A Front Lawn is a good place to garden

I love a big, beautiful lawn.  Full of bright yellow dandy lions and red clover, a place for the kids to run and play, but if your lawn is large, why not plant a portion of it into a garden?  Over the years our front lawn has been transformed several times.  A 7 circuit labyrinth occupied it for several years.

walking the grassy paths inter-planted with vegetables and herbs,
breathing deep, the fragrance of summer.....
brings solace to the soul

labyrinth society

click here for more information on Labyrinths

 A few years later it was incorporated into a section of the gardens. I left the middle area in grass, herbs, and a bird bath.

foreground:  Iris, one of my favorite flowers

several varieties of summer squash are next, spaghetti squash to the right

several rows of potatoes are planted on the far side

left a large patch of grass in the center

a small 14 x 20 ft. green house frame was moved to the north side of the lawn

 it is usually  planted with lettuce and spinach 

shade covers are added mid summer to protect the greens from the sun,

thus prolonging lettuce the season through the entire summer

This year the entire front area will be planted in vegetables.  The kids are all grown and gone now so the area is being utilized for vegetables.

.                                               We did however keep the tree lined back lawn.
A shady place to rest with a cool glass of ice water.  Plenty of room for the grandkids to run and play.  

Tips for planting vegetables in your front yard:

In the early spring till under the sod.  A large rear-tinned tiller will be necessary to use.  If that is not an option, lay out large pieces of cardboard where you want to plant.  Anchor them down, then begin adding layers of compost, grass cuttings, straw etc. on top of the cardboard, keep this pile moist.  This method will take a year to accomplish killing out the grass, but early the next spring you will have a nutrient rich garden area.  It will be easy to till under or to turn with a shovel or fork.

                                   As you plant keep in mind the size of plants at harvest time.
 WALL:  For a 3 foot section along a wall, plant trellises of warm loving tomatoes along the sunny south side.  Squash and cucumbers also do well trellised this way.  Plant med sized plants in front of trellised veges, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, etc.  then plant early crops like lettuce and spinach in the very front.

BOXES OR OPEN AREAS:  Plant tall vegetables in the center or back and work in layers according to plant height.  Check out the suggestions found on the internet about Square Foot Gardening.  Many gardening centers also offer classes about box/raised bed gardening.