Is it weird to grow fruit & veg in your front yard?
Posted by cheflifecdf@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 79 comments
My front yard of my mid terrace house (only about 1m deep) is south facing and my back garden is currently a construction site.
I'm growing loads of food out my front, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, beans etc
One of my neighbours, in jest, said it's a bit of a strange choice, but I love growing easy veg!
What do you think?
dirtytoydesire@reddit
totally agree, more cnity gardens!
Anglea7stars@reddit
There's a house in my area that has done this for years.
ceehred@reddit
Quite a few in an older estate near to here, with 3m long front gardens and a two-foot wall at the front, have a couple of side strips dedicated to growing food: green beans, peppers, salad, cucumbers, herbs, tomatoes, etc. A few have an apple tree of some sort.
I enjoy to watch the patches develop through the year, as I pass by. Wish I could do the same, but mine is less than 1m long - best I can do is a row of red roses under the lounge window.
Anglea7stars@reddit
What colour roses?
ceehred@reddit
Red. A couple of different shades.
But since two of the bushes, planted at each end of a row of 4, have started to become quite "ratty" after 10+ years, I'm considering replacing them with a different colour, or two.
Anglea7stars@reddit
I love red roses they must have been lovely to look at over the years
Northwindlowlander@reddit
Makes perfect sense, especially if you have a fence or hedge to give it a little protection from vandals/thieves. Front gardens are so often just wasted, and I want my back garden for me
BG3restart@reddit
It is a bit odd, but more people seem to be doing it, so maybe it will catch on.
samtl008@reddit
I've grown fruit and veg in our front garden for 10 years now. The neighbours have never been negative about it, sometimes their grandchildren like to come a pick a raspberry or two (they always ask). The Tesco drivers usually comment on it saying how nice it is. I don't live in a main road though and never had any theft issues. Like yours, ours is south facing and the best spot to grow ! Previously it was a boring grass patch with conifer hedges - at least is is productive now.
ProfPMJ-123@reddit
I actually think it’s a really good use of a front garden.
People tend to not make a whole deal of use of the front garden. There will be grass, but people rarely sit in them.
If you’ve got some land, and want to grow your own food, why not?
Stunning-Pudding-514@reddit
Well it worked for Tom and Barbara Good. :D
Spudspecs@reddit
It didn’t completely - there was an episode dedicated to the opportunistic leek thief that Tom chased off their front garden, as he then thereby briefly ended up in the cells for a few days as a result.
Stunning-Pudding-514@reddit
Yeah, that's because he shot him in the bum from his hip. It amazes me he managed to do that, but missed the chicken at a few inches. LOL.
NaveedQ@reddit
But they lived I'm Surbiton.
Artistic_Impact_8566@reddit
No I think its cool
littlebird2446@reddit
I wouldn’t trust dickhead lads not to mess with them. Piss on them or rip them up. That would certainly happen where I live. I hope your neighbours are less scally than mine.
rkr87@reddit
I've just this year after 12 years of living in my house removed all the bark from my front garden and put some lavender, rosemary and a few wildflowers on the front. I have anxiety about them thinking the local shitheads are going to fuck with em... How shit is it that trying to do something nice makes me feel that way...
littlebird2446@reddit
Yeah it’s awful that we have to think this way. I don’t know why so many boys get a kick out of being little twats and ruining things for others. My neighbour has had all her plants snapped by a group of boys on the estate. I’ve had all my ornaments kicked over or broken. Again by lads. Boils my piss.
zviiper@reddit
This is why the only plants I have out front is 25m of Pyracantha hedge. Want to grab that and rip a branch off? Be my guest 😂
Dimac99@reddit
Power. They have none in their lives except the power to cause misery and destruction.
Spudspecs@reddit
Reminds me of an episode of The Good Life where Tom briefly gets sent to jail for chasing an opportunistic leek thief who was pinching veg from their front garden.
Dull_Hawk9416@reddit
Is it worse than animals pissing and shitting on them?
Desperate-Speaker608@reddit
you fancy fucker! - got yourself one of those yards imported directly from the states?
Dry_Action1734@reddit
If you live somewhere packages get stolen, I wouldn’t do it.
But I don’t live somewhere like that, so I guess I could.
The second consideration, though, is animals nicking bits in the night.
feathersmcgraw24601@reddit
Animals nick veg wherever it's planted. Snails are the worst for it.
Limp-Boysenberry1583@reddit
One of my neighbours grows tomatoes in her tiny South facing front garden. They ripen beautifully. Then she doesn't pick them and the urge to steal them is strong. But I don't, but only because I have my own in the greenhouse. It's not a bad idea to use the space productively but I would worry about theft.
Own-Heat2669@reddit
Only if you fail to keep your urges in check 😂
Jeans_609@reddit
No. Me and the homies hate grass. Most of it I invasive anyway.
Flashy-Cucumber-3794@reddit
Plant seeds like no one is watching. Plant laugh grow.
Own-Heat2669@reddit
This is another thing we need to normalise.
Community food growing , at the moment it is only really guerilla gardening.
It needs to be government policy.
But of cot, corporations....
FlowTurbulent9031@reddit
I love this
Dimac99@reddit
In principle it shouldn't be an issue, but in practice I would personally be concerned about theft, vandalism and pollution. The back garden is "hidden" and much further from the road so much less polluted and protected. But that doesn't mean that your own front garden is unsuitable, even if I wouldn't use my own.
OhMyChickens@reddit
It's funny isn't it, vegetables, washing out to dry, sunbathing. All fine in the back garden. You look like a maniac if these are out front (sorry OP, but veg is the least maniacal, so carry on)
SoggyWotsits@reddit
Believe it or not, some new and not so new build estates have it in the deeds that you can’t have washing lines or satellite dishes (amongst other ‘unsightly’ things) at the front of the house.
utukore@reddit
Thats not a new thing. My 50s built house had covenants forbidding hanging washing if it was viewable from the front. My current 70s forbids hedges and caravans.
Jolly_Cantalouper@reddit
Yep! We had this when we first moved in (2015) as they were still building. It was agreed we could put the Sky dish on the back, but we had to ask for permission to do so!
ClarifyingMe@reddit
No it's not and very common among Bangladeshi families. Just make peace with the chance someone will steal from you.
Future_Pianist9570@reddit
I only thinks it’s weird from the perspective that some passer by might nick my crop
CaptMelonfish@reddit
I had this issue, all the young stuff being eaten. Bloody squirrels.
Dharl61@reddit
It’s weird to call it the front yard in the UK. Even a 1m garden will be called a garden….
Jolly_Cantalouper@reddit
I’m English. I would certainly refer to a small paved area attached to a house as a yard. Lots of Victorian terraces have more of a yard than a garden.
Dharl61@reddit
Lived in a house like that myself, but still called it a garden. Perhaps just depends where abouts in the uk we are from?
woods_edge@reddit
Nope, I have two large raised beds, better than useless grass.
Mammoth-Passion-413@reddit
No but my neighbour did that- and passersby did all sorts of things to it.
reddiuniquefool@reddit
What sort of things?
Mammoth-Passion-413@reddit
wee in the mainly
reddiuniquefool@reddit
That's what's I'm worried about. I've had chillies in the front garden, but well away from the road.
PenneTracheotomy@reddit
I think it seems weird in the sort of way sitting out in the front garden does, because the front is more for showing off as people go by, and the back is for more private activities where you wouldn't want strangers looking at you, but this of course doesn't take into consideration that for a lot of properties, the front garden is the better garden for sun (or because it's not a construction site)
mypostisbad@reddit
Not weird.
Unusual, not weird
Acrobatic-Ad584@reddit
you plant as many beans and lettuces as you can eat, fabulous idea
mr_mlk@reddit
We have a corner plot, with a large front garden and teeny back. We have a veg patch in the front garden. It is currently mostly strawberries.
Acrobatic-Ad584@reddit
Who said it was weird, sounds great.
coachhunter2@reddit
Not really, but be aware that passers by may steal them (more likely the fruit than the veg)
_Acg45@reddit
Yard?
cheflifecdf@reddit (OP)
It's not really a garden is it! it's 1m x 3m of concrete Infront of my house
Like a typical inner city terrace
_Acg45@reddit
Unless it's in North America it definitely isn't a yard either.
TemporaryLucky3637@reddit
The small concrete space outside terraced housing (normally at the back) has always been called a yard where I live. It’s not American language, it means something specific which is different to garden 😂
h00dman@reddit
We've been using the word "yard" for hundreds of years before North America was born.
BeanOnAJourney@reddit
My house only has a front garden so anything i do in or use my garden for is in the front and I don't care what anybody thinks.
geeered@reddit
If you're buying a road with a reasonable bit of traffic, I'd worry about the various types of pollution from that which is a lot closer.
chris5689965467@reddit
Use the space! A maintained garden looks far better.
FlowTurbulent9031@reddit
Absolutely not! But be aware if people pinch them (maybe cover them if you can….)
CatsChat@reddit
You could start a trend down your street!
VelvetDreamers@reddit
My friend, I have a hybrid insect and butterfly breeding, sustaining, and ornamental compound in my front garden. Growing fruit and vegetables in your garden is extremely admirable and I encourage you to divest of any inhibitions.
Stimkey@reddit
It’s far batter than paving it over like most seem to want to fi these days. Honestly if I was walking by and saw someone growing veg in their front yard it would brighten my day.
_idle-hands_@reddit
Brilliant rather than weird. I have kale, broad beans, spinach, mangetout and jerusalem artichokes in containers in my tiny front garden (3x2m). It's an excellent use of what would otherwise be pointless dead space. Passers-by and neighbours stop and chat when I'm out there, which is a nice social bonus
https://verticalveg.com/ is a great resource for growing edibles in small urban spaces.
NarrowOwl4151@reddit
Normal for inner city Melbourne. If the war in Iran goes on, you may have no choice.
becca413g@reddit
Unusual yeah but I’d rather that than it be overgrown or full of rubbish. I’d say go for it if it’s what you want to do, it won’t disturb anyone and life too short to worry about being a bit weird.
CurvePuzzleheaded361@reddit
I do but we live in a safe area and our front garden is very private or I might be worried about idiot passer bys. Most veg is in back garden but do have small beds with onion and garlic at the front! Lawn had space and its so sunny, seemed silly not to utilise it.
trampyjoe@reddit
I seem to rememeber that lots of houses were built after the war with front gardens precisely for this reason. After rationing ended people just made them look pretty with flowers and shrubs. Then cars came along and they paved paradise etc etc
h4baine@reddit
It's smart to actually use the space and not just have a lawn. Who cares what people think?
PootMcGroot@reddit
Unusual in 2026? Yes.
Weird? Absolutely not at all - you'll be the house little kids will pass and adore. You'll be the Tomato House.
Money_Bluejay4964@reddit
If you have the space, use it! Don’t worry about what others think
1995LexusLS400@reddit
It’s weird in the sense that basically no one does that. They either plant them in their back yard or an allotments. But who cares. There’s no reason not to.
Agreeable_Expert7459@reddit
it's definitly uncommon to grow them there but, i don't see an issue aslong as you have the means to deal with people trying to nick your veg. perticularly, if you are on a busey road
Azzaphox@reddit
Oddly it's normal in the Netherlands
Own-Heat2669@reddit
I've given this consideration in our front garden.
If I didn't have an allotment, I'd be on it.
You do you, think of all the fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and beans. We need to normalise this. Our food security, isn't, I'm very secure.
I doubt they'd turn them down if you had spare!
Good luck 🤞🏻
catzrob89@reddit
Front yard?
But yea it’s not what most people do with front gardens but it’s not that weird. Slightly eccentric.
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