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Front Yard Gardens: Friend Or Foe?

Food As An Art Form

Californian Fritz Haeg started front lawn gardening as an art form, connecting artistic expression with something useful --  growing food.

Haeg enjoyed the social experience of gardening in his front yard. Tending to the garden daily meant he interacted with his neighbors and people on the street.

Urban Oasis

In St. Louis and elsewhere, front yard gardening became a way to creatively deal with small amounts of green space and limited daylight.

Some plant flower gardens as respites to enjoy throughout the day, others use the space to plant vegetables.

Garden Backlash

Not every city embraces front yard gardening, however.

Last year the city of Oak Park, Michigan fined resident Julie Bass for her front yard garden, planted after her yard was disheveled due to sewer repairs.

She was sentenced to 93 days in jail for breaking city ordinance, but after her story went viral the city dropped the charges.

Read More:

  • Front-yard-garden advocate offers food for thought (Columbus Dispatch)
  • Front yard gardens offer another sanctuary (St. Louis Today)