Designing an Integrated Entry Garden

20 years ago

IÂve been reading this forum for a few years now, since we built our house. My issues and questions have been so large in scope, IÂve never posted, just read threads and kept my eyes open for recommended resources. There are many issues to be decided regarding the front of our house, but the one IÂm focusing on now and could use some help with is the sidewalk from the driveway to the porch stairs.

Front view of house from the road

I read Gordon HaywardÂs book on garden paths, and I agree that the path will define much of this area. IÂm stuck on material as well as shape. My husband likes concrete, but I donÂt. I think the house calls for something more artisan. I think a slightly curved walk, starting at the gravel in front of the concrete slab is better than a straight walk (although straight would work). I could do a cut stone walk, the edges cut to a curved line, but that seems a little formal (weÂre in a pretty rural location). A random-shape flagstone walk seems better, but laid in mortar or gravel? Growing plants in the crevices sounds like a high-maintenance chore. Concrete pavers could also work. A comfortable path to walk on without examining each step of the foot is important for this main entry.

What about a landing at the base of the stairs? Is there any use for building something larger than just sidewalk width?

Front view of house from the driveway

The porch is not finished. The railing is the final design, but I plan to add pergolas on either side of the gabled roof, supported by pairs of 4x4 posts (wrapped in a white trim). The pergola is there to shade the windows in the summer either by itself or with vines (TBD). I want to have masonry column bases, hiding the round concrete supports. This masonry would of course need to integrate with the sidewalk material, which needs to integrate with the gravel of the driveway (which also has concrete and asphalt sections). The stairs will go away to be replaced by something else, and the concrete landing can also go away.

My foundation beds will likely be low-growing, since I donÂt want to hide the railing. The porch faces southwest. I donÂt know whether IÂll want to put in an informal path from the stair landing around the side of the house, although it is a logical way to walk. I will be putting a path around the garage side of the house, so it should integrate as well.

My main question is about the sidewalk, but as you can see, I have lots of other decisions to make. IÂll listen to any opinions or suggestions on the area in question.

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Comments (5)

miss_rumphius_rules
20 years ago
The front of a house is meant to be welcoming and the home's 'public' space. I would give your entry a wide pad before the walk to create an entrance to the front porch steps. The two functional paths could work off of the pad and the main walk would also. My vote is for broken flags dry laid in a wide graceful curve to the rocks by the end of the driveway. Create visual cues with entrance plantings and pull the landscape out into the front yard.

If you post a layout view you might get some great responses because you have a great house.
heidi_wa
Original Author
20 years ago
How about this sketch for a layout view?
Overhead view

I'm interested in how to pull the landscape out into the front yard without hiding the house. I had not planned on an entry walk out to the boulders, since there is little to no likelihood of someone approaching our door from the road. There are no shoulders, much less sidewalks. Plus, the pictures may not show it well, but there is an elevation change between the front yard and driveway. The dark mulched area along the driveway plus another few feet in width (about 8 ft total) is sloped, enough so that it's difficult to mow. I plan on making that a four-season mixed border.

Now a path to and through the front yard is not something I would reject. Miss rumphius, are you proposing it to be a "strolling path", with the functional approach being to the concrete slab area?
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Brent_In_NoVA
20 years ago
I hope you get some good suggestions. I am terrible when it comes to picking and matching styles. I can see that a formal brick entry does not match with your house, but beyond that I am no help. I would be inclined to go with a slightly curved walk that would meet your driveway around 8' from the porch. . If you do go with a straight walk, be sure to give yourself 6-8' (or more) of planting space between the walk and the porch.

- Brent
zone_8grandma
20 years ago
I like the idea of a large landing at the foot of the stair, then curving it to the size of the walk (we are in the same process and that's what we're doing). You could set pots on either side if you wanted to.
I'd curve the walk to the driveway. The curves soften the angles of the house.
Flagstone (unmortered) would complement your house nicely). And a creeping plant in between wouldn't really be high maintenance if you get something that isn't terribly aggressive.
hth
Dianne in wet WA
isabella__MA
20 years ago
Gordons H.'s garden path book was enjoyable to read and an inspiration. I think Miss R's suggestion will give you your GH pathway.

A main walkway reaching the driveway across the way from the Barn road will put your walkway near guest parking. Also there you can take advantage of the slope to add a small flight of stairs, which can be matched to any new future stairs up to the porch. The current driveway border stones will really help to accentuate this movement up the drive to the pathway. The flight of stairs if slightly flaired out will capture the eye as it moves up driveway and direct it to the front door.