Front Yard Landscape Ideas

Your front yard landscape ideas represent the first impressions that friends and visitors have of your property. Front yard landscape projects give you the opportunity to express your personal style and tastes to your neighbors. Whether your landscape conveys a pared down, minimalist style, a structured formal design or a naturally overgrown, romantic look, passersby and acquaintances will the ideas you implement in your front yard.

When you're planning front yard landscape ideas, create a plan that depicts your house, garage, driveway, walkways, trees, shrubs and other elements in the front of your home. Before you focus on ideas for making your front yard more colorful and attractive, make sure your landscape addresses your practical needs. Walkways to your home should be clearly defined and free from debris, so visitors can find their way to your front door. Trash cans, lawn mowers, hoses and other bulky household items should be accessible yet out of the way of cars or pedestrians.

Landscaping with Trees and Shrubs

If you've just moved into a new home with a bare, empty yard, trees and shrubs may be at the forefront of your front yard landscape ideas. However, you may have to wait for a few years until any woody plants reach full height. Once you've survived the "awkward stage" in your outside landscaping, you and your family will enjoy the shapes, textures, color changes and shade that trees and shrubs provide.

Front yard landscape ideas with woody plants require planning ahead. In choosing trees and shrubs for your landscape, it's important to consider their mature height. Otherwise, you may end up with a tree that eventually crowds and overwhelms a small property, or shrubs that dwarf your flower beds and stone elements. Many factors can affect the mature size of your plants, such as the climate, light and soil type. However, trees and plants will usually conform to a range of sizes if growing conditions are favorable.

In choosing trees and shrubs for your landscape ideas, consider whether you want to use evergreen or deciduous plants. Evergreen species, such as juniper or pine, stay green throughout the year, while deciduous species change color and drop their leaves according to the seasons. If your ideas emphasize deciduous plants, you can base your choices on the colors that you want to feature in your yard. Maples, for instance, will produce vibrant gold or red leaves in the fall under the right climate conditions.

Shrubs and trees serve practical as well as aesthetic function in your landscaping ideas, acting as barriers or buffers against sound, wind and light. When planted strategically, shrubs can serve as visual borders to define the lines of your property. Tall shrubs and stands of trees can discourage intruders and protect your privacy. Shade trees filter the light that falls on your home and grounds, keeping your interior cooler in the warm summer months. Your planting ideas should anticipate the changes in these plants that will occur over the years.

Outdoor Front Yard Furniture

When you think of front yard landscape ideas, outdoor furnishings may not be the first elements that come to mind. Many homeowners associate outdoor furniture with back yards, decks, pools and patios. However, furniture can be equally appealing and inviting as an element of your front yard landscape ideas. Use photos in online galleries, outdoor design books and magazines for inspiration when you're considering chairs, tables or benches as part of your front yard landscape ideas.

The type of furniture you choose may depend on the style of your home, the look you're trying to achieve and the practical functions of these elements. Outdoor furnishings could be as simple as a single wrought iron bench under a shade tree, inviting friends or guests to sit and enjoy the fragrance of a nearby flower bed. At the other end of the spectrum, your front yard landscape ideas could include a complete set of cedar chairs and end tables to complement the exterior design of a rustic home.

If you live in a rainy climate, shop for water resistant furniture that won't swell, crack or rot in the humidity. In damp climates, wrought iron or stone benches may be better suited to the local conditions than wood or fabric. Glass, plastic and other waterproof materials are attractive options when you're shopping for outdoor tables.

Be creative in your front yard landscape ideas by adding unique elements to your design, like a miniature water garden or exotic statuary. Let the choices that you make reflect your individual tastes and style. The landscape you design should communicate a sense of who you are to your friends, guests and neighbors. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the choices you have available, get in touch with local designers who can help you define your tastes and style.

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