A unique shape and design ideas for planting cul-de-sac front yards
Most cul de sac designs are interesting to create because they're usually odd shape. If you look closely at the line elements in this one, you can see how simple the design shape is as well. Also, take a look at the shape of the home. It played a big part in why this design took the shape it did. The hard corners of the home are softened by the curves of the yard.
The entire border edging around the home is simply two continous lines or curves. That's it. But what's different and what gives this front yard its unique shape is where the two lines meet. Instead of a continual circle flow, we break the flow into two lines where they change directions.
This front yard is quite large and takes up the entire end of a culdesac. But as you can see, we've made great use of the space in an interesting and classy way.
Plants Used In This Front Yard
- Variegated Dwarf Mock Orange
- Red Verbena
- Lavender
- Hedge Cottoneaster
- Dwarf Crape Myrtle
- Dwarf Mock Orange
- Catmint
- Assorted Roses
- Phlox
- Assorted Snapdragon Bedding Plants
More About This Design
You can see where I started my first line to the left of the sidewalk near the front door. From there I took the line through the sidewalk and all the way around the front of the home. Instead of continuing around the entire yard, I ended the line in a direct path toward the corner.
From the end of that line I started my next line at a near 45 degree angle and finished the border of the yard. Now, how simple is that? And how cool and unique does that look? You could create this type of junction and shape in almost any area of almost any shape of yard.
Take notice of how the border goes "through" the sidewalk walkway. A lot of times it's hard to come up with ideas for small isolated areas. This is just one way of making the small lawn area part of the rest of the yard. It joins the lawn and the bed areas together with a continuation as though the line goes through the sidewalk.
The planting ideas are full and repeated throughout the landscape. Repetition of elements such as plants, landscaping rocks, and other hardscaping creates unity and ballance. See: Principles Of Landscape Design
The lawn will be hybrid Fescue Sod with an automatic drip and sprinkler system. With a yard this size it's a must to have an automatic sprinkler system.
The groundcover is half inch round river rock underlain with professional landscape fabric. The white sump area is 5 inch minus to create a drainage area. With all the elements in place along with the shape of this design, this cul de sac front yard turned out to be a really classy landscape.
