Our new front yard!

The Master Gardener walk this spring inspired me. I decided I was finally ready to commit to a new front yard, but not willing to do all the plant research and back-breaking work myself.

(Yes, I will design a chicken coop and construct it myself in my garage while 7 months pregnant, but please don't make me research ornamental plants and yard design manuals. I find the artistic side of design a little tedious and intimidating and exhausting.)

So, we called in the professionals at Country Arbors Nursery in Urbana to propose a design. I was not initially impressed with their service, but found the design attractive and simple and clean. Just what I wanted. And the price was right, too. They just finished the installation an hour ago:

Hostas, boxwoods, and an "accent boulder" line the front walk. There's an empty swath on the right for planting annuals.

Flagstone path from front porch to lawn, accent boulder, crisp lines around the trees.

Flagstone path from lawn to hose, serviceberry tree (edible berries!), a variety of visually-appealing ground covers, and a few hydrangeas under the cedar. Gotta find a better place for the hose box until these plants grow up and fill in a bit more.

Right side of the front (serviceberry, etc.)

Left side of the front

So, not only did they create new garden beds and select and arrange certain pretty plants just-so, but they managed to connect the new bed to our recent drainage work! It's a seamless and artistic blend of form and function.

They also took out all the river rock and corroded black plastic that had filled in the garden beds until now.

The installation included soaker hoses under the mulch for easy watering. How cool is THAT?!

And the nursery provides a full replacement guarantee for the plants for one year.

I am so, so, so pleased. So happy with the new look. So excited to learn how to care for these plants and keep these garden beds looking great.