Curb Appeal
For A Corner Lot

Creating curb appeal for this corner lot was one of the more unusual landscaping designs that we've come up with. Using several different contrasting elements and textures is one of the reasons this plan is so unique.

To begin with, the entire area you see was lawn. The main objective of the client was to eliminate most of the lawn and still keep a small area for the cooling sense that it gives an area. Placing lawn on just the left side of the driveway didn't feel balanced and appealing so I created the small area to the right that flows with the left side. It was necessary for us to create this area using a matching Bermuda sod.

Of course, all lawn and planting areas have an automated drip and sprinkler system.

Notice how the different boundaries meet on either side of the drive as they would if no driveway was there. This makes what would otherwise be two totally separate areas become one. It creates unity. And while creating two separate landscaping themes would have worked as well, the client and myself both feel this idea has much more curb appeal.

On an economical basis, we could have covered the entire gravel area with one type of rock. However, this area just seems too big for that. So we spent a little more and used a second more decorative rock to accent the other. The white is neutral and rough in texture and the other is more eye appealing and smooth round rocks. The contrast is very pleasing.

The river bed looking area to the far right is actually a necessary drainage area that was developed from our original site analysis. This area is actually a functional river bed at times as the entire street flows through this curb when it rains. The water use to collect here. We just helped it move along. The bed consists of the same material as the white area except that it is 5 inch whereas the smaller white is 1 inch. Again, more contrast in texture.

The mulch beds near the house were existing beds. Other than a few more plants, they're close to their original form. While I felt another texture would make this landscaping seem too busy and unplanned, it actually softened the home and gave the entrance an inviting, cool, shady garden feel. I'm still not up on it but it doesn't clash. Maybe it will grow on me.

The Plant selection is minimal and simple. Most of the plants in my original design were thrown out and the client chose to keep only the few that you see. I still got my 2 cents in and was able to plant in odd number groups. Planting in odd groups of 3, 5, 7, etc. is generally more appealing and balanced.

And one more thing. The path leading around to the side of the home is crusher fines or what we call chat. It too is the same material as the other two types of white rocks except that it is mainly dust and chips. In a short time it becomes a very solid walking surface.

All groundcover areas are supported by a very high quality landscaping fabric. It is especially important to use this quality of fabric in the walkway and river bed areas as they will have unusually abrasive demands.

While they're hard to see in this plan, there are 3 large landscaping boulders placed throughout the design. One in the first mulch bed and one under each tree in the decorative rock area. And while they are placed a distance from each other, they still create an odd number grouping that helps tie all areas together.

We also did the same thing with the 3 White Oleanders. Both elements and especially the Oleanders create appealing focal points. In nature, art, and landscaping, white is a natural focal point that draws the eye to it.

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