What are front gardens for

We had our front garden/drive updated during lockdown - (spent our "holiday money"!) and we moved a bench round from the back so we could have morning coffee out there and chat to passing neighbours etc. It just seemed quite normal to me having lived in Cyprus where everyone sits outside all the time and when we had to shield, just seeing other people passing by and giving/getting a cheery wave was nice.

During lockdown we had a street front garden afternoon tea it was brilliant. I think lockdown bought so many more neighbours friends.

All day till about 6 we have sun at back, but as sun moves over the house gets sun at front- so when one of DD's called other wk for first time in about 18 mths we got fold up chairs from our little brick shed(also at front) & sat out for a half hour- (she was late & then went to her sisters first)so she arrived at right time of day for sun at the front! We dont normally sit in front though as its not very big& the wheelie bins are out the front. And folk have to pass ours as theres a path runs along our row to get to their homes.But in general no one ever even looks as they pass, but if they did id have said "tut yourself its my garden"! ??

I have bluebells coming up in my garden every year they increase in amount annually too. No idea where they come from as I never planted them and I dig them up completely when they die down too

We have a 'sit ootery' in our front garden where we have a cup of tea at 3pm each day when the weather is nice. It is in a raised up area, partly secluded. We nearly always see passers by to chat to. This is a very friendly village and we have been here for over 40 years so lots of people know us. We love it.

In the winter lockdown, I went past one house where the neighbours were outside chatting, socially distanced of course, with a slow cooker on an extension lead, full of mulled wine.
Was miffed that I wasn't offered a glass.

We never do sit in the front of the house, but that is choice. Where we live just now, it’s a quiet street and we would be shaded by trees in the garden, but the Sun is in the back. My dgs regards the front as a place to climb walls. When he did get stuck, neighbour spotted him and came and helped freeing him.
That’s what front gardens are for!

I'd say the tutters are just envious of you having that glorious sitting area to watch the world go by as you sip at your drink!
Smile and wave at them. Be polite, and they may even get brave and respond kindly instead of tutting. You never know, you may just make some new friends.
If they continue to tut, just let them. It's their loss!

Just a thought, but why do so few people use their front gardens to grow food? Fair enough if pollution or theft might be an issue but other than that what's the reason? Is it because people don't make regular recreational use of that space as the OP is doing?

Staying close to home for my daily walks during the pandemic, I became used to exploring the local roads. It's a nice area, reasonably affluent. From hundreds of houses I counted only two which had veg in their front garden and one of those was a between the wars built local authority house with a large side plot instead of a rear garden.

Perhaps people would get to know and get on better with their neighbours if they did get out front more other than to mow the lawn and wash the car.

Along our street there are a couple in a tiny cottage and a minuscule front garden, with just enough room for a couple of chairs and a table, as soon as the better weather starts, they can be seen spending the evening with a bottle of wine, watching the world go by.
I think it’s lovely.

Gardens are for using, front or back! We are set quite high up off the street, but facing west, so we sit out quite a bit in the summer evenings. We grew a very short box hedge which allows us to see our view, but hides the street from view. I love it out there.

My daughter recently bought a fairly new build with hardly any front garden, but they are finding the children like to ride bikes on the quiet street after dinner, and they often sit on their front steps. They are getting to know their neighbours, and the children are enjoying the outdoors. It's a win-win.

Thank you for that Whitewavemark2. It looks beautifully peaceful.

During last summers lockdown, when out walking we passed x2 families sitting in chairs on thier front lawns socially distanced by a Road, drinking wine and just enjoying the sun, talking (loudly) but interacting. Brilliant use of front gardens.

Here you are ? mine is only small and I do have tiny spreading thyme (moss doesn’t work - too dry) but it is really easy. DH made me a Zen rake and I love doing all the different patterns.

What's a zen garden Whitewavemark2 ?

I think it’s a class thing
Upper class sit in their back secluded gardens under their parasols and the hoi palloi sit on the front chatting and in sight to all probably with their aprons on ???

Mine is a zen garden, for easiness. I have enough to do with the back.

Akexa our front garden also has daisies, buttercups, clover and moss! But it’s green, the blackbirds and starlings love it for worms and bugs. We don’t sit out as we’re at a junction of three roads on an estate, there’s nothing really to see until sunset as it’s west facing. But I’ve no problem with people that do.

We do that Biscuitmuncher.
What a nerve to be tutted at,they are boring buggers,we are sometimes joined by other neighbours ,and people who pass smile and mostly say cheers.
Nowt queer as folk as grandma used to say.

Neighbours of ours with a small and sunless back garden, but a fair sized sunny front lawn with no borders, planted shrubs all around the edges and now use it as a ‘back’ garden.
I’d have done the same.

Silly tutters! We have some people who have a nice bench in their front gardens and so I’ve seen some to wave good day to. It’s nice and feels friendly. much better than seeing bottoms bent over toiling away making me envious of their gardening efforts. My own seating is in a corner at the front where only the postie sees us.

Many American houses have a front porch often with a rocking chair or swing seat for watching the world go by.

I would simply laugh - how ridiculous !
Through Covid our neighbours have used their front gardens to simply be able to have a chat,cup of tea, glass of wine and still be socially distanced.
What's not to like??

Front gardens are often paved which means nothing to feed the bees and protect the hedgehogs.

My front garden is gravelled with grass, clover, buttercups,green arcanet, thyme, daisies, etc allowed to grow where they will. fortunately there are some other untidy gardens in my neighbourhood so I don't annoy tidy neighbours too much.

Our front garden is North facing and in the shadow of the house but that didn't stop us having drinks with neighbours out there during the last lockdown.

Our village usually has an annual open gardens to raise money for our local children's hospital but this year we are having a village walk round participating front gardens - no pressure then.