How can I make my front yard beautiful?
When planning your front yard design, making the space beautiful is naturally going to be top of mind. “Having an appropriate response to architecture is paramount to the success of any front yard,” says Geoff Valentino, Chicago studio director of Hollander Design, an architectural landscaping firm. The scale, form, and materiality of your home’s architecture should all be carried into the landscape design, so it’s always a good first step to learn as much as you can about the style and design of the home itself before embarking on the landscaping.
How do I make my front yard landscape?
Once you understand the design of your home and (hopefully) the style of landscaping that will suit it well, plan your specific project. “Start by developing circulation patterns for vehicles, parking areas, and pedestrian walkways in and around the architecture,” Valentino says. “Then you can begin to layer in site features and planting that relate to the home and become an extension of it.”
How can I make my front yard look more expensive?
No matter how much or little money you put into your front yard, dying plants, patchy grass, and general disorganization will make the space look cheap. “Every yard has microclimates—sun exposure, wind, climate, soil, drainage patterns, existing plants, and habitats—that influence where plants will thrive and where you’ll be comfortable spending time,” Valentino explains. He notes that using these elements to guide design decisions will give you the best luck in creating a sustainable and long-lasting front yard.
Take the time to study plants in your neighborhood to see what’s thriving and what’s not, and pay special attention to healthy plants already growing in your yard, he suggests. Understanding the natural environment of your site will go a long way in making your yard look higher end. Here we compile front yard designs to gather ideas and inspiration.
Landscaping ideas with floral features
Embrace your wild side
Easy to grow begonias add just the right amount of color.
Photograph: JLGutierrez
Flowering shrubs pack a punch.
Photograph: Lisa Romerein
Cascade terraced plant beds
Go ombre
A uniform palette of flowering hydrangea can go a long way.
Photograph: Ghislain & Marie David de Lossy
Mobilize potted plants
A courtyard can never have too many potted plants.
Photograph: Jeremy Woodhouse
Plant in patches
Think of your front yard as a floral patchwork quilt.
Photograph: Greg Pease
Embrace rows of flowers
Follow the floral path of pansies.
Photograph: nikoniano
Grow a flower gradient
Look to a color wheel when looking to plant blooms in a gradient.
Photograph: Mark Turner
Take advantage of the vertical space
Climbing plants like ivy raise your front yard to a new level.
Photograph: Mint Images
Single out flowers
Clusters of hydrangea add volume.
Photograph: Rosmarie Wirz
Give your porch some action
Low-maintenance ferns add inviting texture.
Photograph: Jumping Rocks/UIG
Plant perennial flowers
Plant perennials, like azalea bushes, for a worry-free front yard.
Photograph: Moelyn Photos
Refresh with annual flowers
Zinnias brighten a walkway.
Photograph: Steve Terrill
Frame with a flower arch
Nothing says welcome like a voluptuous flower arch framing the doorway.
Photograph: Andy Sotiriou
Park a wheelbarrow planter
Upcycling an old wagon with geraniums adds a sustainable twist to your front yard.
Photograph: carenas1
Greenery ideas for your front yard
Layered greenery
Use greenery for a smooth transition from yard to home.
Photograph: AndreasWeber
Ornamental grasses
Ornamental grasses add movement to landscaping.
Photograph: RiverNorthPhotography
Shaped hedges
Hedges and topiary make landscaping prim and proper.
Photograph: fishysam
Add a colorful border
A purple pathway rolls out like a rug in this Hollander Design project.
Photograph: Charles Mayer Photography
Cascading plants
Cascading ivy brings in a wild element of enchantment.
Photograph: Gareth Kirkland Photography
Add garden steps
Embrace nature by allowing it to take over steps in the just right way.
Photograph: Jacky Parker Photography
Modern hedges
Think outside the box with a sinuous hedge.
Photograph: Mayabun
Front yard ideas for tree lovers
Employ privacy and shade
Shady trees in the front yard look lovely, and can reduce energy costs.
Photograph: Philippe Gerber
Sit around trees
A book nook beneath an olive tree.
Photograph: Nadtochiy
Dress up your trees
Billowy black-eyed Susan dress up tree trunks.
Photograph: Todd Ryburn Photography
Source native plants beneath trees
Hollander Design creates a perimeter of native grasses to pad the trees and invite pollinators.
Photograph: Hollander Design
Plant a citrus tree
Perky citrus trees send energizing vibes.
Photograph: Bluberries
Add an allée of trees
A movie-like setting by Hollander Design.
Photograph: Hollander Design
Ideas for a novice front yard landscaper
Give gravel a go
Gravel is a natural choice for front yard landscaping in hot weather climates.
Photograph: shank_ali
Manage mulch
Mulch creates contrast and keeps weeds at bay.
Photograph: posonsky
Succeed with a succulent garden
Succulent landscaping is sculptural and modern.
Catherine Ledner
Keep it symmetrical
A balance of greenery makes your front yard as pretty as a picture.
Photograph: i-Stockr
Embrace asymmetry
Greenery that tips the scale in the right direction.
Photograph: Beau Lark/Corbis/VCG
Keep it simple
Keep the front yard landscaping to a minimum and let the architecture speak for itself.
Photograph: contrastaddict
Move toward minimalism
A simple entryway only needs a plant, or two.
JohnnyGreig
Front yard ideas that channel a mood
Tap into desert mode
Less is more, when it comes to desert landscaping.
Photograph: ivanastar
Play up the architecture
Channel your home’s personality with blooms that complement the architecture.
Photograph: AOtzen
Charm with cottagcore
Look to story books for cottagecore inspiration.
Photograph: KenWiedemann
Chill with Mediterranean style
A mix of delicate wildflower and full foliage shrubs create an organic design.
Photograph: hrstklnkr
Ideas for creative walkways and driveway ideas
Grass pavers for an eco-friendly design
Geometry meets nature.
Photograph: vladj55
Cobbles and grass joints
Concrete tapestry melds greenery with function, as shown by Hollander Design.
Photograph: Hollander Design
Space out your path
For a laidback feel, keep pavers spaced, as if they just surfaced from the grass.
Photograph: dbvirago
Define borders with lined pathways
Spherical shrubs counterbalance a linear path.
Photograph: Richard Bloom
Expand your driveway
A spacious front yard feels airy.
Photograph: PaulMaguire
Herringbone walkways
Bring out this favorite tiling pattern outdoors.
Photograph: Shaiith
Pattern your driveway
A driveway doesn’t have to be boring.
Photograph: PJ_joe
Outline with lines
You don’t need to stay in line to have a wow-worthy front yard.
Photograph: Kwanchai_Khammuean
Ideas for creative seating
Aim for Adirondacks
You can’t go wrong with this American staple.
Photograph: Scott Barrow
Bring the indoors out
Al fresco dining you can see from the street.
Photograph: Johner Images
Ideas for unique lawn alternatives
Use grass pavers across your entire yard
Think of your front yard as a giant grass puzzle.
Photograph: Chaloemphan
Minimize lawn and create a sanctuary
A front yard for the birds, literally.
Photograph: Charles Mayer
Incorporate a clover blend
Plant clover in the front yard as a lucky charm.
Photograph: Hollander Design
Ideas for the water-obsessed
Ponder a pond
Let a lily spotted pond beckon guests.
Photograph: C.Franke
Add a reflecting pool
Serenity now.
Photograph: charles mayer photography
Focus on a fountain
The splashing of the fountain will keep your front door open all day long.
Photograph: Bahadur Ali
Consider “Falling Water”
A landscaped waterfall and koi pond.
Photograph: TimAbramowitz
Ideas to add mood lighting
Perimeter lighting
Lighting the front yard greenery gives your home curb appeal, even at night.
Photograph: welcomia
Sculptural lighting
Light globes guarantee a grand entrance.
Bespalyi
Ideas for life on the rocks
Rain-scape to manage water
Intention puddles are part of rain-scaping.
Photographs: Oksana Akhtanina and Colors Hunter – Chasseur de Couleurs
Rock flower beds
Rock flower beds look as if they’ve plucked from nature.
Photograph: itman__47
Think about stone landscaping
Rocky terrains give a front yard a sculptural element.
Photograph: oday222
Ideas for rethinking landscaping materials
Accent the grass
Grid-like pavers look like a fancy outdoor rug.
Photograph: Mark Adams Photography
Reimagine concrete
Concrete is the smooth operator of your front yard.
Photograph: piovesempre
Mix textures
Mix-and-match stone for optimal impact.
Photograph: David Papazian
Layer steel walls
Industrial meets organic.
Photograph: Pete Starman
Nurture natural stone
Create a path that looks as if it’s been there all along.
Photograph: RiverNorthPhotography
