need help with front yard landscaping design

[jergenjac]

I'm a 40-year old mom who enjoys doing home improvements with my husband.

For the past 3 years, my husband and I had been working on our home that we purchased in a very sad state. Juniper bushes all around the house, stray cats and dog "surprises" - use your imagination. We've successfully cleaned out and improved the inside of the house. We just finished our backyard last summer.

This summer, we will tackle our front yard and this is where I will need some help. We are at a loss as to what to do with it. It's approximately a third of an acre and currently have piles of debris that we are currently cleaning out. The front yard will be totally cleared in 2 weeks. We're hoping to get some help from you. We will do the work ourselves but we need ideas. I've taken some pictures and will send them over to whoever is interested.

I'm hoping for some type of Japanese-style or asian-inspired front yard that uses mostly rocks, sand and/or natural materials. Plants will be very minimal. We live in Reno Nevada.

I have posted this request back in November and a few students emailed me. However, I haven't gotten any suggestions back. I'm guessing due to school work or maybe just loss of interest. I'm trying one more time, and hopefully hear from somebody again. I think this might be a good practice for an architecture student.

Thanks.

Genevieve

[Madimel]

I suggest you post your images and give a better description of what you are looking for on this forum to start a discussion. Along with your site photos, you should also provide the following information:
Location of Project
Orientation
Site Plan and elevation of the home
Back yard layout
images of your neighbor or anything that is adjacent to your property
Program of your front yard (what kinds of activities you would like to have)

[jergenjac]

Good Morning Madimel,

I had been trying to attach the pictures but I'm not getting anywhere - I have 47 images. I don'tknow if I just needed "permission". I'm still trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong.

[jergenjac]

I tried to attach 3 images but only one came through. Still trying...

[Madimel]

what is that fantastic view from your front yard!!!! It looks wonderful, can you attached an image of it?

[jergenjac]

Which image are you talking about - IMGA0553? If that's what you're referring to, that's Southwest Reno where the Arrowcreek Golf Course is.

I can take some pictures for you (from our roof).

I'm actually taking better shots of our yard tomorrow because the ones I currently have are already outdated. My husband and I (and the kids) have done a ton of clean up work this weekend. The debris is almost gone are we're just leveling and clearing out the whole area.

[Madimel]

That is the view! Maybe you should set up for a night shot and sunset shots (if any) as well. Since it is a large front yard, you can really set up a nice area to set up this view for you and your guest. Then you can use this view corridor to set up the landscape to reinforce that concept with your front door of your home. A Japanese garden theme may be difficult to pull off since most Japanese gardens are introspective. I would like to think you can play off that view and use large plants to shield some of your neighbors.

[jergenjac]

It is a nice, but the best angle if from the roof. We are considering adding on a few years down the road but for the meantime, getting the front yard done is the priority. We are looking at a Japanese theme (Karensasui to be specific) because it focuses mostly on rocks, sand and natural wood. We'd like to keep the yard zero maintenance and will have very minimal vegitation. We'll have a small sitting area like you suggested, and that would not be a big to do for us because we're not very big on enjoying views. We spend more time in the backyard as we have the "good stuff" back there (hot tub, play area for the kids, etc.).

I'll take more pictures today.

[Madimel]

can you include the following images:
view of your house
view of your house from the street
the view from your roof makes things difficult to comprehend. It looks as if there is quite a bit of fall in your front yard.
Another reason I'm hoping to get more images is to get other people to join in this discussion. The question is whether a japanese garden would look good with the house. Also would be helpful to know what you plan to budget for the materials.

[jergenjac]

Thanks, will do. I apologize, I was unable to take the pictures yesterday as indicated. My home computer crashed and I was trying to fix it all night but no luck. I'm gonna have to turn it in for repair. I'll try again tonight.

[copetedavid]

take something that you think looks good and make it look like that. i know its sounds simple and kind of stupid but that is what architects do. they take thing that they have seen learned and apply it. so browse the web and look for front yards or landscape architecture that you like and take a some paper and make this a learning experience. make a drawing of your site and then start drawing what you would like it to look like from the top then start getting into detail. good luck =]

[Madimel]