Design Example: Corner Lot + California Native

Random client / Project attributes

For the purpose of a fresh perspective on an old design location, I used cards for each of the categories we normally deal with in residential design. In this case we got a Single parent with kids, who wants a native garden that is low water and low maintenance. Their favorite colors are green and pink, they’re also worried about snakes. One of their children has an allergy to strong smelling flowers like Jasmine and Gardenias. They only have $5,000 or less to dedicate to the installation of this.

Approach

The first step in our process is to conceptualize and get some ideas down on paper. I use Sketchbook Pro as my drawing software of choice. The video above shows some of my thinking on this one. It’s a corner lot so picking how we orient, what patterns and areas we block out and how the client will use the space is first and foremost.

Corner lots are tricky, on a lot of parcels like this the backyard is miniscule. This leads to the social space moving out front. The second challenge in a front yard is delineating the public space of the sidewalk and road from the personal space of the yard. The third challenge is privacy, a lot of times homeowners want to be outside without feeling like they’re on display.

Corner Lot Challenge 1: Outdoor Living Space in a Front Yard

This is the easiest of the three corner lot issues to fix. Treat this space just like you would if it was in the backyard. If you’re looking to have an outdoor dining space, add a patio. If you want a lawn to play on, go for that approach.

In this mock design, we’re in Sonoma CA and it’s a high traffic location. The clients have kids and want a space to sit out on some grass and play. Therefore we prioritize a large native Carex pansa lawn in the center. This is a very soft grass that kids and dogs alike love laying on. It doesn’t require mowing and takes less water than a traditional lawn.

Corner lot Challenge 2: Public vs. Private Space

A lot of our clients mention that they don’t like the way people walk across their front yards. Often times mentioning walkers cutting across their yard and coming up close to the house. We even recently had a homeowner tell a story of a parent and their child coming right up to the living room window to say hi to their dog in the window.

So how do you politely keep people at the distance you want from your house without installing a fence or wall?
Planting beds and rough terrain are the best options. Either large rock mulch or pea gravel that’s hard to walk on. Or plantings that show that space is private. Also note it’s good to have salt tolerant plants near sidewalks as dogs may use your new garden as their marking post. You don’t want your brand new landscaping to die because of a little dog attention.

Corner Lot Challenge 3: Privacy

This is the most common and trickiest to solve depending on your local codes. In Sonoma for example, front yard fences can only be three feet all. So what you’ll see if you’re walking around downtown is a lot of dense hedges. Check with your city or county ahead of investing in any privacy fence or hedge.

If It’s allowed, I suggest picking a fast-growing hedge or vine that you can train to give you privacy either the entire street front or key locations. Especially if there’s a spot where headlights light up your house at night or there’s view you want to block.

Final Thoughts

Each corner lot is different, and the budget, clients and needs differ. We may revisit this idea and do four or five different concepts to show the creative solutions and opportunities corner lots have.

If you have a corner lot front yard, what have you done to use the space?