If you read my previous blog, Curb Appeal to Boost your Home’s Resale Value, then you know that the post discussed some simple ideas on how to boost your home's curb appeal. One such suggestion was to update your front yard landscaping. A front yard is usually the first first thing guests notice when entering your property. However, all too often a home's front landscape is far from welcoming. A huge front lawn of mostly grass with only a few other plants. There might be some shrubs or bushes under the main front window, maybe even a few plants such as perennials in a flower bed around the front perimeter of the house or along the walkway. While a simple landscape is better than none at all; too often the front yard is mostly just a lawn with very little landscaping.
The backyard on the other hand is where most people invest the bulk of their landscape budget, and for good reason. It makes sense to invest in the backyard landscape. After all this is where a majority of people spend most of their time enjoying outdoor activities at home; BBQs, camp fires, relaxing on the back deck, dining under a pergola on a paver patio, maybe even a swimming pool or hot tub. We love our backyards, they can be much more secluded and offer more privacy than the typical front yard. The backyard is away from the hustle and bustle of the road and is often much quieter than a front lawn. Backyards can often offer easy access to the house as well, maybe through a large sliding glass door that is not typically seen on the front of a home.
While it makes sense to invest so much in the backyard for our leisure and recreation; we should also set aside some of our landscape budget for the front yard. After all, this is what you see every day when leaving home, and again when returning home. Imagine driving into your driveway and pulling up to a beautiful entry garden. A garden leading you to a welcoming front entrance. Before pulling into the garage or your favorite parking spot you are graciously surrounded by an inviting landscape saying welcome home.
A front yard does not have to be a large expanse of grass from the road to your front door. You can make a front yard much more intimate by adding some well placed privacy screening such as trees and shrubs surrounded by perennials. This does not mean completely blocking the front view of the house from the road, in fact most of the time you want the house visible, but with just a touch of mystery and whimsical charm. A berm with some greenery can act as a living fence. The picture below is of a property my company mows and maintains. Here we see a decorative tree on the edge of the berm and a couple of large hydrangea plants screening the front yard from the road. The landscape continues around the entire lawn enclosing the yard and giving it a secluded garden feel.
Some privacy between the road and the house makes a front garden more inviting. A small picket fence with an arbor clearly marking an entrance will happily welcome guests to your home. Add some plants along the fence and maybe some climbing vine cover on the arbor to give the area a finished look.
The above photo is of a fence and arbor I painted for a client. The arbor leads to a front yard sitting area and then meanders to the front entrance. The arbor suggest a welcoming feel while the fence adds a touch of privacy. The fence, arbor, and entry all work together for a blend of privacy and curb appeal while still allowing a full view of the home from the street. Some additional landscaping has been added to property since this photo was taken; however, the fence and arbor still remain an aesthetically pleasing addition to front entry garden.
Be sure when adding landscaping to the front garden that the front door is visible and attractive; a front door should still be easy to spot among the garden. You don't want guests lost and confused; so design the front garden around the entry. Consider a clear path that is easy to navigate leading to the front door. Most often a home already has a sidewalk that just needs to be dressed up with some appealing plants. In some cases however, a pathway may need to be added. Use material that is safe and easy to walk on such as pavers or cobbles.
Front gardens are not often seen in newer suburban yards the same way they are in historic districts, at least not in my area. The newer homes may have a few foundation plants around the border of the house, but not much else other than a big front lawn. Don't get me wrong, I love lawns. There is just something about a thick, lush green lawn; however, I also love gardens and landscaping. A nice mix of both lush green grass and a beautiful landscape are what truly catch the eye. The photo below is also of a property we mow and maintain. This beautiful historic home blends a lush lawn with an abundant landscape that extends beyond the home's perimeter. Behind this bed of extravagant Hostas is a covered porch and entry, a paver walkway that flows through the garden and connects the back porch to the front. Don't be afraid to extend the landscape beyond a walkway and out into the lawn. All too often the landscape hits a sidewalk and stops; but extending your flowerbed to both sides of the walk can make a dramatic difference in your front entry garden.
Whatever you decide on for your front entry garden, think outside of the front yard box. If space allows, set out a bistro table to enjoy your morning coffee, or maybe some comfortable, yet attractive outdoor seating for an evening cocktail. Sitting in a front yard garden allows you to engage with neighbors as they pass by. A front yard entry garden is a good way to put community back in the community.