Front Yard

I really do not have an actual front yard, but rather a large parking space. It has a lot of direct sunlight and I wanted to use it to grow stuff, but did not want a lot of ugly planters sitting around, so tried my best to make them look presentable. Here is what I have so far.

Containers:

   Top left: Japanese Pumpkin (Kabocha Squash)

   Top Right: Watermelon

   Center: Tomatoes

   Right Planter: Guava Tree

How I construct my planters: I use plastic containers I pickup from the recycling center for free. They are different sizes and colors, but perfect for planting since they are generally long, wide and about 2 foot (61 cm) deep. I fill them about half way with mulch I also get from the recycling center for free. Most plants do not use more than a foot of dirt and most use less than that. I drill holes on each side about 1/2 inch (1 cm) from the bottom. Since the containers are so deep, it is good to keep a little moister at the bottom. I fill the rest of the container with good potting soil and add nutrients based on what I will grow in the planter. The mulch at the bottom will break down in about a year giving you great organic material for the next year. Next I build a simple frame around the container (no base). I simply use 2x2 beans and staple black gardening fabric inside.  

This planter contains Passion Fruit cuttings. They will take about a year to grow, and I plan to train them to grow up my fence railing. 

I cover the cuttings until they start to grow, but remove the cover when there is no direct sunlight; otherwise, the humidity and lack of airflow will wilt and eventually kill the plants.