Beginner Gardening: New House, Clean Slate!, 0 by Diana_K

Diana_K wrote:
The house has no particular style. It is simply suburban. You can do anything with the garden and make it work.

I am more concerned that you want little or no lawn and your husband wants all lawn.

Lawn is the best surface for the kids to play on, takes the most traffic, soft when they fall and so on.
Also, the evaporation of water from the lawn is acting like a swamp cooler, moderating the temperature around the house.

Think about the questions asked by ShadedHeart.

1) Access across the property from street parking can be very useful when you have guests, or if that is the direction to the bus stop for the kids to go to school. I would park one car on the street, as if it was a guest, and walk around it and place the beginning of the walkway there. Nominally 15-20' from the driveway. Most cars are about that long (pick up truck is 20'). An apron that is from 15-20; from the driveway is 5' wide, so visitors can enter it from several directions. Then narrow it down to 3'. If you need any steps make one or two where it narrows.

2) If you plant a cottage garden you will need paths to take care of the flowers, so make at least one a fairly straight path, and a good surface for use in the winter.

3) Starting from point 1) I would add generous flower beds along both sides of the path. Leave the rest lawn (for now!).