by Helen Devmac The entrance to your home is no longer at the front door. It has shifted quite a way off to the front gate. This is the legacy we owe to the cement structures that surround our properties, an entrance that stretches from your gate along a driveway and then up to the front door. There was a time when the front entrance was visible from the road, standing at the roadside any stranger could have a view of what was within, and even if there were hedges, it was not difficult to look in and see all there was to see at any time of day or night. I remember that in my neighbourhood, our walks to and from school were punctuated and made all the more interesting by us peering into front yards and admiring and speculating about the people we saw and their pretty gardens. The gardens were painstakingly groomed, with their impressive foliage and flowers bobbing their heads in the sun and the little garden gnomes scattered around. We not only learnt the names of the flowers but we knew by mere looking in, just which family would win the garden prize that year. Families not only won the coveted garden prize but the respect and envy of the community for years to come. Garden competitions had disappeared from the scene by the time I had my own garden, but to this day I remember those days with great nostalgia. And even though people have moved beyond the era of garden competitions, and from pretty hibiscus hedges to grandiose cement walls and impenetrable gates the front entrance does hold sway with passersby and all those who enter your gate, it’s the only presence you have on the kerb, otherwise your house and property are hidden away behind walls. It is rather sad that passersby can no longer look in on us and speculate as they go on their way. When it comes to creating front entrances that are truly inspirational, we have to stand back and view our own front entrance dispassionately. Take a long hard look, you may well be advised to take a few pictures examining every angle and most important of all take a walk on the street on which you live, compare your front entrance to your neighbours, how do you rank your front entrance? Is your property the eye sore on that street? Are you so embarrassed that you cannot bring yourself to hang your name at your gate?
Here are some ideas to help you achieve that wow factor at your front gate: l Has your front gate become a repository for rubbish bins which have yet to be collected and are the neighbourhood strays gathered there rummaging through the plastics? We all face challenges regarding refuse collection and when to expect the refuse truck. Leaving your rubbish at the gate for all to see is not the answer. Why not place your bins just inside your property . l Any bushes shrubs and trees planted at the entrance, must be trimmed back to allow for visibility as you drive in and out of your property. Plants at the gate must not miss out on regular watering. l This is your property ensure that all litter dropped by passers by is picked up and if you have any storm drains at your gate please see that these are kept free of rubbish and litter. l Plant some pots at the gate with the seasons colourful blooms and make sure the pots are kept clean and painted often for that fresh appeal. Remember you do not need an array of pots, just one or two strategically positioned on either side of the gate will suffice. l The wall at the gate is subject to being spoilt by exhaust fumes from passing traffic and collects a lot of dust, from time to time pressure wash the wall and gate, and again a lick of paint will not go amiss.The guys at Hotsy Equipment Company can help you with this. l Any signage at the gate must be prominent and hung properly. And if you do have an intercom at the gate ensure that the buttons are kept clean Next week we take a look at your garden and see how we can have appealing gardens while at the same time conserving water.
