat, etc. We have a large corner property, but our tall privacy fence bisects the yard, leaving us a big chunk of property outside the fence that's basically useless to us. Unfortunately, that's also the only part of the property that gets full sun, so if I want a garden, that's where it has to go. I'm doing some things in containers this year, but even with that, we don't have much sun in the right places, and I want a nice big garden that will provide enough fruits/veggies for us for a good part of the year. If your neighbor suddenly turned a large, visible portion of their yard into a mini-farm, would you be annoyed or think it was tacky? The other option would be to move out the privacy fence, which I'd much prefer, but that's going to cost $2500 to $3000, and I'm just not sure I want to commit to that kind of outlay right now! TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 It wouldn't bother me. I would think that they were using their property wisely. But I suppose if they never weeded and let it get brown etc. then it might bother me - but I'd never tell them that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS_ Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I wouldn't mind - and if you build raised (or not raised) garden beds, you can intersperse the veggies w/ flowers and many people may not even realize it's a vegetable garden. My biggest concern for you would be the potential for neighborhood children and/or pets to be running through the area, trampling down the plants if the area isn't fenced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekarl2 Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I think it'd be beautiful, especially if the beds were raised. That would protect them from trampling and would add a nice aesthetic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lux Et Veritas Academy Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 That is exactly what started world war 3 with my neighbors. You might be surprised how people feel about gardens. We were! May I add that I love my garden, and as long as I pay the mortgage on this place... I do what I want! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 It's really common here for people to make garden boxes in their front yard. As long as it's not against your HOA I'd go for it. So what if someone doesn't like it. Can't please everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I think it's a great idea. Last summer on our street, ours was one of several yards with corn or tomatoes growing right in front. I would recommend being a little more conscientious about cleaning up with garden for winter. I cleaned up and mulched my front yard garden space as soon as the season ended. I'm just now cleaning up my back yard garden. Make sure to plant something to share! I've found that fresh herbs, cherry tomatoes or green beans go a long way toward making the neighbors love your garden. :) Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I think it's possible your neighbors may not like the idea, and if you aren't the type to worry about that, than you could dig right in. If you *are* the type to worry about that (as I would be), there are lots of things you can do to make it less obvious that it's a veggie garden. I think you should stay away from the square/rectangular raised bed garden boxes, and instead think about it as you would a decorative planting area--only you put in attractive veggies, considering the aesthetic properties of each plant when you plan your layout. Wide, sweeping curves look less utilitarian, imo, and you could certainly plan the beds to include plants that are clearly ornamental. I've planted veggies in amongst my front flower beds, and people are often surprised when I've pointed them out. Many vegetable plants are very appealing to look at, just not when they're planted like soldiers in rows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurafrantz Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 We have a garden in our front yard, and everyone in the neighborhood loves it: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 (edited) Totally fine. And if anyone complains, tell 'em it's a New Millennium Victory Garden. I've found that fresh herbs, cherry tomatoes or green beans go a long way toward making the neighbors love your garden. :) Cat But not zucchini. People will hide in their houses if you have zucchini. Edited March 10, 2009 by MyCrazyHouse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chai Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I think it's possible your neighbors may not like the idea, and if you aren't the type to worry about that, than you could dig right in. If you *are* the type to worry about that (as I would be), there are lots of things you can do to make it less obvious that it's a veggie garden. I think you should stay away from the square/rectangular raised bed garden boxes, and instead think about it as you would a decorative planting area--only you put in attractive veggies, considering the aesthetic properties of each plant when you plan your layout. Wide, sweeping curves look less utilitarian, imo, and you could certainly plan the beds to include plants that are clearly ornamental. I've planted veggies in amongst my front flower beds, and people are often surprised when I've pointed them out. Many vegetable plants are very appealing to look at, just not when they're planted like soldiers in rows! :iagree: Great answer. There are whole books on how to do this. Taylor's Weekend Gardening Guide This looks like a good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutor Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I would think it was wonderful! You might want to look up resources on "edible landscaping" which can give you some ideas of how to balance the productivity of a vegetable garden with the asthetics of a landscape garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dulcimeramy Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Think of it as a Victory Garden. Our front yard will have one! We have an enormous backyard, but it is entirely shaded. Our front yard was cleared by Hurricane Ike and now enjoys full sun. We live in an established suburban neighborhood. Brick one-story ranch houses built in the early 60's, half acre lots, no sidewalk. Tidy but not moneyed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Beats me how anyone can think growing food is tacky. If anything, plastic food is tacky, but I guess that doesn't grow. Share your harvest with your neighbours, especially any who complain and they'll stop complaining. Save seeds so when they stop complaining and start praising, you can offer some to start their own. If you can find Rosalind Creasy's books, do borrow them. They've got fabulous photos and show ways of turning a veggie plot into a beautiful front garden. I really liked her Mexican garden and the edible flower garden books. If anyone comes over to complain, pull these out and enthusiastically show them what you are aiming for. They won't be able to complain because the photos are so pretty! :) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Growing food isn't tacky. Using air to dry clothes isn't tacky. Unfortunately, we live in a culture that has come to see such things as signs of the downtrodden. Hogwash. Grow your veggies. See how many neighbors take a cue from you and follow in your footsteps; you may be pleasantly surprised. If there are holdouts, offer them a garden-fresh tomato and let them know you're happy to lend a hand when they're ready to experience the same on a regular basis.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 The only trouble we have is human marauders. Around here people seem to think that if they can reach a plum (or 20) or strawberries or blueberries or a tomato or a grape or an apple from the sidewalk they must partake. I get compliments on my front yard garden all the time, except from the crotchety neighbor. He crosses the street rather than walk past my yard, but heck. He'll be dead soon. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennifersLost Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I think you have the moral imperative to do it and anyone who complains should be sent packing. Make it nice and neat. Sing while you work. :) Keep up with the weeding, etc. Play with making attractive beds and geometric shapes! Our front yard is way sunnier than our back yard. If we stay here long enough, there will be a veggie garden out front of our house, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam "SFSOM" in TN Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 ...but heck. He'll be dead soon. ;) :lol::lol::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I'd do it. In fact, I'm thinking of turning half of my front lawn into a vegie garden because that is the only place that gets full sun, and the grass is dead anyway due to no rain in 2 yrs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I'd do it. In fact, I'm thinking of turning half of my front lawn into a vegie garden because that is the only place that gets full sun, and the grass is dead anyway due to no rain in 2 yrs! As an aside, I want to mention that a vegetable garden can profit from not being exposed to the sun all day long. Particularly if an area has so much sun exposure ~ and lack of water ~ that the grass is dead, that actually may not be the most beneficial location for growing edibles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 The only trouble we have is human marauders. Around here people seem to think that if they can reach a plum (or 20) or strawberries or blueberries or a tomato or a grape or an apple from the sidewalk they must partake. Reminds me of biking in Walla Walla couple of summers ago. We passed an apricot tree simply overflowing with fruit and by all appearances, the owners of said tree were not making use of the voluminous production. I therefore gave my guys the go-ahead and they picked and devoured several luscious fruits. Only as we rode away did I observe a neighbor, eyeing us warily. I could hear the conversation that would take place later that night: "And then this whole stampede of boys swooped down on yer place..." Ah, well. Anyone who wants to partake of our bounty is quite welcome. Unless it's an off-bounty year.;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jana Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Have you heard of Edible Estates? It's a book written by a former architect who advocates ridding houses of water guzzling lawns and replacing them with vegetable gardens. Some of his projects are really beautiful. My husband and I talk about doing this. It's just the up front costs are pretty big (at least for our yard). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate CA Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Do it! You should check out these folks! I am thinking of doing something similar in a portion of our front yard too. We are trying to slowly utilize the areas in our backyard for fruits and veggies, but the front yard is entirely lawn. (We did not choose this - it was here.) So, we are debating the feasibility of this for us too. On the corner of our street is one of our favorite houses because much of their front yard is just exactly what you are talking about - a garden. It is the envy of the neighborhood! I think that in these uneasy times it is a wise move. And besides, you can choose things that are beautiful to look at or have at the front facing the street, some bushy flower plants or tall gorgeous sunflowers with the veggies behind them (if they get enough sun that way of course). How fun would that be? Yes, do it! :D Oh, and many people use the sunflowers for both food and a trellis for beans. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katemary63 Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 moral imperative What??? Why??? No, a garden in a visible spot of a neighbor's yard would not bother me in the least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaik76 Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 We do it in a very nice neighborhood...we're the only ones! No one has ever complained about it. We don't have a HOA though, so there's not much they could do about it... (My mom does this too.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 Do it! You should check out these folks! Oooooohhhh! Those pictures, and Laura's pictures too! They move the gardener hidden way down deep inside me. When I clicked that link and saw all those rows of lettuces lined up all nice and neat...I got a little giddy! But I suppose if they never weeded and let it get brown etc. then it might bother me - but I'd never tell them that! Well, I guess that's what I'm worried about too--gardens don't look so hot in the off-season, and our off-season here is long. Hmph. I wouldn't mind - and if you build raised (or not raised) garden beds, you can intersperse the veggies w/ flowers and many people may not even realize it's a vegetable garden. My biggest concern for you would be the potential for neighborhood children and/or pets to be running through the area, trampling down the plants if the area isn't fenced. I'm a bit concerned about people (not really pets) too, actually. But as Colleen pointed out, that's a bit mean-spirited...unless they touch my raspberries. No one will be allowed to touch those babies but ME! That is exactly what started world war 3 with my neighbors. That is AWFUL! But yeah, that would definitely spur me on to an even bigger and more prolific production each successive year. I'd probably get myself a mulberry tree too, just to add some color to the local bird poop for their car, LOL! Make sure to plant something to share! I've found that fresh herbs, cherry tomatoes or green beans go a long way toward making the neighbors love your garden. :) What a good point! That never even crossed my mind. But not zucchini. People will hide in their houses if you have zucchini. :lol: Got it. Yes on the tomatoes and cukes, not so much on the zucchini! Growing food isn't tacky. Using air to dry clothes isn't tacky. Unfortunately, we live in a culture that has come to see such things as signs of the downtrodden. Hogwash. The funny thing is that my DH--the man who gasped in horror when I requested that he put up a clothesline in our newly acquired, PRIVACY-FENCED backyard--said, "Can't you just grow them in the side yard?" when I lamented the lack of sun for a garden in our backyard :001_huh: He was sure our neighbors would be ticked if we put up a clothesline in our own backyard. Heaven forbid they might see it while craning their necks and leaning out their second story windows to see into our yards :lol: This is the same city boy who was also horrified by the concept of Freecycle/thrift shopping/yard saling/used clothing for the kids. He was raised to believe that secondhand items were for the truly poverty-stricken or homeless. I think the last 10 years with me has been a strange trip for him! ...but heck. He'll be dead soon. ;) :lol: Have you heard of Edible Estates? It's a book written by a former architect who advocates ridding houses of water guzzling lawns and replacing them with vegetable gardens. Yeah, it would be a big deal here too, but still less than it would cost to move the fence. You know, I used to think people like this were crazy, but now that I HAVE a lawn, I'm starting to see the logic in it. Though ours is not water-guzzling, because we don't do that kind of thing. In fact, it's getting pretty weedy, because we don't do anything to it but mow it. Heck, maybe our neighbors would consider veggies an improvement! :D Boy, you people are kind convincing me here. Maybe I'll start with a fig tree and some raspberry canes, and keep my container plans going, just to see what our commitment level truly is. I'd hate to plow up my side yard and then find that I actually have no follow-through. DH puts up with a lot of my "projects," but I think that might be the straw to break the camel's back :scared: Thank you all! Now, does anyone have any advice on how to break up compacted soil??? LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 But not zucchini. People will hide in their houses if you have zucchini. Have you heard this? http://www.stephaniedavis.net/harvesttime.htm This page just has the lyrics, but it's available on itunes....and *very* funny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 We do it in a very nice neighborhood...we're the only ones! No one has ever complained about it. We don't have a HOA though, so there's not much they could do about it... (My mom does this too.) No HOA here, thankfully. OK, seriously, I'm checking out raspberry canes right now online. I'm getting kind of excited now, with all this encouragement! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 Have you heard this? http://www.stephaniedavis.net/harvesttime.htm This page just has the lyrics, but it's available on itunes....and *very* funny! "Harvest time (You have to take zucchini—we’re related!)" :lol::lol: I remember when my aunt first got married, they had a tiny little apartment with a tiny little yard. Even in that tiny yard, she had so much zucchini she kept trying to pass it off on everyone. I was a college student, living in a dorm. I was like, "What am I going to do with three zucchini?!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abreakfromlife Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Now, does anyone have any advice on how to break up compacted soil? rent a rototiller. That thing is amazing! My first year I did it by hand with a shovel. Never. again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Reminds me of biking in Walla Walla couple of summers ago. We passed an apricot tree simply overflowing with fruit and by all appearances, the owners of said tree were not making use of the voluminous production. I therefore gave my guys the go-ahead and they picked and devoured several luscious fruits. Only as we rode away did I observe a neighbor, eyeing us warily. I could hear the conversation that would take place later that night: "And then this whole stampede of boys swooped down on yer place..." Ah, well. Anyone who wants to partake of our bounty is quite welcome. Unless it's an off-bounty year.;) Heh, heh. Actually, I really don't mind sharing. It's not that. Ironically, if children took plums without asking, I would not mind -- but the children in my neighborhood always ask first. It's the people who look around guiltily to see if anyone is watching (but never look at the house) and then stuff their faces and their pockets that bug me. Especially, as you say, in an off-bounty year. Oh. Did I tell this story already? For the last several summers a woman has walked through our alley every day and parked herself and her baby in the stroller at our raspberries and chowed down. Every day. I can't see that area from the house, but my neighbor can. One day my neighbor politely asked the woman if she was a friend of the M family. The woman said, "No. Aren't these golden berries fantastic!" Fortunately, we have more than we can use, so I'm okay with that. But really. Every day for weeks? But if a passel of dairy boys on bikes came by, sure, I'd be happy for them to eat as many plums as they could! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Now, does anyone have any advice on how to break up compacted soil??? LOL! For years, I used digging up new beds as 'character' training for my young teen boys. Smart aleck attitude, sassy mouth, and poor decision making all got you yard time. A few hours (off and on, not necessarily all at once) with a shovel and our nasty black clay helped smooth a lot of rough edges. Plus, I believe it helped them later to see their hard work be turned into both colorful and productive gardens. Just a week or two ago I told my only remaining young'un that I wished he would develop some bad attitudes because I needed a couple of new beds dug. He just grinned. Now....about that compacted soil....The BEST way to deal with new beds is to take a long, leisurely approach. Start by scalping the area with your mower or string trimmer down to nothing. Then, cover the area with thick layers of newspaper or even cardboard. Layer on dried leaves, compost, some top soil and cover the whole thing with a thick layer of mulch. Water occasionally and pick out any weeds or grasses that push through. After six months or a year of this, the soil beneath is much improved. Ideally, you'd till all that in to a depth of eight to ten inches, plant, and layer on another heaping helping of mulch. That method is called lasgna gardening and you can find more info by googling. Happy gardening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 One more thing.... you might be inspired by googling potager or cottage veggie gardens. Those can be breath-takingly beautiful as well as productive. The images you'll find are gorgeous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle My Bell Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I have two comments #1 I don't care what the neighbors think, my concern is feeding my family #2 Gardens are beautiful That is all... Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kessepha Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Considering how you describe your neighborhood, I'd look into "edible landscaping"... multi-colored cabbages and lettuce can be easily planted among zinnias and other flowering plants to make an attractive garden, all or part of which also makes a tasty salad. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamnkats Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 We live in one of those neatly manicured suburbs--not uber fancy, just middle-class, but the neighbors still complain among themselves when one person doesn't mow regularly or keep their hedges neat, etc. We have a large corner property, but our tall privacy fence bisects the yard, leaving us a big chunk of property outside the fence that's basically useless to us. Unfortunately, that's also the only part of the property that gets full sun, so if I want a garden, that's where it has to go. I'm doing some things in containers this year, but even with that, we don't have much sun in the right places, and I want a nice big garden that will provide enough fruits/veggies for us for a good part of the year. If your neighbor suddenly turned a large, visible portion of their yard into a mini-farm, would you be annoyed or think it was tacky? The other option would be to move out the privacy fence, which I'd much prefer, but that's going to cost $2500 to $3000, and I'm just not sure I want to commit to that kind of outlay right now! TIA! When we lived in a stick house we had that same situation. Our only south facing garden area was our front yard. I was able to intersperse flower and herb plants with the veggies such that everyone complemented me highly on my garden. It was quite nice looking and not an obvious "farm". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Yes, it would concern me if children and pets ran through my yard. We raise our children to stay out of people's yards unless they've been invited, and pets shouldn't be running around -- it's actually against the law. Children are expected to stay out of flower beds and the garden. Gardens are not in our neighborhood. We have a very small raised rectangular bed on the left hand side facing our house. We grow tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini there. We also have the best looking yard on our street though, considering my husband is in landscaping/lawn maintenance, and we have flower beds with shrubs and trees in the front and a large area of flower beds in the back, so to me, it all looks nice together. What does annoy me is the piles of junk people have in their yard -- old building supplies, old trash cans that never get used -- just collecting water. Most people around our house don't even have the energy to pick up fallen limbs or trash blowing around their yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted March 12, 2009 Author Share Posted March 12, 2009 Yes, it would concern me if children and pets ran through my yard. Fortunately, this hasn't been a problem here. There aren't many small children in the neighborhood, and I've only seen one kid do this across our front yard while sprinting for the bus stop that isn't there anymore. It drives me nuts too, though to be fair, I remember doing it occasionally as a kid :001_huh: People would have to make an effort to detour through our side yard though, because it's not a direct route to anything due to the line of tall shrubs that separate our yard from our rear neighbor's. We've actually decided to get a few estimates on moving the fence after all. We discussed it and decided that even if I never managed to plant a garden there, we'd like that side-yard space back. It's really completely wasted out there, so this way, we can do what we like with it. Plus, I want to plant a few experimental raspberry bushes out there, and I don't want to find out in a few years when we DO decide to push out the fence, that I accidentally planted in the shade line. I'd rather really see where the sun and shade will lie, and be able to send the kids out to their gardens by themselves and know they're still IN the yard. Plus, this will give us enough space and an accessible tree for a hammock too! The money will have to come from my "quit my job fund," but since that seems pretty pie-in-the-sky these days anyway, at least this investment will have a viable outcome. Thanks for the input everyone. Even if I can't make a statement in the neighborhood, this whole thread kick-started the fence discussion between DH and I again, and got me making even bigger plans for next year :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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