On Mar 6, 1:12 pm, Ohioguy wrote:
..... I'd like to have a large garden, but
the situation is that while I can do a little of this along our fence,
the best place for it in our location (due to sun, etc.) would be our
front yard.
....., I also like
plants that give me something to eat. I tend to plant raised beds and
borders with things that accomplish both.
.....

I'm especially looking for productive vegetables that either have
striking foliage or flowers.

Eggplant and Japanese eggplants can be planted like shrubs, pretty
growth habit, striking color. A big assortment of hot peppers can be
very striking, too. Swiss chard as a border. A bed of beets can be
impressive, and the bonus is that both the beetroot and the greens are
delicious. Edible landscaping authors always mention kale for its
size and color but we don't eat kale so don't plant it.

Another thought is to plant vines that can be trailed over structures
to give them height, if that would suit the front yard design-wise..
Cucumbers and melons would work for this. -aem

In article , "George"
wrote:

"Ohioguy" wrote in message
...
In about 10 days, we are moving in to our new house. The neighborhood
is a subdivision that has farm fields about a tenth of a mile away. I
don't see any sign of decent sized gardens out here, any raised beds, or
really much gardening at all. There are simply large yards that people
mow, evidently. I'd like to have a large garden, but the situation is
that while I can do a little of this along our fence, the best place for
it in our location (due to sun, etc.) would be our front yard.

I come from a farm background, and while I like flowers, I also like
plants that give me something to eat. I tend to plant raised beds and
borders with things that accomplish both.

While I'd like to simply plant the front yard to pumpkins and sweet
corn, I have a feeling that the neighbors would at the very least resent
it, and probably they would end up trying to cite me for some nonsense
about my yard not meeting the neighborhood standards of looking like a
golf course. I'm sure I'll already have some of them annoyed with us,
because my wife is planning to put up a clothesline to harness solar
power. (the old fashioned way - drying clothes with the sun)

So, in order to "break" the neighbors in to the idea of front lawn
gardening, I was wondering what tried and true methods some of the rest of
you have used?

I'm especially looking for productive vegetables that either have
striking foliage or flowers.

Thanks!

plant some sunflowers with the corn to confuse the neighbours or maybe a
marijuana plant or 2 as well.

rob

That's so over done here in northern California.
http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/201.../cannabis-coun
try/
--
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html

In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:


I'm especially looking for productive vegetables that either have
striking foliage or flowers.

Thanks!

Artichokes, both globe and Jerusalem. Climbing peas or beans. Grapes.
Herbs. Many flowers are edible. Fruit trees. My personal favourite is the
globe artichoke for striking foliage. I like the quince tree for all round
beauty, it has great flowers, attractive leaves and good looking tasty
fruit.

David

Asparagus would be a nice touch too.
--
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html

AndyS wrote:
....
I haven't come up with a good disguise for watermellons yet, tho.

This technique works best for vegetables that need to be picked
regularly, and whose fruits are not observable from the street....

An exception is Swiss Chard, which is "Romanian Fern"...... It makes
a good border plant.......

Good luck, and if you come up with something for watermellons,
please publish it .....

love the imagery! quite funny.
must try swiss chard sometime
as it makes great wraps for
salads and i adore it cooked
too.

a green wig with fake spikes
sticking out of it to make it
look like a cactus? stand it
up on the end on a similarly
colored and spiked fake holder
so the end doesn't break the
stem. instant presto, cactus
lawn ornament.

ok, that was my second idea.
the first was taking a wooden
box and putting a slot in one
end that the stem can go through
and enough holes in the sides for
air circulation. put it over the
watermelon and then put a potted
cactus over it. this is texas you
might as well go with something
that can take the heat... people
won't even notice the change
before and after the harvest.

if you grow things up trellis
you could paint them orange
and call them religious decorations
for All Saints Day. that way they
can't bust you because it's a
religious discrimination thing.


songbird

Hi. Globe artichokes are beautiful and architectural, climbing beans and runner beans have lovely flowers and look pretty up a wigwam of canes -

But, in general, what could be prettier than a well tended veg patch filled with fruit, herbs and veg?!

I say - check the deeds to your house. If it doesn't prohibit growing vegetables then go for it - grow something quick and prolific like courgettes and give gifts of veg to the neighbours to get them on your side.

Happy gardening!