A Guide to Designing Your Front Garden Amy Smith, September 20, 2022June 18, 2024 A Homeowner’s Guide to Designing Your Front Garden The front garden is the first thing that people see when they come to your home. It’s a great way to show off your personality and make a great impression. It’s also a great chance to showcase your green thumb, so you can be proud of the work you’ve put into it. But with so many options out there, it can be hard to know where to start. So here are some tips suggested by Aspect Concrete & Constructions on how to design your perfect front garden: Choose your gardening style. The first thing to consider is the style of your garden. The style of your house can help you choose an appropriate look for the front garden, but there are other considerations too: Do you want a formal or informal look? Formal gardens are usually symmetrical and have a strict layout. Informal gardens have more freedom in terms of plant choice and design. What do you have available in terms of space? If you don’t have much space, it might be more practical to go for an informal style so that plants can grow together without needing much space between them. How much money do you want to spend on your front garden? A large budget may allow you to create something very elaborate using topsoil and cement paths, whereas a smaller budget might mean that some cheaper material such as mulch will need to be used instead (although this won’t affect the overall appearance). What are the key features of your front garden? The front of your house is the most important and visible part of your property and as such, it should be carefully planned. The front garden is the first thing that people see when they come to visit you or walk past, so it should be inviting. Think about how you want visitors to feel when they arrive at your home by thinking about: Size If you want to create an intimate space for yourself and your family then a small space will work well but if not then go big. Remember though that while size doesn’t matter in this case, the shape does. You need enough room for all of your plants without overcrowding them – after all, no one likes walking into a jungle. Shape A rectangular-shaped space will allow more room for planting than an oval-shaped area would, however, some people prefer circular gardens because they can make good use of shapes such as circles or triangles which both look great when planted with tall trees around them (think tulip poplar) while being less likely than other shapes (such as squares) which tend not suit themselves quite so well from plant choices point-of-view.” What is the purpose of your front garden? The purpose of your front garden is to provide space for practical amenities and activities, as well as enhance the aesthetic appeal of your home. The first thing you need to do is decide what you hope to accomplish with your front garden. To begin, let’s consider how a front garden can benefit the homeowner: A place for parking vehicles in front of their home (e.g., driveway) A place for outdoor dining and entertaining friends or family members (e.g., patio) A place where kids can play (e.g., sandbox or swing set) How much maintenance are you willing to do? The next step is to consider how much maintenance you want to put into your garden. A front yard can be a lovely place to relax and enjoy the outdoors, but it also needs to be able to withstand some wear and tear. There are several ways that you can go about determining what plants would work best for you. If you have little time or energy for gardening, choose plants that need little maintenance. Annuals are good options for this because they will only last one year; however, perennials grow back each year and require less care than annuals do. Some perennials even come back without any help from the gardener at all. These include hostas, astilbe (Astilbes), bleeding hearts (Dicentra), daylilies (Hemerocallis), and sedums. Consider a garden path. A garden path should be wide enough for people to walk comfortably, level, and straight with a good surface. A path can be made from different materials, such as paving stones, wood chips or even river stone. River stone, or elvestein as you might call it, comes in many different colours and sizes depending on the location it’s from, so whether you want pure, sparkling white or warm, inviting gold, there’s plenty to choose from. Paths are also often lined with plants that enhance the look of your front garden, like grasses and herbs. Use the right materials. Your front garden is the first thing people see when they come to your home, so choose materials carefully. Use durable and low-maintenance plants and hardscapes that are easy to clean and maintain in order to keep your front garden looking great for years. It’s important to select materials that can be repaired easily if something needs maintenance, such as a pathway or fence. Recycling is also crucial because it helps you minimize waste sent to landfills, which can harm the environment. Recycling means reusing products that have already been made so that fewer resources need to be used in manufacturing new products for consumers. Get creative with your front garden. When you are designing your front garden, you should use your imagination. There are many ways to create an amazing space that looks good and is practical for you. Here are some other things to consider: Use recycled materials in your garden Use natural materials for the structures of your garden (wood, stone, etc.) Choose native plants for the area where you live. These plants will grow easily with less water than exotic plants from other parts of the world. Native plants also attract local wildlife that may visit regularly or hibernate in them during the winter months. Native plants can help control erosion by holding soil in place better than non-native species would if planted instead. Conclusion The front garden is an essential part of any home, so it’s important to get the design right. With the right planning and a little creativity, you can create an attractive and functional space that will enhance your home for years to come. Photo by Digital Marketing Agency NTWRK on Unsplash Share on FacebookTweetFollow usSave For the Home designfront gardenlandscapingmaintenancepathwaysplantsrecycling