Submitted byAravindh101113002

FRONTYARD LANDSCAPING

Traditionally, front yards serve two main purposes: providing an entrance to your space and creating curb appeal. A well-designed front yard landscape, with appropriately sized and placed elements, will indeed increase the curb appeal of the design. The landscaping should put the building on display by complementing its architecture and welcoming visitors.

Landscaping options for enhancing the front of the building abound. We can choose a formal look with a courtyard circling a fountain. Or we can go more natural, with a meandering pathway lined with native plants. We can even create a private space for outdoor entertaining. Whatever we decide, be sure to spend plenty of time determining the look we want and planning how to achieve it.

Front Yard Walkway Ideas

Walkways are an important part of front yard landscaping. A beautiful walkway will greatly enhance building’s curb appeal and provide a way for people to get to your front door. We'll want the walkway to look nice and be easy to walk on since it will serve as an entrance to the building. Whether it will lead straight to the front door, or to a small courtyard garden or porch, there are many design options for front yard walkways.

Three important front walkway design considerations: Width Shape Paving Materials

Front Porch Ideas

Adding a front porch to building or improving an existing one can help create a sense of arrival. Entry porches have their roots all the way back in ancient Rome, where many buildings featured grand porticos that served as a transition from the outdoors into the building. Today porches serve three purposes: They highlight a home's entrance by framing the front door They provide a protected transition where guests can wipe their feet, or leave umbrellas Large porches can be used as a place to spend time with family and friendsWhen adding a porch to a home it is vital to make sure the style of the porch matches with the existing architecture. A landscape designer will be able to help you integrate the front porch so that it appears to have always been a part of the home. Below are some front porch ideas based on the architectural style of the home.

Front Porch Ideas

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE PORCH IDEAS

Colonial• Small entry porch that frames the door• Classical columns• Triangular or gabled roof line• Hanging lantern• Learn more about colonial landscaping

Farm & Ranch• Large, veranda-like porch• May wrap-around the home• Wooden posts and railings• Wide entry steps• Roof line slopes away from home

Front Porch Ideas

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE PORCH IDEAS

Craftsman or Bungalow• Medium porch• Well integrated into architecture• Roof line of home extends to cover porch• Exposed rafters and beams• Tapered posts with stone work at the base

Modern

• Open porch, no railings• As few posts as possible• Flat roof, awning or arbour• If railings are essential, metal railings are

suggestable

Front Porch IdeasThe flooring material for a porch also depends largely on the style of the home. A tropical style house would benefit from a porch made of Brazilian ipe decking, while a colonial home would look great with a brick porch. Just remember that the most important thing to consider when selecting porch flooring is outdoor durability.Whether if the building has a porch or are planning on adding a new one, a front porch provides a great opportunity for landscaping. Container gardens can be placed flanking the steps or baskets of flowers can be hung from the porch roof. Climbing plants can be grown on the posts or over panels of lattice work to add privacy. For a more formal look, well-manicured topiaries can stand on either side of the front door.

Front Yard Garden Ideas

Cedar raised bed Brick path serves as a line of symmetry

Trees along the walls Existing white picket fence encloses garden

Front Yard Fencing

Picket FencingThe most popular fencing style for front yards is the traditional picket. Picket fences are usually less than three feet tall and are highly decorative. These characteristics make them well-suited for the front yard because they comply with codes and add to the curb appeal of the home. If a home is a traditional, yet casual appearance, a picket fence will be a good match. Picket fences are available in wood and vinyl.

Wrought Iron FencingAnother popular fencing style for front yards is wrought iron. Wrought iron’s decorative finials and transparent nature make it a good option for front yards. Transparency is important because you don’t want to make your front yard appear closed off and unwelcoming. If your home’s architecture is formal than a wrought iron fence is the perfect complement. Nowadays, wrought iron fences are primarily made of aluminium and powder-coated various colours, with black being the choice of most homeowners.

Front Yard Fencing

Front Yard Privacy FenceIf the local codes allow, a tall privacy fence can be built in front yard. If the building don't have much space in back, this can be a good way to reclaim the front yard and use it for outdoor living. This fence is set back a few feet from the sidewalk to allow for planting space. The plants in front of the fence soften its appearance and create curb appeal. An Asian-inspired gate and pergola, set back even further into the yard, mark the entrance to this property.

Driveway GatesIf you plan to install fencing around your front yard you will likely need a driveway gate. Driveway gates provide security for your home, while allowing easy access for you and your guests. Plus, a well-designed driveway gate can serve as a focal point of your front yard. This particular driveway gate is a custom creation that combines wrought iron and wood. This gate style would go particularly well with a Mediterranean style home.

Front Yard Fencing

Fencing Corner LotsCorner lots can be tricky when it comes to fencing because more of your property perimeter is visible to the neighbourhood. In a way, it is almost like you have two front yards. In this case, the solution was to construct a wooden fence across the corner portion of this yard. This creates a small public garden and a large private garden. A scalloped design as well as lattice panels and a pergola for climbing vines make this fence especially attractive from the street.

Fencing a Large PropertyIf you have a large property in a rural area you may want to fence the entire perimeter, both front and backyard. Since this will likely require many feet of fencing, it is best to pick a simple design that will be cost effective. Here a simple post and rail fence jogs through the front portion of this large property. In this case, black is actually a more subtle colour choice than white because it blends nicely with the greenery without disappearing altogether.

6 Ideas for a Low-Maintenance Front Yard

Grow a Front Yard Meadow This front yard, located in Tustin, California, has large planting beds filled with drought-tolerant natives. A few seasons after planting, the beds filled in creating a colourful, meadow-like appearance. With a drip irrigation line providing water as needed, the maintenance requirements are minimal. However, some of the plants will need to be cut back on an annual basis. Before these beds were installed, nearly the entire yard was lawn, which required much more water and frequent mowing's to keep it looking nice

Select Lush, Low-Maintenance PlantingsThe design goal for this front courtyard in Montecito, California was to create a calming and intimate entry garden. The homeowner requested that the existing hardscape be removed and replaced with something other than lawn. Now a simulated stone path curves through the courtyard with lush, low-maintenance plantings on either side. The plant palette is made up of varieties suited for a Mediterranean climate and that offer a pleasing scent. The plants require little water and infrequent trimming, making maintenance a breeze.

6 Ideas for a Low-Maintenance Front Yard

Plant Natives Amongst a Bed of GravelIn the desert, the main maintenance concern is water-usage. This front yard near Tucson was enclosed with walls to create a courtyard and planted with a few high-water-use plants balanced by low-water-use desert natives. Furthermore, a detention basin captures runoff from the roof and puts the water back into the garden. This courtyard proves that having a lush and colourful garden, that is also low-maintenance, is a possibility, even in the Arizona desert. The secret is proper plant selection and good water management principles.

Go Modern with Grid Plantings of Cacti & GrassesThis modern front yard in Cardiff, California takes low-maintenance to an extreme, becoming almost a no-maintenance landscape. On the left side of the driveway a bed of Mexican beach pebbles is planted with a grid of barrel cacti. On the right side, rows of ornamental grasses grow amongst dark mulch. All this landscape requires as far as maintenance is some occasional watering and the cutting back of the grasses once a year. The beach pebbles and mulch are applied in a thick layer to discourage weeds from popping up and to retain moisture in the soil as long as possible.

6 Ideas for a Low-Maintenance Front Yard

Convert to a Water-Wise XeriscapeAlbuquerque has a unique climate that causes the maintenance concerns to vary by season. Plants need to be able to survive drought conditions, but also withstand occasional winter snow. This front yard is a great example of a high-desert xeriscape. A xeriscape strives to provide a beautiful landscape with as little supplemental water as possible. Easy-care perennial shrubs and grasses add colour and texture to this front yard, while coloured gravel mulch prevents weeds and retains soil moisture. After plants like these are established they require very little water and can be trimmed as necessary.

Trade the Lawn for Gravel & SucculentsFor many homeowners their front lawn is a source of pride, but if maintenance is a concern, lawns are among the worst culprits. Lawns are notorious for demanding both time and water, especially during the summer months. If you’re tired of mowing every weekend and want your water bill to return to a lower rate, consider trading your lawn for gravel and succulents like these homeowners did. Because of the reduced maintenance, you’ll find that you have more time to spend enjoying your yard. You’ll also have more money to put towards unique features, such as the in-ground water feature seen here.

Front Yard Hillside Landscaping

Skip the GroundcoverMany homeowners are faced with the challenge of landscaping a sloping front yard. The standard solution is often to cover the hill in groundcover, which isn’t always the most aesthetically pleasing option and can sometimes become invasive. On this property, which sits well above street level, the steep slope was planted with an assortment of grasses and perennials selected to provide maximum fall interest. Boulders were used to help retain the soil.

Create Interesting Access with HardscapeWhen the only access to your front door is directly up a slope, this can pose a challenge for visitors. To ensure that people can easily and safely find their way up a slope it is important to install a paved path. In the case of this Massachusetts home, reclaimed granite stones were used to create steps that traverse the hillside. Not only does the granite path provide access, but it also adds visual interest and breaks up the slope, making it appear less imposing.

Front Yard Hillside Landscaping

Use Terracing to Create a Grand EntranceA common solution for slopes is to terrace them into multiple levels. However, front yards are typically more about curb appeal and less about functionality, so you don’t have to worry about creating level areas of usable space. For this home, the yard was terraced to create an inviting entrance. Two sets of stairways flank a central fountain that serves as a focal point. This terracing solution is more about creating a look rather than creating space. A variety of trees and plants add to the overall effect of the design.

Install a Retaining Wall for Downward SlopesOn properties that sit below street level, slopes can be especially problematic. In a situation like this the main concerns are access and drainage. For access you’ll want to make sure there is a safe set of steps and for drainage you’ll need to make sure that runoff from the slope is not damaging your home. In this example, a retaining wall was used to support the slope and level out an area in front of the home. The design of the wall channels water away from the home and allows it to filter back into the ground before it reaches the foundation.

Front Yard Hillside Landscaping

Stabilize a Gentle Slope with a LawnIf your front yard has a gentle slope you may not need to take any drastic measures. As shown here, a slight slope can often be corrected with minimal grading and the planting of grass. Once established, the roots of the grass will work to stabilize the soil and hold it in place. However, keep in mind that it is more difficult to mow a lawn on a slope versus a lawn on flat ground. This approach will work in most neighbourhoods as long as there is sufficient city drainage along the streets.

Front Yard Water Features

Calming Courtyard FountainThis front courtyard in California is anything but ordinary. The designer’s goal was to create a calming entrance without any grass. A custom fountain with a stone catch basin was installed to the left of the curved path to add the soothing sound of running water. The fountain has a low profile so that it doesn’t dominate the design.

Front Yard Limestone FountainThis California property looks more like it belongs in the South of France. When you arrive at the front of the home you are greeted by a large retaining wall with a limestone wall fountain placed at its highest point. The fountain has three metal spouts that spill water into the basin below. A combination of evergreens and regionally appropriate perennials surround the fountain, softening its edges and providing contrasting colour.

Front Yard Water Features

A Sensory Entry FountainA good designer knows that a front yard should not be only focused on visual beauty, but that it should provide a complete sensory experience. Along the entrance path to this home, a custom fountain, clad in a vibrant tile mosaic, provides an auditory element. The fountain captures the attention of visitors as they walk along the path, causing them to pause and reflect.

Front Yard StreamWhile fountains are incredibly popular additions to front yards, you can also opt for something more natural. The front yard of this North Carolina property is steep and wooded, so it provided the perfect opportunity for a waterfall and stream. Large, flat stone were used to create a bridge, so that as you approach the front door, water is flowing beneath your feet.

Front Yard Water Features

Millstone Entry FountainThe front entry to this Tucson home is accented with a millstone fountain that rises up from beneath the surrounding pavement. Water gently spills over the edges of the round stone, creating a gentle welcoming sound

Modern Front Yard PondGoing lawn less doesn’t mean that your front yard has to be unattractive and boring. This example shows a geometric walkway that crosses over a rectangular pond. The pond has a dark bottom so that the reflection of the surrounding plants will be crisp on the surface of the water.

Front Yard Water Features

Pond less Urn FountainsThis front yard boasts two water features that are uplift at night. Made of ribbed ceramic urns atop an underground basin, this type of fountain is termed pond less because there isn’t a pool of water at the base.

Thank you

Submitted byAravindh101113002