If you are thinking about doing something different in the garden this spring, look no further than your front yard. It’s time for Americans to give up that boring lawn and embrace the space for gardening, says garden designer Gordon Hayward.

He’ll be in town March 10 as keynote speaker for the 2007 Western Pennsylvania Gardening & Landscaping Symposium at Chatham College. The subject of his address is the same as the title of his latest book, “The Welcoming Garden” (Gibbs Smith, $29.95).

“I don’t think everybody is ready [to leave their front lawn behind],” the Vermont native said in an interview.

“The point of my book is to acknowledge that there are many different levels of comfort when it comes to letting go of some, or all, of the front lawn.”

But why shouldn’t the front of your house reflect the resident within, instead of suburban boredom? Mr. Hayward asks.

“A welcoming garden is the role of the garden at the front of the house, to welcome guests and family,” he said. “[This] is my contribution to the national debate on how to manage that front garden.”

If you are a little queasy about digging up lawn, you certainly aren’t alone. We have about 100 years of history to blame for our reticence in doing away with grass, Mr. Hayward noted. The wide lawn sweeping up to foundation plantings was planted firmly in American minds during the Victorian era. And there it has stayed.

Mr. Hayward thinks we have held to this idea primarily because it’s a safe, no-maintenance solution; it’s become an easy cliche to uphold.

He hopes to empower people by example. Part of his book focuses on how to turn an existing foundation planting into a garden.

“By a garden, I mean trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, bulbs, window boxes, garden ornaments by the front door, a bench by the front door, a chair. … Create a minigarden that operates on all those levels as opposed to one level, which is just shrubs.”

And accomplishing this doesn’t necessarily mean hours and hours of maintenance, he said.

“We are all so busy. Husband and wife are both working, the kids have got 35 activities going every week. What I’m in a sense doing is giving permission for people to create low-maintenance gardens.”

That could mean planting a row of crabapple trees by the sidewalk, under planted with hardy geraniums. Or installing a low fence a few feet back from the sidewalk, then gardening in front of it. Or how about creating flower beds alongside the walkways, so visitors are surrounded by flowers on the way into the home?

“Not everybody wants to be rid of all their lawn,” Mr. Hayward said. “I am offering a middle ground between anonymous foundation plantings and an engaging front garden.”

“The Welcoming Garden” is lavishly illustrated with photos from various parts of the country to give readers loads of ideas. Its author espouses personalizing your space, no matter how small or large it is. Of course, you also must recognize what type of landscape goes with the architectural style of your home.

“I think it’s crucial — if you have a little ‘cottagey’ house, that will drive a little ‘cottagey’ garden. If you have a formal house, then you need a formal garden,” he said.

“If you have a little two-story suburban house that doesn’t have a particular style, then you’ve got more room to open up. If you pay attention to the house, then the garden feels inevitable.”

If you really have no time to care for a space, then stick with trees, shrubs, groundcovers and bulbs, Mr. Hayward said.

“I bet 85 percent of all maintenance gathers around flowering perennials.”

Opt instead to add color with low-maintenance foliage. Annuals in pots are another way to accent a planting on a seasonal basis. Use garden ornaments to personalize the space further. At the symposium, Mr. Hayward will also lead a session on hardscape, including fences, gates, gazebos, arbors, pergolas and trellises.

Sometimes, he said, the first cut into front lawn is the hardest to make. If you are really not sure about what to do with your space, then hire a landscape designer to come in and give you a two-hour consultation. It’s something that Mr. Hayward does often in his business.

“If you know nothing, I would hire somebody who could get you launched, who might specify not only the layout, but what trees and shrubs and what major perennials will go where. It’s the backbone, so to speak, which you should then personalize.”

But for goodness sakes, do something, he said. Don’t waste that valuable space. Once you make the change, don’t be surprised if it starts a ripple effect in the neighborhood.

source : By Susan Banks, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [www.post-gazette.com]