Opinions on Front-Mini-Fencing-Lawning
January 17, 2023 8:54 AM Subscribe
I have a small landscaped (think some tiny bushes, plants with mulch, not amazing) front area in front of our row-home in a dense city. We are thinking of fencing it in (it is elevated from the side walk around 3 feet) and adding some grass so that our toddler can play around and we can hang out more on our front porch and interact with neighbors more. Have you done this? Looking for advice if this would be worth it and if I'm getting the pros and cons correctly. More inside:
The area is around 15 feet by 13 feet.
Pros:
- Using the porch/front more to see neighbors and talk to passerby
- If we don't feel like going to park but want to get kid outside, much closer (better for darker nights, when we're cooking, etc)
- Currently don't spend really any time out front (not on porch or front lawn area), which is a 40% of all our outdoor space
Cons:
-Usable for maybe five months of year (fall/spring, winter's cold, right now june-sept has too many mosquitos, but we could treat)
-Cost: the fencing is cheaper than expected, but about 25% of yearly home improvement budget
-large tree on sidewalk might make the grass not grow amazing
-Might go less to park
-I know lawns are bad.
The area is around 15 feet by 13 feet.
Pros:
- Using the porch/front more to see neighbors and talk to passerby
- If we don't feel like going to park but want to get kid outside, much closer (better for darker nights, when we're cooking, etc)
- Currently don't spend really any time out front (not on porch or front lawn area), which is a 40% of all our outdoor space
Cons:
-Usable for maybe five months of year (fall/spring, winter's cold, right now june-sept has too many mosquitos, but we could treat)
-Cost: the fencing is cheaper than expected, but about 25% of yearly home improvement budget
-large tree on sidewalk might make the grass not grow amazing
-Might go less to park
-I know lawns are bad.
Speaking as someone who was really excited to have a (small) backyard for our kid to play in, I just wanted to throw in our experience regarding your note about the tree: our sod died quickly and no amount of the tending we were able to put in during our toddler-limited freetime was able to bring it back to grassiness.
On the plus side, as our toddler turned to kid, she loved that it went from scrub grass to dirt to mud pit, and we did have fun there--just not the fun we initially expected.
Before we sold the house last year, we ended up putting wood chips over the area...which maybe is what we should have done in the first place, maybe with a raised planter so the kid could have exercised her green thumb there while practicing her mining techniques.
posted by Inkslinger at 9:13 AM on January 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
On the plus side, as our toddler turned to kid, she loved that it went from scrub grass to dirt to mud pit, and we did have fun there--just not the fun we initially expected.
Before we sold the house last year, we ended up putting wood chips over the area...which maybe is what we should have done in the first place, maybe with a raised planter so the kid could have exercised her green thumb there while practicing her mining techniques.
posted by Inkslinger at 9:13 AM on January 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
If you're going to fence it, I recommend doing picket or some other visible-gap fencing, which is a lot more inviting while still keeping stray dogs out and toddlers in.
It doesn't have to be a grass lawn! You can just put down clover or another low-growing cover crop, or woodchip most of it and build some small beds along the fence - which visually I find makes the fence less offputting because now it's more of a garden gate.
If you can put an outdoor ceiling fan on the porch, it'll help tremendously with mosquitoes while sitting there.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:40 AM on January 17, 2023 [8 favorites]
It doesn't have to be a grass lawn! You can just put down clover or another low-growing cover crop, or woodchip most of it and build some small beds along the fence - which visually I find makes the fence less offputting because now it's more of a garden gate.
If you can put an outdoor ceiling fan on the porch, it'll help tremendously with mosquitoes while sitting there.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:40 AM on January 17, 2023 [8 favorites]
If you're going to fence it, I recommend doing picket or some other visible-gap fencing, which is a lot more inviting while still keeping stray dogs out and toddlers in.
Your city/neighborhood may have some regulations about what kind of fence you can actually put in as far as materials, height, and required gaps for visibility, so you may not have any option other than visible-gap fencing. I'd imagine other houses in your neighborhood have something similar to what you're looking for already and you're probably thinking of something along those lines given that you're hoping to interact with neighbors more rather than block them out, but, you know, you may not have a choice.
I don't think a lawn is necessarily bad - it depends a bit on what you have to do to maintain it aside from manual labor. Lots of chemicals and irrigation? Probably not so great, but if you can find something that works in your area and is largely maintenance-free, it's not horrible. It would be better if you were providing some kind of pollinator habitat or something, but a lawn is probably better than just paving the area.
posted by LionIndex at 9:53 AM on January 17, 2023
Your city/neighborhood may have some regulations about what kind of fence you can actually put in as far as materials, height, and required gaps for visibility, so you may not have any option other than visible-gap fencing. I'd imagine other houses in your neighborhood have something similar to what you're looking for already and you're probably thinking of something along those lines given that you're hoping to interact with neighbors more rather than block them out, but, you know, you may not have a choice.
I don't think a lawn is necessarily bad - it depends a bit on what you have to do to maintain it aside from manual labor. Lots of chemicals and irrigation? Probably not so great, but if you can find something that works in your area and is largely maintenance-free, it's not horrible. It would be better if you were providing some kind of pollinator habitat or something, but a lawn is probably better than just paving the area.
posted by LionIndex at 9:53 AM on January 17, 2023
In my city you can't put a fence in the front yard. You should check on your code.
posted by H21 at 10:21 AM on January 17, 2023
posted by H21 at 10:21 AM on January 17, 2023
You might also consider a living "fence" -- either a line of low shrubs, which would be around all year, or a narrow border of daylilies or tall grass that would die back in the winter but provide some separation during the time you would use your front yard.
posted by apparently at 11:40 AM on January 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by apparently at 11:40 AM on January 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I love this question! I have a bigger backyard but am a big fan of hanging out on my urban front porch and chatting with neighbors and folks who walk by. A few things:
Is the fence a safety concern for your toddler at the drop? If so, I’d consider installing something low, more like what you’d put around a garden to keep bunnies out. It can be short and sturdy and not look so forbidding to passers-by and not block the sight line from the porch to the sidewalk. I’m thinking something you could DIY without a lot of expense and that isn’t permanent, maybe like this.
Next, I wouldn’t take out the leaf or mulch for lawn. Grass can be tough and you might end up with a muddy area or something you have to be careful with. I say leave it with the leaf and maybe remove a plant or two (it’s hard to see what all is planted) and add some fun kid-friendly things. You can be creative here. Like what would a fun toddler sculpture garden look like? A fairy garden of found objects? Maybe call it a fairy forest or something. You could make a little outdoor play area with things that are too precious.
If it gets damp, add in a meandering walkway with mulch or some simple concrete pavers.
If there are any sunny spots, when the weather is a bit warmer, you could grow a vegetable or two in a large container and/or some (non-toxic, kid friendly) flowers in pots. A vegetable garden can be a lot of work, but one tomato or cucumber plant in a pot can be really fun. Toddler can help with watering and such and can watch the plant grow.
A more wild or natural feeling front space won’t require as much investment or maintenance and then it can evolve over time as you see how you use it.
posted by bluedaisy at 11:51 AM on January 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Is the fence a safety concern for your toddler at the drop? If so, I’d consider installing something low, more like what you’d put around a garden to keep bunnies out. It can be short and sturdy and not look so forbidding to passers-by and not block the sight line from the porch to the sidewalk. I’m thinking something you could DIY without a lot of expense and that isn’t permanent, maybe like this.
Next, I wouldn’t take out the leaf or mulch for lawn. Grass can be tough and you might end up with a muddy area or something you have to be careful with. I say leave it with the leaf and maybe remove a plant or two (it’s hard to see what all is planted) and add some fun kid-friendly things. You can be creative here. Like what would a fun toddler sculpture garden look like? A fairy garden of found objects? Maybe call it a fairy forest or something. You could make a little outdoor play area with things that are too precious.
If it gets damp, add in a meandering walkway with mulch or some simple concrete pavers.
If there are any sunny spots, when the weather is a bit warmer, you could grow a vegetable or two in a large container and/or some (non-toxic, kid friendly) flowers in pots. A vegetable garden can be a lot of work, but one tomato or cucumber plant in a pot can be really fun. Toddler can help with watering and such and can watch the plant grow.
A more wild or natural feeling front space won’t require as much investment or maintenance and then it can evolve over time as you see how you use it.
posted by bluedaisy at 11:51 AM on January 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Also adding to this to say I love the idea of having a sensory garden in pots, in a very small way. You could grow some lavender and rosemary in large pots, for example.
posted by bluedaisy at 4:32 PM on January 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by bluedaisy at 4:32 PM on January 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
I grew up I a neighbourhood like this. I'm not clear on why you want a fence? Like can't you just hang out on the porch without a fence? And if you put some grass can't your kid play there without a fence? Are you worried your kid.will.run out onto the road? If that's it, it's only going to be a concern for a couple of years or so, right? Consider getting a driveway fence (like that but less orange) and just pulling it out when in use for the next couple of years.
Having the backyards unfenced allowed kids in the beighbourhood to play with each other running between yards, which expands the play space. If you fence your yard it will become one of the yards kids don't play in while they run between all the other yards (at least that's what happened in my childhood neighbourhood). And yeah, it just looks like you care more about the state of your lawn than connecting with your neighbours.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 6:38 AM on January 18, 2023
Having the backyards unfenced allowed kids in the beighbourhood to play with each other running between yards, which expands the play space. If you fence your yard it will become one of the yards kids don't play in while they run between all the other yards (at least that's what happened in my childhood neighbourhood). And yeah, it just looks like you care more about the state of your lawn than connecting with your neighbours.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 6:38 AM on January 18, 2023
Response by poster: We would prefer not to have a fence! But the yard is a 3+ feet drop to the sidewalk (there is a retaining wall) and would give us a piece of mind if it was something permanent rather something we DIYd or a living fence. Our kid is active and assume he would run right off the edge on day 1.
posted by sandmanwv at 7:49 AM on January 18, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by sandmanwv at 7:49 AM on January 18, 2023 [1 favorite]
Yes, that makes sense. I wonder what the cost difference would be to turn this into a slope-y yard instead? Oh..if you said there's a tree that's probably illegal, but if possible you might look into it. (oh and I just realized I wrote "backyards unfenced" above...I meant front yards. The backyards were all fenced in my childhood neighbourhood.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:48 AM on January 18, 2023
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:48 AM on January 18, 2023
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