2026 Priority Project #2: Expand And Fix The Edges Of The Front Yard Island Bed - March 2026

Last week, I posted my first [Priority Project] for 2026 that focused on replacing the Oakleaf Hydrangeas that are being destroyed each year by the (dang) rabbits.  These [Priority Posts] help me begin to formulate my annual yard-and-garden to-do list.  I've found (over the years) that I NEED to prioritize some key projects and keep a running list of goals so I have focus and accountability.  Otherwise...I tend to wander and get distracted.

Today is a look at Priority Project #2: Expand and fix the edges of the front yard island bed.  

Starting earlier this year, I posted an exploration of how I could expand the front yard island bed and then, after thinking (or...because of WRITING ABOUT IT), I changed my mind and reconsidered some aspects including the orientation and number of curves.  I initially was thinking about attacking the project by GROWING the bed from the sidewalk-backwards towards the house. 

I say 'attack' because I know myself and I need to be measured in bed extensions by not making them TOO big.  Too big both in terms of too much work to extend them, but also too big in terms of not having enough material to fill the space/plant-up.

So, the job is both to expand the current island bed first.  But, also...fix the edges.    When I say 'fix', I mean make them curvilinear.  #1 on the (First Draft) of my "Great Garden Rules" is:  

Use big (larger than you think) sweeping curves in your beds. Fewer, bigger curves.

That means that I need to eat my own dogfood on this project. The current edges look like this (these photos are from 2025, but it looks the same today) below.  These are decidedly NOT curvilinear.  

What does my eventual end-goal look like?  Here's my first schematic from the earlier (v2) exploration:

But, that's a HUGE project.  As I said above (and back in January), there's a way to start and expand. 

Here's what I'm thinking of the starting point:  Just expand the island bed.  Don't connect it to the bed with the Saratoga Ginkgo and/or the front porch bed.  Below is my current schematic for how I could do this.  It mostly focuses on correcting the curve around the corner and flares out the edges.  It also (likely) includes replacing some of the cut-out sod into the current bed...so it isn't all GROWING bigger. 

I went out and took a look at where I could create this new curved corner edge and I think I can get away by only adding about 10-12 inches of extension from the current edge to the new edge.  See below for a line I cut with my spade:

Expanding this bed does a few things:

1.  Improves the edges and shape - leading to better legibility.

2.  Provides a bit more space to plant up both annuals and (perhaps) a dahlia or two.

3.  Gives me a path towards even more extensions up there.

4.  Think about repetition between annuals here and in the front porch bed. 

Can I expand the front porch bed a bit this year, too?  That would be ideal.

But, time is ticking.  Using the 'lazy bed extension method', I need to get the cardboard down in the next few weeks so it has time to 'cook' the turf out before planting time in May.