Front garden

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><script type="text/javascript" src="http://hb.lycos.com/hb.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://ratings.lycos.com/ratings/lycosRating.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript"><![CDATA[//><!]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-start.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-middle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-end.js"></script> <noscript> <img src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/img/common/ot_noscript.gif?rand=562074" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  <iframe frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="728" height="90" src="http://ad.yieldmanager.com/st?ad_type=iframe&ad_size=728x90&section=209094"></iframe>  </noscript> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=160 BGCOLOR="#660000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="287a0c00dvldxa.jpg"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="70" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 76 WIDTH="66"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="76" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="66" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Web Site Title"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About the house"><U>About the house</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The House"><U>The House</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Main Floor"><U>Main Floor</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Upstairs"><U>Upstairs</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Below Stairs"><U>Below Stairs</U></A></div> <div> <B>Front garden</b></div> <div> <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Back Garden"><U>Back Garden</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Carriage House"><U>The Carriage House</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Christmas time"><U>Christmas time</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What weve learned"><U>What we've learned</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U>Links</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sign the guest book"><U>Sign the guest book</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Neighborhood"><U>Neighborhood</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Steinbeck House"><U>Steinbeck House</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Frog Ponds"><U>Frog Ponds</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Front garden</b></div> <div>  We've completely torn up the entire front yard, removing the sickly trees and plants (while saving the lovely vintage roses).  The rock-hard adobe soil has been rototilled and broken up into a light powder and amended with over four truck loads of rich organic matter to refresh the earth to support vigorous plant life. We also put in loads of gypsum to break up the adobe clay. </div> <bR> <div> The landscaping has gone quite formal (to match the grandur of the house) and now is planted in the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Book Antiqua" >English Formal garden </FONT>style.  While the plants are still very small, one can see the geometry of a formal garden emerging. Here is the latest shot of the garden taken in late October. (You are not seeing double, it's two sides of the garden that "mirror" each other on either side of the walkway).</div> <bR> <div> Right side                                 (Center walkway)                                  Left Side</div> <div> <IMG SRC="3ad10cc0.jpg" border=0 width="272" height="204" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="3af10cc0.jpg" border=0 width="272" height="204" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> We are in the process of installing two rose trellis' with built in benches. These trellises will "mirror" each other from opposite ends of the walking path.  </div> <div> The one below is a small (5 foot) arbor with built in bench. The one at the far side of the yard is a large one  (18 feet long) with a built-in bench.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="3bb13ce0.jpg" border=0 width="275" height="206" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="3ba13ce0.jpg" border=0 width="275" height="206" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> In the raised centers of each planting area, a matched set of urns have been placed for visual interest. A sweet little  bird bath completes the garden.</div> <bR> <div> The garden design was a joint effort between owner Miranda and Jeff Tucker of Sacred Places Garden Design (look for his contact info on our links/source page). Jeff was a dream to work with and we highly recommend him to anyone wishing to either design the garden of their dreams, or infuse their existing garden with their ultimate fantasy elements.  </div> <bR> <div> Front yard</div> <div>    </div> <div> BEFORE: Right side of Front yard.           IN PROGRESS: July 03</div> <div> <IMG SRC="3811fd70.jpg" border=0 width="287" height="215" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="3801fd70.jpg" border=0 width="287" height="215" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The plants are VERY small at this point and thus will need a season to mature after of which the true "bones" of the garden will emerge.</div> <bR> <div> BEFORE: Left side of front yard.               IN PROGRESS: July 03</div> <div> <IMG SRC="2051bd40.jpg" border=0 width="283" height="212" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="3831cd30.jpg" border=0 width="284" height="211" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The large quince bush on the left will soon have a new arbor with built in bench to grow upon.</div> <bR> <div> BEFORE: Left side of Front yard.             IN PROGRESS: July 03</div> <div> <IMG SRC="1611bd40.jpg" border=0 width="283" height="212" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="37e19d30.jpg" border=0 width="281" height="211" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> BEFORE: Driveway area.                       IN PROGRESS: July 03                    </div> <div> <IMG SRC="3880bbc0.jpg" border=0 width="267" height="188" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="3870bba0.jpg" border=0 width="267" height="186" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The driveway will eventually be covered in tan granite gravel to match the house.</div> <bR> <div> BEFORE: Right - Park strip.    AFTER: park strip in July 03</div> <div> <IMG SRC="390b3ef0.jpg" border=0 width="179" height="239" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">           <IMG SRC="38fc8020.jpg" border=0 width="200" height="258" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  </div> <div> The park strip has been planted with Putah Creek ground cover and an alternating mix of French and English Lavendar, which once mature, will provide a lovely hedge and further block the walkers from the street.</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>