Why is my front garden important?

Front gardens are important multi-functional spaces. Historically these decorative spaces gave our houses kerb appeal, with a driveway for parking and pathway to signpost the entrance to our houses. Our busy lifestyles mean that low maintenance easy use spaces are high priority. We have more cars so need additional parking and places for storage. New housing developments have little or no front gardens utilising every available space for roadway or parking. Room for planting and wildlife has become neglected and the benefits forgotten.

The data is quite shocking. In the United Kingdom almost one-third of the 20.8 million homes with front gardens have turned them into hardstanding and of these 5 million front gardens contain no plants at all. This area lost to nature is the equivalent of more than the size of the island of Jersey. Gone. Not built upon to create housing or roads, just quietly removed. The way we live and think about our front garden spaces, is little by little, contributing not only to climate change and global warming but also to local environmental climate issues that affect us all in our daily lives.

Front gardens converted to driveway surfaces contribute to an increased risk of localised flooding. The environment agency estimates that 5.2 million homes and businesses in England are at risk of flooding over the next 20 years. The surge of water from heavy rain running off driveway surfaces and into road drains can overwhelm the storm water system, forcing water companies to use emergency discharge points to release pressure in the system. Excess water can carry diluted, untreated sewage into the natural water system in urban areas, rivers and the sea. However, the alternative can cause localised flooding and an outpouring of sewage onto streets and into homes.

Urban development and an increase in the volume of hard surfaces, also contributes to the effect of heat islands. During hot weather hard surfaces absorb heat during the day and release it at night, making it difficult to sleep. Air quality is reduced when the number of vehicles rise but the volume of trees and plants which serve to process pollutants decrease. The installation of some types of solid driveway surface can even cause subsidence by preventing rainwater from entering the water table. Areas of clay soil are particularly vulnerable, when the ground beneath dries out cracks can appear in adjacent buildings.

Can my front garden help save the planet?

Areas of planting including lawns, shrubs and trees slow the run off of water and reduce the risk of flooding by allowing water to be absorbed into the ground. Trees filter the air, removing pollutants and capturing particles of dust which improves urban air quality. In winter, trees and shrubs reduce wind chill by acting as wind breaks and dispersing gusts of air. In summer trees and vegetation have a cooling effect, lowering surface and air temperatures and providing shade. Trees, shrubs and plants provide habitats for wildlife, supporting the food chain, whilst providing screening and reducing noise pollution.

Research showns that wellbeing is improved through access to green spaces which act to relieve stress. Gardening can reduce depression and anxiety through caring for plants, watching them grow and observing their interaction with other wildlife. Dr Muir Gray, British Physician concluded that we need a ‘Natural Health Service’ to combat the effects of stress in our hectic lives. Greening up the gardens at the front of houses provides a welcome home effect, enhancing the urban environment not only for the homeowner but also for their neighbours. This develops a sense of community and an opportunity to meet neighbours. Leafy streets also have more kerb appeal and are more attractive to buyers.

What should I use if I need to add a driveway surface?

Choosing your surface carefully can make all the difference to its impact on the surrounding area. It is best to avoid an entirely solid surface like tarmac, concrete or paving. Brick pavers which allow some rainfall to penetrate between them are better but should always have a drainage channel at their lowest edge to prevent stormwater runoff into the sewerage system. Choosing a completely permeable surface, which allows rainwater penetration, reduces the run off of water. Gravel is an excellent choice for a permeable driveway surface as it allows rainfall to pass into groundwater. However, gravel can be prone to movement, so using a ‘gravel grid’ which is infilled with gravel keeps the surface stable. Self- binding gravel with much smaller pieces, compressed and rolled into a hard surface is also permeable and allows water to pass through. Grass reinforcement systems like Grassguard (concrete) and Netpave (plastic) are both systems suitable for parking where grass can be laid and grow through the surface.

When considering installing a driveway surface it is also important to consider where areas of planting can be retained. This will allow some rainfall to be absorbed and with careful planting can be a low maintenance way to add interest and a habitat for wildlife. Could a low hedge be installed? Hedges provide a haven for wildlife and planted near roads they protect homes from environmental pollutants. Could the edges of the driveway be left for planting or perhaps the corners or the area nearest the house to allow climbers to be introduced. Plants are far more likely to survive and require less watering if they are in the ground rather than in pots.

My front garden is already driveway, is it too late?

Any existing front garden and driveway space can be improved with a bit of careful thought and some sympathetic plant selection. Take an objective look at your front garden space and think about where there are pockets that could contain planting. If the driveway is pavers or paving, could any be lifted to create a planting space? Small shrubs, underplanted with low growing ground cover plants like evergreen Bugleherb (Ajuga reptans) will quickly carpet a surface with its dark leaves and supress weeds.

If the surface is solid, could you use pots or planters to create planting space? These need to be a minimum of 50cm across as these will dry out more slowly and need less watering. You can also purchase self-watering pots which have a reservoir holding water releasing it slowly over several days. Try to cluster pots together as this creates a microclimate which helps to protect the plants and makes watering easier. Planting perennials mixed with annuals can also help to keep cost down as the perennials will come back for several years. Some excellent examples of these are lavender which needs good drainage, wallflowers (Erysimum ‘Bowles’ mauve’) tall flower spikes which if deadheaded can last all summer. Penstemons a hardy semi-evergreen with foxglove like flower spikes and Heuchera, evergreen plants grown for their foliage in yellows greens and russet colours. All these can be underplanted with spring and summer bulbs for year-round interest.

If your driveway surface is gravel, it can contain pockets for planting that will survive even if walked on or under a car as long as they are not covered all the time or driven over. Creeping thyme (Thymus coccineus) is fragrant and releases a lovely smell when walked on. Low growing sedum (spathulifolium) loves a sunny well drained site and gravel provides perfect drainage for this plant. Creeping jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) is another excellent ground cover which can be walked on, with lime coloured evergreen foliage.

Do you have a vertical surface that could be used for planting to grow up? Growing climbers up walls and fences is a great way to reduce the heat island effect. Some plants positively love a warm wall like roses or star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) which will happily scramble up a wall, fence or trellis. With fragrant flowers all through the summer and evergreen leaves providing winter cover it’s a pretty perfect all-rounder.

Could you create a green roof? Does your front garden have a bin store or shed that you could turn into a green space for planting. This is surprising easy to do and can provide a rainwater buffer helping to purify the air, reduce ambient temperature and encourage biodiversity. These can be planted with sedums and other low growing evergreens and soon develop into a habitat for minibeasts.

The worst thing any of us can do is to assume that the front garden space that we have, whatever its size, doesn’t matter. It does. I have noticed that sometimes the most interesting front gardens lie tucked away in the very last house at the end of a winding cul-de-sac and that caring for your front garden is contagious because where there is one beautiful planted up front garden there are often many others. None of us are an island and can assume that our front garden doesn’t matter and we should all be doing what we can minimise our impact on the planet for generations to come.

Setting up the ‘Cheerful Chippenham’ project and celebrating the efforts of those who make a special effort with their front gardens has been fascinating. Some of the smallest gardens are full of the most amazing plants and habitats, whilst some of the largest spaces have been consciously mown to create areas of long grass and ‘wild’ planting. I have seen topiary crocodiles, banana palms, wild gardens, vegetable patches, ponds, perennials, annuals and lawns. Hanging baskets that I can only envy and hundreds and hundreds of pots and planters filled with an abundance of colour.

So, front garden food for thought? Next time you arrive home, take a good look. What can you do to improve yours? If you're lost for ideas then get in touch.