any ideas on how to make use of a big front garden?

[Mogandmeg]

Hi, we have recently moved to a little house with a small triangular shaped back garden (not much sun) with a much larger south facing front garden. Clearly the house is the wrong way round! Does anyone have any ideas on how to make good use of this front? It's in a quiet little road but I still can't leave dc out there to play without being with them the whole time as they are still little and it wouldn't feel safe. Am rather into gardening but tight budget. Any ideas much appreciated!

Could you fence/hedge round so that children can playl with less supervision as they get older
pave or gravel a space by door for table/chairs, plant pots

Yes that could work, it's just we feel a bit over-looked and it's not very relaxing. Do you think raised beds with veggies would look wierd??

Have you been watching the Alys Fowler program where she's been growing veg and herbs in her back garden but all mixed in with flowers ? It looks good but also gives you veg and you could have a bench or small table somewhere to admire it all. If you ask friends for perennial cuttings and grow the veg from seeds it wouldn't cost much though would take a bit of time to get going. Maybe some freecycle slabs for a path, I often see top soil and manure on there as well.

Is there any way you could create more privacy and security for you and the DCs so you felt you coudl use the garden more?
Raised beds by the boundary would give you some instant height and you could add sweet peas/runner beans for pretty screening.

You could plant eg bamboo for privacy or put up some bamboo/reed screening which comes in a roll?
Can you gate it (and add eg a bike lock to keep them in) so the DCs can play without you being outside?

There are some good ideas in this book
www.amazon.co.uk/More-Front-Gardens-Gay-Search/dp/0563371137/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=12733189 77&sr=8-1 including a lovely front garden designed by Dan Pearson which is used as the main garden by a young family.

We have a decent sized south facing front garden and we are turning it into a veggie garden.

It's ideal because it is sunny and doesn't get interfered with by the children or dogs

Oh you could make it so pretty. What sort of soil do you have? I think raised beds or even a more formal veg patch edged with either upended bricks or box would be lovely.

Also have maybe a good selection of herbs? We are very sunny and chalky and grow thyme, rosemary and lavender really well. As well as smelling fab, and being wonderful to brush past near a path to your front door, in summer the flowers of all three are gorgeous. These also go well in a gravel garden, which could look really good with raised beds.

I do like Wynken's idea too, sounds blissful. How much work you are prepared to put in both initially and to upkeep of course also needs to be a consideration, obv.