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Front Yard Landscaping

Create a Visual Entrance

Landscape professionals sometimes call front yard landscaping the "entry experience". We know it as our front yard and front porch.

Integrating big color

Thanks to Patty of Sister Antiques for sharing these two photos with us
Oh my goodness, the gorgeous punches of color
- and don't you love that front porch?

Notice the bridge over the dry bed stream

Beautifully landscaped porch

The visual path from the street to your porch and home make an impression - good or bad. Use your front yard and porch to make a statement, help sell your home, or most importantly, because you enjoy them yourself!

A few quick front yard landscaping ideas

Use the landscaping to complement or mirror your home's architecture as much as possible. This can extend from having everything symmetrical to the asymmetrical depending on the style of your home.

For example, classic home styles like federal or antebellum usually have clipped hedges around porch along with brick walkways. In comparison, cape cod homes use simple and symmetrical plantings on and around the porch.

Symmetrical Plantings for Formal Look

Asymmetrical Plantings for Informal Look

We've created a handy Porch Architecture/Landscaping Chart so you can easily see what style and landscaping is best for your home.

Here's a landscaping yard trick - illuminate selected features of the home and the surrounding plants at the same time. This intensifies the features and blends them together!

Front yard landscaping should emphasize your driveway and sidewalks leading to the porch. They are located to give your family and your guests a direct view of the property. Walkways lead your guests directly to the front porch and front door.

Front Yard Landscaping-Curb Appealing Look

Maximize this area and the view from this vantage point with landscaping that is pleasing to the eye (and fragrant too)!

Add focal points along the way. No matter the distance to your porch, you can almost always add a focal point be it a sculpture, fountain, flag, etc. These also add a vertical dimension to your landscaping which helps blend plants and home together.

Front Yard Landscaping- Meandering Path

When landscaping yards don't be afraid to add a little whimsy to your landscaping. Our neighbor has a neat ceramic turtle in one of her planting beds that adds just the right touch.

Front Yard Landscaping-Whimscal Look in Garden

A theme garden works great also. Be creative. It could be a chosen color garden - all white, red, etc., or plants with similar names. I once read where someone created a cat garden where all of the plants had cat names (pussy willow, cat mint, cat claws, etc.).

Front Yard Landscaping -Red Theme

A rule of thumb is to ensure all of the plants you choose share the same soil, light, and water requirements.

Large expansions can be separated into different areas for different purposes. Use privacy landscaping complete with patio and seating to create a quite respite for reading or relaxing.

An flowering arbor can give the illusion of entering into a different space. Fountains not only provide a focal point but also add the element of sound.

Front Yard Landscaping -Fountain

Small yards lend themselves to the dramatic. You can really use color and fragrance to make a statement.

Don't forget to keep your driveway in good condition while you are at it. Here are some tips on how to seal asphalt driveways.

We often forget the yard itself. A yard that is lush and full requires maintenance. Too much work and cost involved?

Landscape it so that you have a minimum of work with flower beds and other landscaping. This allows you to more easily maintain the remaining part of your yard to be the envy of all.

Mary and I couldn't resist sharing what we believe could be a neat garden or porch idea. How about incorporating custom vinyl lattice panels in your garden arbor design or use between porch columns for privacy or appeal like the one in the photo below. You create the design and Acurio Latticeworks will make it for you! Think of the possibilities!