I decided to try Blackswamp Girl's from A Study in Contrasts idea of a neighborhood walk. As I no longer have a dog, the photos are not blurry.
What I noticed is that the houses with the most interesting gardens/landscaping tended to be those on a corner, such as this one. It makes the most of its location. What I particularly like are the plants hanging on the wall. This is of the same property from another angle.
And yes, that's a Japanese maple by the yellow Hosta. Clearly, these people are much braver than I. I like the use of the different colored foliage of the maple, the Hosta, and the conifer.
This house may have 60's suburbia written all over it, but the front garden makes up for that. The garden has interesting textures and colors, a welcome change from the standard green meatball foundation planting. Click on the picture to enlarge.
Around the corner on Main Street is this historic house, also on a corner.
A large tree here was damaged in the recent storm and had to be taken down. This photo was taken from the sidewalk, which is screened from the property by a mixed hedgerow.
Finally, here's another corner lot that shows no reluctance to put the garden in front.
This garden is packed with interest year round. Aside from the dense and varied planting, what makes this garden special is its use of hardscaping. Now that's what I call a focal point. I guess the Corydaline (if that's what it is) in the pot qualifies for a NIMG (Not in My Garden). It's beautiful, but it would not belong at Squirrel Haven.
Yes, that's the name I've decided on (it was that or Mosquito Manor, and the squirrels are here all year). Here's the front garden at Squirrel Haven, the Faux Prairie.
Mine is the only front yard on the street with a garden in bloom now. Maybe I'll do another walkabout next Spring.