How to create a beautiful and welcoming front garden...with Linda Vater

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Linda's video will be out 10am Oklahoma time on 16th May - I've had a bit of a muddle on time differences at this end - sorry! Here's a link to her channel: kzbin.info

[@heleend1781]

I like the idea of matching a garden to the style of a house. Unfortunately, I live in a rather ugly house, so i designed my front garden as if I lived in a swedish cottage in the woods.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

That sounds charming.

[@donnavorce8856]

You've diagnosed my ugly garden problem! Cheers

[@GardenerPhyl]

I’m a happy Canadian 🇨🇦 to have my favourite British gardener and one of my favourite American gardeners on one video. Thanks kindly.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@jeanieling7296]

My two favorite garden ladies ! Excellent.

[@AcornHillHomestead]

I love your reminder of looking at your beds from the upstairs windows. Great tip! I miss my Victorian Farmhouse garden so much. It took me 30 years to put together. Im starting over in a cottage style ranch in retirement. Your garden is lovely.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thanks so much!

[@beckyhagberg5211]

I love Linda too. I’ve been following her for a long time. She’s a wealth of knowledge! 👏🌺

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I totally agree!

[@beckyscheller9358]

Also a fan of Linda. Only thing I would add is keeping in mind the wildlife in your area. I am having I big problem with rabbits this year and some areas have deer eating everything! ❤️

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Good point!

[@lorindav5549]

Rabbits and squirrels are my bane! Rabbits for the plants and the squirrels digging in every pot unless I spray it with a very strong, unpleasant garlic, minty, idk what else spray that I found at the hardware store.

[@penelopehammerton2907]

Thank you for a really delightful video Alexandra. A world wide gardening community where we can share and learn. Thank you Linda for telling us about your home style and garden style. Very lovely : )

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@anla3957]

I love you both so much! Also Linda is so eloquent and speaks so clearly..you cannot help but pay attention. Thank you both for all these generous tips ❤️

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much!

[@anitahadley2871]

I enjoyed this collaboration very much! Funny how homes here in the US are so much younger but still considered old and historic for us. I just love all of the beautiful historic English homes you showed.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jeanniehall1440]

..and it certainly makes a difference with a cute westie looking out the window as you see the beginning 😉 .. I agree with both Alexandra & Linda

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I couldn't resist popping him in, although he doesn't belong to either me or Linda.

[@jeanniehall1440]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden .. ALWAYS good to have extra cute video clips .. that my dear was perfect moment for us dog parents!! Ty

[@paigeturner165]

@@jeanniehall1440 I had to go back to check 😍

[@paigeturner165]

I could listen to both you ladies all day. Great information and even better voices... so soothing 😌

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much 🤗

[@TheAfitzgerald]

Always clear, upbeat and rich in ideas, our inspiration to find our own way

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@annablume7931]

There is something special about English gardens. Something special enchanting! -What is the secret? I would like to transfer this relaxed and for me timeless feeling of freedom to my garden.- The two-tone red rose looks like my new Philatelie rose?- Am I right? Many greetings from the German Baltic Sea!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! Depending on your style, you may find either of these videos helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2Gwlmxsh86Aa8U or kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKWukIWtf9yLeck I'm not sure what the rose is, as there have been rose labelling mistakes in my garden.

[@annablume7931]

​@@TheMiddlesizedGarden 💐 Hello, thank you for that information! 💐

[@chrispetersen6402]

Linda, I loved hearing the history of your home !

[@gabrieleruss-morgen9289]

Thank you for another inspiring link and the examples of beautiful front gardens and homes in your vicinity! I love to watch your videos on an early Sunday morning to get in the right gardening mood for the day.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

You are so welcome!

[@beverlyasleson3321]

Love this video of all the different styles of homes and gardens, especially Linda Vater home het garden is just stunning.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@AnnMarieKing]

Hello, Alexandra! Have recently been following Linda so happy to see a collaboration between my two favourite gardeners! So many great tips!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much!

[@maryanna6302]

So many useful garden design tips here, in both videos! I also like how Linda uses many small shrubs and self seeders to help fill in her garden, to elegant effect and so good for wildlife. I've found much inspiration and ideas by just checking out the front gardens around my own neighborhood (of very similar homes), as you suggested. Excellent video🌷💚

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@itsmewende]

I have been watching both of you for a long time now. Alexandria I love your tips and visits to master gardeners. Linda, seeing Stuart pan up the tree since you lost the limbs, it looks like an L and an arrow carved in it, never noticed it before. Really enjoyed hearing your process for gardening.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much!

[@chrispetersen6402]

I enjoyed this talk about the interplay between the house and garden.

[@kimsgarden777]

It's very impressive. "My garden speaks the same language as my home." I've never thought of it before. Thank you for sharing such creative tips.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Love this Alexandra, two of my favourite garden YT channels in one place!!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@teresejohnson6767]

Thank you for the wonderful advice. Perfect timing!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

You are so welcome!

[@darlenepaulden9512]

Excellent tips ladies! I really enjoy both of your channels and have learned so much. Thank you!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Our pleasure!

[@eileenchang2173]

I love the various comparisons as well as the illustrations on how one can use different garden styles with the same period house! 🇨🇦

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@aroyaliota]

Oh this is so practical. Thank you very much from Australia.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

You're very welcome!

[@jonathantaylor263]

Great to see you teaming up with others for more great ideas. Keep up the good work.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@athomewithfrancsicio]

Thank you I'm working so hard to make mine beautiful, good tips!

[@aevans-jl9ym]

Wow, your 18th-century house is so grand no wonder your garden is so idyllic. I live in London we have to contend with street lamps, constant traffic noise and people walking past, passengers on doubled decker buses peering inside our home. We've planted evergreen trees and shrubs for maximum screening and noise reduction and a trellis topper on the back garden wall to create the illusion of splendid isolation.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

That sounds good - I used to live in London too, so I know what it's like.

[@georgiacinq-mars1899]

Great video! Thank you, as always.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@rachelhoward334]

I'm a big fan of Lindas, my garden is based loosely on her back garden. Really enjoyed this collaboration, thankyou 🤗

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Neldidellavittoria]

Wonderful new video! Such a plethora of great tips!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thanks so much!

[@cajagu1]

Another informative practical video, and you have again introduced me to another interesting channel. Thanks Alexandra!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lauranoble2256]

Excellent as usual.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@1958pobs]

Oh! I made a cup of tea and you had transmorphid into Linda vater, who I had just watched 😆 lovely to think of you two togther.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@LittleJordanFarm]

Great advice Alexandra. I also enjoy Linda's channel..stay well

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@paigeturner165]

Does Linda have artificial lawn? It looked a bit perfect. This is a super video, thank you Alexandra. I always look forward to the weekend and your films.

[@beckyhagberg5211]

Yes she does. 👍

[@leadoucet1432]

No, neither one one uses artificial turf. Keep scrolling for Alexandra's answer to that question. Neither lawn looks artificial to me 🤷‍♀️

[@beckyhagberg5211]

@@leadoucet1432 Linda does have artificial in at least her front yard. She’s addressed it in previous videos.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! I gather Linda has said that she does have artificial turf in a previous video.

[@paigeturner165]

@@leadoucet1432 it turns out she does. I thought it was way too neat at the edges and flawless throughout to be real.

[@angellas.1314]

Both are lovely. The only thing with a lot of American homes is that the path to the front door is missing or not well defined. That would be the only thing I’d change in Linda’s front yard. Really accentuate the front door entry. It’s a beautiful door and it defines the style of Tudor.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

That's an interesting idea.

[@stevendowden2579]

fabulous video

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much 😀

[@lorindav5549]

I love the beautiful homes you've shown in this video and the planting adds so much. Thank you for introducing me to Linda. Will have to check out her channel. Now if only I could find someone who has transformed a front garden for a small, very blah, early 60's "ranchy" type home. DD and I planted a bunch of flowers this weekend, something, anything to make it less uninspiring. We did stick with a limited color scheme though. Yay me!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

That sounds great. And I put 'what are the principles of 1960s garden design?' into Google and although it's not all particularly helpful for front gardens, you might enjoy a look around it. It's a design style that is quite fashionable at the moment - 'mid-century modern'....could be a lot of fun to tap into it.

[@JulieDaviesFlowerStart]

So excited to watch this one - I've just recently discovered Linda's channel 🌸🌱

[@karenross3457]

Very informative and simple principles to follow . I live in Delaware and follow Linda on her channel along with Garden Answer, Impatient Gardener and Gardeners World.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@RoseMary-vs3io]

This was interesting and a good collab, thank you👌✨

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you too!

[@Lulu-ue2lj]

Very inspiring video Alexandra. Sadly my home does not have great architecture so I have to make things beautiful with the front yard plantings. I like your tips on a few color choices and low maintenance shrubs. Both you and Linda have used artificial turf which is really bad for our environment. We must all do more to avoid the use of plastic I think. Thank you.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I never use artificial turf in the garden, although there are some offcuts on the walls of the potting shed, which is a brand that is made of recycled plastics. The grass is very green at the moment because we've had a lot of rain, but it is very scruffy as I'm growing it into a mini meadow. You will see the lawn in my front garden much closer up in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6eZXo1siZifl6s at 9:44 (there are time stamps in the description below it). You will see that it is entirely shaggy and overgrown lawn grasses.

[@rockjockchick]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden I love the idea of a mini meadow! Especially with wildflowers in it. :)

[@luath5579]

I enjoyed looking at other front gardens in your town. The former Conservative Club now looks a lot smarter with a very simple planting scheme. I like the colour of your garden railings and front door, but am concerned that your two Malus hupehensis will grow too large - ours is now huge, despite having been severely pruned.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

They are getting very big!

[@therapywithisabel]

I have a midcentury modern flat roof gray home with black trim. No clue to how to figure this out 🤣

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

midcentury modern would lend itself to quite contemporary planting schemes, such as dry garden themes, or to go back in time to the shrubs, yuccas, phormium and cordylines, photinias etc of the 1970s and 80s. I think quite architectural plants would suit, such as the ones I've mentioned, or red hot pokers (in all sorts of colours). Hope that helps!

[@Ash-xx5zd]

Love your videos. ♡ from atx!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@byrnsey1984]

Does anybody know what type of trees are at 1.21?

[@regismonkton]

Hello Alexandra. I am wanting to know what are those plants with the orange/peach-colored flowers in your garden; they are shown in this video at the 19:24 mark. Also, with those plants, are those blue-colored Muscari, and what are those plants which are bright yellowish-green in that same part of your garden at the 19:24 mark? Are they a type of Euphorbia?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

They're a mix of wallflowers (Erysimum, though I'm not sure exactly which variety) and tulips. The bright yellowish green will either be Euphorbia robbiae or Smyrnium perfoliatum (perfoliate alexanders). I've got both there in the same place, so you might need to google 'images' for each of them. The Smyrnium is more delicate.

[@regismonkton]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Thank you.

[@lesliekendall5668]

I don't mean to sound mean but what is the giant yellow blob on the right of the house's main doorway (as I'm looking at it)? Is it original to the house? A later repair? It looks out of place. There's no design to it so it's where my eyes kept going. My old house has it's issues, too so I don't mean anything by it. Only curiosity.

[@evelynodonoghue6440]

I'm guessing it's the back of the fireplace. Linda mentioned it at the beginning when she pointed out the chimneys.

[@rewbew9345]

I have a craftsman style home built in 1915. What style garden goes with that?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Try putting 'Craftsman house garden style' into Google - I've just tried it and it's very varied what comes up, but you may see something you like. Also the Garden Club of America was founded around that time, and Craftsman style is strong in the US (I'm assuming that's where you're based?). You might find it interesting to consult them, as Craftsman style has a rich, 20th century history. This is the link: www.gcamerica.org/what-we-do-garden-history-design

[@rewbew9345]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden thank you for your response. I googled something similar and saw a great variety of gardens. I am in the states and see a lot of different gardening styles from cottage to formal. All seem to be appropriate. But I appreciate the added link to search some more.

[@digitaldemocracyai-rob]

She likes to accentuate. Gawd. Is that plastic grass? Just not the same as an English garden. They try to ape, but always too manicured, too uptight......

[@Kneenibble]

Your grouchiness is boring, Robert.

[@judithhope8970]

Please don't call your beautiful garden a yard! Its so much more than that.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Ah, I think that will be Linda calling her garden a yard, because that's the name for it in the US. Whereas for us in the UK a yard is somewhere you park vans....

[@hisnewlife3543]

That yank woman has the most irritating of accents. First of all, that is NOT a "Tudor style" house, it iss called a Mock Tudor. And secondly, it is NOT ENGLISH TUDOR AT ALL. More of a combined 1920s version of a French Tudor and perhaps Normandie. So, she has missed it, entirely.

[@maryb6065]

new wife, need to get a life

[@Kneenibble]

Don't be a grouchy old cooter for once in your life, turkey-wattle.