The front yard is generally the first thing that individuals notice when they visit a home, and its appearance sets the tone for the rest of the house. While backyards are often given more attention, using some of the following frontyard landscaping ideas will help you create a usable and enjoyable space.
Our American Steel Fencing® experts say the front yard’s curb appeal can be a drastic factor in your home’s resale value, so improving the landscaping not only makes your home look more attractive but it’s also a solid investment. Our Portland Modern Steel Fence Experts recommend you keep the design seamless and focus on a few simple solutions to add character and structure to the space.
Here are some front yard landscaping tips for helping improve curb appeal and make your front yard look more attractive.
Create A Lush Green Lawn
Our Portland Modern Steel Fence Experts say a lush green lawn is quintessential to a front yard that looks fresh and polished. However, some areas of the country get little rain or may have water restrictions during certain times of the year, so watering a lawn to keep it green might not be an option.
If you are thinking about starting a new lawn or sprucing up your front yard by spreading new seed, decide on a grass that is suitable to your local climate. If you live in an area of low rainfall, select a drought-resistant variety such as Zoysia, Bermuda or Buffalo grass.
Add A Rock Garden
A rock garden is a beautiful addition to a front lawn, particularly in dry regions where many plants may struggle. Choose rocks that look as if they are part of a natural, rocky landscape and will go well with the vegetation.
As an example, if creating a woodland rock garden, our Portland Modern Steel Fence Experts suggest you use mossy rocks and boulders of gray in multiple sizes along with low-growing wildflowers, such as ferns and trilliums. In addition, multi-level rock gardens are worthwhile, as they draw the eye up from the ground and add visual appeal.
Get A Bit Creative With Paving
Distinct hardscaping is one of a few essential front yard landscaping ideas to think about adding. Furthermore, try and add a visual element to your outdoor space by adding a rock or concrete path. Our Portland Modern Steel Fence Experts say large slates or irregularly shaped stones can aid in creating a natural-looking path from the sidewalk to your front door and will add unique functionality to your yard.
When planning paths, our Portland Modern Steel Fence Experts suggest you consider how individuals naturally move through the space and design your paths to follow the foot traffic.
Add A Water Feature
A water feature adds visual interest to a front yard and creates a calm, inviting atmosphere. The soft sound of flowing water will also provide a peaceful ambience to the landscape. Some water features, such as a small pond, may also attract local frogs, dragonflies or hummingbirds into your yard. Before stocking the pool with fish, however, research which species are most suitable for the size of the pond you are creating.
Add Potted Plants For Color
Our Portland Modern Steel Fence Experts recommend you plant a few brightly colored flowers and shrubs in big glazed colored pots to add a splash of color to your front yard.
Not only are they less labour-intensive than tending to your in-ground plants, they can also aid in brightening up the darker corners of your yard by providing a colorful visual composition. Moreover, the pots also prevent invasive plants, such as mint or ivy, from taking over your flowers and plants.
Use Raised Beds
Rows of raised beds are an easy way to add a personal touch to your front yard. You can create raised beds from various materials, from wood to garden timbers. Raised beds also provide a great opportunity to grow plants that are not suited to your yard’s soil type since you can fill them with whatever kind of soil you need.
For example, flowering plants that need acidic soil, such as begonia or trillium, are often successfully grown in raised beds, even if the surrounding ground has a high concentration of lime, which isn’t conducive for growing these types of plants.