Your front yard is the first thing guests are greeted with, and if you are planning on selling your home, then it offers a first impression to potential buyers. That is why putting in the time and effort to create the perfect landscape design is absolutely worth it.
We will talk you through how to plan your front garden landscape design and what details need to be considered, so it is just right, from trees to lighting, walkways to materials.
How to make the most of the available space in your Front Yard
There are a number of ways you can utilize the space in your backyard, even if it is modest in size. You can use some clever hacks to make the area appear visually larger, and you can implement some ingenious landscaping ideas to create an eye-catching garden that can increase the value of your home.
Here are a few ways you can make the most of the space in your front garden.
- Fence and wall shelving can provide you with additional space for plants, bringing more color and life to your front garden. Hanging plants are also a convenient option that doesn’t reduce your floor space.
- Even if your patio is small, you should try to make the most of it with functional seating and decorative features.
- Layer your plants to give the illusion of more depth.
- Design an outdoor living area to enjoy meals and drinks in the sun, creating an extension to your home at a minimal cost.
- Implement thin, vertical displays such as old ladders, used for shelving.
- Design a gallery wall with framed plants and old timber for an artistic, yet rustic feature.
- Use an old table or palettes to build your own mini herb garden.
- Garden mirrors can be fitted onto the back of gates, or propped up against walls to make your front garden appear much larger than it actually is.
If you are not confident in creating a landscape design plan yourself, then you should consider professional landscape design services to ensure your front garden is the envy of the street.
Choosing a Theme for your Front Garden
Many front gardens have an overall theme that makes it easier to decide what trees, plants, and features to include in your landscape design plan. Oriental and Mediterranean styles are always popular choices, while a traditional, American country style will never go out of fashion.
However, this is your own, unique design so you have the opportunity to think outside the box and work with designers who can create your own custom space that sets its own trend.
Are you looking to create a relaxing space to read and enjoy a cup of coffee? Will you entertain guests? Or is it a space for the family? Deciding on the overall purpose of the garden can also help you decide on its theme.
Some designs incorporate geometric shapes and straight lines for a more formal, Scandinavian appearance, while others let nature take its course for a low-maintenance garden with a more relaxed atmosphere.
Trees, Flowers, and Plant Life in your Front Garden
What are the Best Trees to choose for a Front Yard?
Trees and large shrubs are some of the best features available for creating an attractive front yard design. They can help to frame your property and make it appear much more homely. Not only this, but they also provide seasonal colors and offer shade in the hotter months.
Combined with expert lighting, trees and shrubs also create impressive shadowing effects. Moonlighting and downlighting are two techniques that really emphasize the wonderful shapes of the branches and leaves.
Some of the best trees to choose for your front garden are:
- Pink Flowering or Chinese Dogwood
- Crabapple
- Magnolia
- Wisteria
- Paper Bark Birch
- Japanese Maple
- Weeping Cherry
- Redbud Tree
- Green Giant Arborvitae
- American Hornbeam
- Citrus Trees
- Crape Myrtle
Team of SOD Home Group contractors can help you with all landscape design services on a professional level.
What Plants to choose for your Front Yard
Plants and flowers can help to landscape your front yard at a much cheaper cost when compared to architectural features. When planting them, you should work your way from the front of the garden to the back, to create a layered effect.
Your plant life can then be combined with various stone materials to create different contrasts. For inspiration, you can browse Japanese gardens to see how they beautifully pair colorful plants and trees, with the grays and whites of stone and rock.
8 plants that are perfect for your front yard landscape design are:
- Honeysuckle
- Catmint
- Ivy
- Hedera Helix Cultivars
- Azalea shrubs
- Lavender
- Winter Gem Boxwood shrubs
- Hydrangeas
How to plan a Front Garden Walkway
Every garden is different. Therefore, you must assess your own space and layout to determine what will work for you. But there are a few things to look out for that can help make the process easier, such as following the natural patterns and curves of the garden to create an obvious flow.
A garden walkway should only slope between 1-5%, and certainly no more than 10%. A path should also be a minimum of 36 inches wide, but preferably between 42-54 inches, if possible.
If you plan to have walls and fences running alongside the path, then they should be no higher than 2ft tall. A 2ft buffer of lawn or plants between the path and the wall/ fence is also recommended to make the walkway feel spacious and welcoming.
What materials should you use for a garden path?
Popular materials to use for a garden path include; pea gravel, crushed gravel, and crushed limestone. For an even surface, you could consider a concrete path, or perhaps flagstones.
Creating Clean edges in your Garden
You can make your front garden even more appealing with permanent edging and borders that create clean lines, add color, and help to make impressive contrasts. Permanent edging options may include; concrete curbs, bricks, timber, shaped flagstone, or metal stips.
