Dear Homework,
My wife and I disagree over which direction the front yard landscaping of our Craftsman-style house should take. We would like a fresh set of eyes to help us, so what would you do here? A new mailbox and porch light were obvious additions, but what else can be done?
—Wondering in Webster
Dear Wondering in Webster,
My first impression is to go with a general cottagey landscaping theme, based on the architectural style of the façade. On the other hand, I think you currently have too many different plants in too small a space.
I suggest removing the low evergreens at the base of the house (as well as the tall one on the right corner). I think they look overly formal and block the view of lower level windows and the nice brickwork. In place of the tall evergreen, I put a flowering Dogwood to complement the one on the left side. An undulating bed of ground cover, interspersed with red tulips, now finishes the base of the house and ties all the areas together. For the sake of the clarity of the rendering, the tree that would block the view of the front door has been greatly reduced in height.
I would also like to suggest some modest upgrades to the façade itself. Adding three new brackets brings some welcome detail to the main gable, and using an inviting blue-green color complements the orange-red brick better than the harsh white paint currently there.
I think that all these changes bring out the essence of an already charming house.
Hope that settles the debate,
—Homework
[Homework is penned by Paul Doerner, president, The Lawrence Group. If you would like your home critiqued, contact us at homework@townandstyle.com]