A Guide To Front Yard Landscaping

Landscaping your front yard may feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be! The key is to approach it with a clear plan and an understanding of what you want. There’s a lot of thought and personal preference that goes into it. In this article, I’ll guide you to various aspects you’ll want to at least consider before you get started creating your dream yard.

Hardscaping

Before you begin planting anything, do any necessary hardscaping to avoid having to undo work. When it comes to designing your yard, start with hardscaping, which involves the architectural design of your yard using non-living elements. Once your hardscaping is ‘set in stone,’ you can add all your shrubs, trees, and flowers to fill in the blanks.

Matching the hardscaping to your house creates continuity in design and aesthetics. This could be the stone material and color, or design elements, that you use both in your house and in your yard.

Hardscaping is the perfect way to clearly define zones. Using ground cover to separate the garden from grass requires maintenance, but putting in a concrete border is a one-time job and looks nice to boot. There are so many hardscape features that can elevate the look of your front yard and make it stand out, like using wood instead of rock for a pathway. Consider having a unique fence, gate, or fountain to add prestige and dimension to your yard.

Landscaping with rocks

Rocks, an aspect of hardscaping, are an extremely versatile and timeless feature in the world of landscaping. They can be used in any of the following ways:

• Path or walk
• Rock Wall
• Steps
• Border/curb
• Patio Flooring
• Garden ground cover
• Benches/seating
• Fire Pits
• Water features

Vertical gardening

Think up! Vertical gardening is for those who want to utilize limited garden space, or simply like how it looks. Look for Installations like trellises, hanging pots, screens/fences, and ladders, for your crawling or viny plants to climb up or hang out of. Ps. Hanging plants like pumpkin and cucumber makes it easier to harvest because the vegetables are exposed.

Using Edimentals

Ever heard of a kitchen garden? Incorporate this into your front yard by planting edimentals, or edible plants among your flowers. Aside from adding to the look of your yard, certain plants also have edible leaves, petals, or fruit. Some edimentals do not look like your conventional flowering plant, and can add an exotic flare to your yard. It might surprise you how pretty herbs like rosemary and basil can be. It’s common to see fruit trees, but don’t forget about berry shrubs such as raspberries, currents, and gooseberries.

Ornamental grasses

For those who want a nice yard, but don’t have the time to maintain it, ornamental grasses are your best friend. There are so many types, in a variety of sizes. Shorter grasses do well as edging, while taller grasses can be used as a nice privacy screen. Some ornamental grasses look fantastic all year long, keeping their structure, though changing in color. They are a convenient and inexpensive ground cover that can soften the look of more geometric hardscapes too.

Modern Landscaping

In the modern landscaping world, it’s all about sleek minimalism with clean-cut geometric design. Although this has been the standard for a while, mixing and matching textures and materials is gaining more and more traction.

Low maintenance Landscaping Ideas

Besides ornamental grass, succulents and rocks for ground cover are extremely easy to upkeep. Many people have opted for rock ground cover because it saves them a lot of weeding time and doesn’t require water. Succulents require little water too. These options save time, and money, and look great!

Whether you want a sharp and upscale yard or a classic yet fruitful garden, remember to start with a layout. Build it like you want, then fill it in with your preferred foliage, from grass to grapes. Your front yard is the first thing visitors see so you’ll want to dedicate at least a small amount of time to it, but it should never be a source of stress. Figure out what plan and plants will work best for you, and just have fun!