Ever wonder what it would be like to dig up your entire front lawn and plant an edible garden instead? Check out this video of Josée Landry and Michel Beauchamp’s beautiful 2012 front yard kitchen garden in Drummondville, Quebec.
There was actually a big controversy over the garden and the city had planned to make all front lawn vegetable gardens illegal. You can read the whole article about illegal front yard gardens from the Huffington Post. Talk about crazy!
What do you think? Is this an eyesore or eye candy?
~Mavis
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Kathy says
Where my mother lives a man had an edible yard like this for years, canning, freezing and giving away what he didn’t use. The community manager insisted he stop, clean it all up and not do it any longer. They didn’t realize he was doing it for food, they saw it as an eyesore. Silly people probably think hothouse tomatoes are the bomb. It’s a beautiful yard these folks in Quebec have.
Mary Ann says
Definitely eye candy. They’ve done it so beautifully!
Everyone should have the right to grow food on whatever area of their property they choose.
Lisa says
I agree with every word you just said!
Tasha says
This is definitely EYE CANDY to me!!!!
I can’t wait to be in my own home once again and replicate something of this magnitude.
Pam says
That is simply beautiful. Almost brings a tear to my eye. Beautiful plants producing healthy organic food…those bureaucrats have their heads stuck up their butts. I would LOVE to see every yard done up like this! Gorgeous! Good for all kinds of insects, bees, butterflies, birds, the neighborhood, and the neighbors! When I was a kid we had a big garden in the back yard and my job was to water it every evening. We got so much food out of it we begged the neighbors to eat our lettuce, carrots, peas and beans. It makes way more sense than a huge patch of lawn. I keep meaning to read up more on complementary planting – I think there are some flowers that promote growth for certain veggies if you plant them in the same space. The green is beautiful but I’d probably throw some flowers in there as well!
Deniseathome says
When the Southeast Asian population moved into San Diego after the Vietnam war many families planted gardens in their front yards. It made the local news stations. People were put off at first then slowly began to accept front yard vegetable gardens. I always thought it was a good idea especially considering the fact that we are a coastal desert an ornamental lawns use a large amount of water. Now it is common to see front yard vegetable gardens and not just in the yards of immigrant families. I think that several factors have come together to make vegetable gardening a frowning trend.
Mari says
OMG How Draconian. They take this stance when the rest of the world trying to get people to grow their own food.
Here in NZ people are making use of empty sections and the councils are giving land for community gardens. Even schools are teaching children to grow and care for veges. A lot of elementary schools have large productive vege gardens and also teach how to prepare and cook vege. I am going to grow my pumpkins and cucumbers etc, in the front of my yard next spring. Doubt anyone will complain tho.
In Australia they do the same, plus they grow vege in the grass verges beside footpaths and in unused ground.
Britian is famous for its council allotments and back yards that have become vegetable gardens.
I have always wondered why US and Canadian houses have such expanses of lawn and no gardens. did’n’t realise it could be a stupid stupid law.
The Canadian garden is amazing and definitely eye candy. I hope the petition works. Don’t they realise the benefits to health, fitness and wellness from gardening and eating home grown.
Susan Reid says
Yes Mari, schools over in Australia are really starting to embrace gardening, our little school has a vege patch and the kids love it. Check out the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden foundation website if you get a chance. Not only do they teach the kids how to grow the vegies, but how to cook them too. http://www.kitchengardenfoundation.org.au/
Mavis says
This is awesome! Thanks for sharing Susan. 🙂
Lisa says
My sister works at a school in Tualatin, Oregon and they’ve had a school garden for a couple year now and use the greens they grow in the salad for lunches!
MaMaLaLa says
I think it looks lovely. No eye sore here.
becky says
It’s interesting to see what different communities view as an eyesore. It these were flowering plants, noone would have an issue, but with vegetables/fruits it is a different story? I equate it to people setting up all kinds of huge Christmas decorations on their lawn, however, if they go all out for Halloween decorations – they must take them down. (I did have a friend who was fined for being overzealous for Halloween.)
Shelia W says
This is eye candy for sure. When we lived in Portugal people were planting everywhere, including just a few yards away the busy highway on a small patch of land. It was great to watch the garden grow as we drove by it several times a week.
queen of string says
We pretty much have. Our suburban home is positioned towards the back of its lot and all the sun falls on the side and the front. We naturally grow veg in these areas. It’s somewhat screened from the road and the only comments we have had are positive ones so far. Growing even more this year, including 8ft high spinach, so will see how it goes!
Carol says
Their yard is eye candy. That said, I wonder if they have the same right-of-way sections of their front yard. Meaning if the city wants to put in sidewalks they would have to let the city do just that.
My only other thought is the yuck factor of having food growing so close to the roadway. The tars and other sealants used on our roads would not make for healthy eating….every time it rains the dirty road water would be splashed up….but then I do live in Northwest Indiana…..
Cyntha says
Beautiful eye candy. Would love to see lots more!
Carmen says
I don’t think it’s an eyesore or eye candy, but I think people should be allowed to do this with their front gardens if they want.
Although it’s more permanent and the aesthetic appeal probably varies throughout the year, I find it more palatable than some overly decorated houses for Christmas.
Betsy says
I am going to go out on a limb here and say that while this particluar example is eye candy – I have seen a lot that are eye sores.
I have a big back yard garden and IMO it looks neat and tidy, but I also have neighbors who dont keep up their areas so well. I think people should be allowed to grow food in the front yard (assuming there is no HOA in which case you knew what you were getting into when you bought the house) but I also appreciate that there needs to be some rules around it. In my area, if you live within city limits you have to keep grass shorter than 24 inches or the county comes around and mows and bills you for it. I know people object to this and think that they dont have a right to do that but honestly I think it helps to keep my property value up.
I do think people should be allowed to grow whatever they want in their front yards assuming it does not obstruct traffic visibility around corners and that they upkeep it, but it would be hard to enforce what ‘upkeep’ means.
Kitty Sarkozy says
That is a lovely garden! So pretty and neat. I have a front yard garden and mine is not nearly that nice.
It is so sad that anyone would want to complain about it. People are such busy bodies. I would much rather see pretty green plants and bright flowers than a yard full of yellowish grass.
Do you think people complain out of jealous? Or something else?
Grandma PattyB says
Oh the HOAs. Our HOA requires a “plan” that has to be approved by the “committee” in order to change anything in the front or back yards. Any new landscaping, sheds, dog houses, trees and shrubs, etc, etc, etc. The rules are endless. So I have not seen one single edible plant in anyone’s front yard. My back yard, however, is slowly, gradually, becoming a vege farm, without approval! hehehe I CAN, however, have 4 chickens. Just need to get HH on board. I’m working on it.
jubob says
beautiful
Sherry says
This front yard garden is as neat as a pin and probably more attractive than others in the neighborhood.
Bridget P says
Totally off topic I know but Mavis did you see the video on youtube about the 5 dollar greenhouse made from pallets and reclaimed materials? It is pretty cool!
Craig says
I am torn. I think you have the right, but it’s an extreme eyesore. Respect your neighbors and use your backyard.
Marc says
What happened to minding one’s own business? If you want to control how your neighbor’s lawn or garden look then move into an apartment complex where the decisions for the community are made by the manager. If these people are paying a mortgage and property taxes, then they OWN the land. If you chose to purchase an investment with a value that absolutely depended on the actions of others who are neither suppliers, customers, nor official regulators then you made a very high risk investment. If “eyesores” concern you, then buy more acreage where you control what you see.
Where I live in Texas I have the freedom to raise and slaughter livestock, operate a business, grow a garden, maintain a compost pile, dig and stock fish ponds, shoot my gun, build structures without permits, let my kids play in the front yard, camp out in the backyard, build fires without permits, cut down trees, grow new ones, keep honeybees, launch fireworks, kill predators, harvest wildlife, cure hides, and smoke meat. Just be glad you don’t have me for a neighbor. I’m not making any changes just because someone moves in who is aesthetically oversensitive, easily offended, or privacy challenged.