Front Yard Garden Design Ideas

While backyard gardens are always fun, finding front yard garden design ideas isn’t always easy. There is the ever-important curb appeal, possibly a wide range of restrictions if dealing with a homeowners association, and ensuring access to vital portions of the home (ie entryways, footpaths meters and environmental control units). All of these things have to be taken into account when planning out how the front yard will look.

Front yard gardens are a great way to showcase your creativity and gardening skills. It’s also a great way to add some green space to your home. While trial and error are wonderful to increase your garden know-how, doing so in the front yard can often lead to unsightly withered plants or poor light conditions leading to less than impressive growth. These tips will help to ensure your front yard garden will thrive, and so will your home’s beauty!

8 Plants That Are Perfect For A Front Yard Garden

Gardening is a hobby that many people enjoy. It can also be used as a way to keep fit and healthy, while increasing the curb appeal of any home. There are many different plants that can be grown in a garden, but not all of them will thrive in the same conditions. Here are 8 plants that are perfect for a front yard garden.

1) Cabbage: Cabbage is a plant that is often overlooked when it comes to gardening. However, it is one of the most versatile plants around and will grow well in most climates.

2) Thyme: Thyme has been used for centuries as a medicinal herb, a culinary delight and a beautiful ground cover.

3) Boxwood: Boxwood is probably the most common and most versatile front yard landscape design go-to, with its capability to be easily shaped with pruners, and can do well in both partial shade and full sun. Boxwood grows easily in ground as well as in containers.

Their ability to be pruned to almost any desired shape has made them a staple in any landscaper’s repertoire. They are often kept short and grown in rows as borders for garden beds. As long as the pruning is maintained, they will stay green and maintain their shape for years and years to come.

When a little more artistic design is desired, the boxwood is commonly pruned into a spiral, a sphere, or any number of designs. It is part of what has made the boxwood so popular.

4) Hydrangeas: Hydrangeas are very popular because of their ability to impress with large blooms that come in a wide range of colors. As long as the soil is very rich and kept suitably moist, they will be able to thrive in zones 3 through 9.

5) Yucca: Yucca are very low maintenance and great for the drier soil near the foundations of homes. They can get quite large and so they need a bit of room, but they do well in most zones, being cold tolerant all the way north to zone 3.

6) Iris: Iris are great because of their ability to maintain green, grass like leaves through all but the coldest climates year round. The bearded Iris is very popular because of the large blooms and ability to spread easily.

7) Elderberry: Elderberry prefers the bright full sun, but can do well in partial shade too, making it an ideal candidate for yards with varying degrees of sunlight exposure. The sweet, edible berries are also a draw for local wildlife.

8) Rosemary: Rosemary is another kitchen favorite that makes for a wonderfully aromatic evergreen that will grow well in the front yard. In zones 6-10, rosemary does very well as a perennial, and can excel in containers for further north. Its natural pest repellent aroma provides even more enticement for those who like to spend a nice afternoon on the porch.

Lawn Care is Not to be Overlooked

When it comes to an impressive front yard garden, one of the most commonly overlooked, yet important pieces is the grass. Having a green and well-kept yard is not only aesthetically pleasing, but can also improve the value of your home. It can be intimidating at first, but with a few basics, the grass can be a source of pride and envy in the neighborhood. Here are some simple tips to help you care for your front lawn.

1) Water your grass regularly: A well-watered lawn will be greener, have fewer weeds and better root growth. There are many water-efficient watering methods available to keep your lawn looking its best. You can use an automated system or a sprinkler to water your lawn for you.

2) Avoid over watering your grass: If you consistently over water your grass, it will not only become weakened,, but will also develop brown spots, disease and insects. Your grass is likely to need more water than what your sprinklers are providing.

3) Mow your yard regularly: A properly maintained lawn will require less power and fewer resources to maintain.

4) Avoid over- fertilizing your lawn: It is important to only use the recommended quantity of fertilizer on your lawn when you are fertilizing. Too much fertilizer can be damaging to the natural environment and too little will compromise your lawn’s health

5) Never dump excess water on your lawn or garden: This will cause your garden to be much more likely to have a fungus that can harm plants, not only watering them too often but also during periods of drought.

Home Remedies & Herbal Cures To Treat Your Garden’s Ailments Naturally

Gardeners often need a variety of plant remedies to help out their plants. These are some common home remedies for your garden ailments like plant disease. Whether you’re looking for a solution for aphids, weeds, or ailing plants, there are plenty of home remedies to choose from.

The most important thing to remember when it comes to gardening is that you should always consult your garden’s soil before adding anything. If your soil isn’t fertile, it could be because of a lack of moisture or because the garden hasn’t been cared for in quite some time, so make sure you check the state of the dirt before starting anything new.

1) Lemon water: Lemon water can help keep your plants healthy by killing the bacteria that causes infections. The acid in lemons also acts as a general fungicide, and an ascorbic acid powder is used to get rid of toxins in the soil. (Plantain leaves: These are great for healing a plant from heat exhaustion, and will help alleviate most of the effects from heat stress.)

2) Lemon tree leaves: If you have a lemon tree in your garden, pluck some leaves to sprinkle into your soil. This can prevent fungal diseases.

3) Basil: Basil is a popular accepted remedy for mildew, since it kills the spores. Basil can be sprinkled around your plants, or rubbed directly on the leaves to discourage mildew growth when you have a small outbreak.

4) Neem oil: Neem oil is a powerful repellent for insects as well as a treatment and preventative for fungus and mildew. Make sure to check the packaging of neem oil products to know exactly how to use it because it has a very strong smell, and it can easily overpower fragrant blooms if used in excess of recommended doses.

Little Touches can Make a Big Impact

Take the time to asses your front yard. With all the different options, it can be hard to know what to put where. Make sure to take into account how tall plants will be, if they will be blocking windows or impeding views from the house. With that in mind, these few tips will round out the front yard garden design beautifully.

1) Plant trees and shrubs: In addition to being beautiful, trees and shrubs provide shade and improve the overall appearance of your yard. Adding plants with colorful leaves, like roses or jasmine, will also add curb appeal.

2) Make your garden unique: While going with native species to your local area will ensure high likelihood of a thriving garden with minimal effort, taking the time to walk around the block and see what others have will allow for a stand-out front yard. Put together a list of common accent plants, trees and shrubs, and incorporate a few, but make sure to install a few that will set your yard apart from the others too.

3) Enjoy yourself: No matter what the curb appeal, make sure that when you are working in the garden or are sitting on the porch enjoying the nice weather, your enjoyment of the garden is important. Spending time in the garden is a wonderful way to relax, relieve stress and connect with nature. Enjoy yourself!

 

Front Yard or Back, Get out and Get Gardening!

With these tips and tricks for designing your best front yard garden, the rest is up to you! Spend some time planning and don’t forget to actually get started! That can be the hardest part sometimes, I know! But no matter what, you’ll feel better once you get out there and start gardening!

Do you have any recommendations or feedback to add to the discussion? Then comment below! I answer every comment. You can also email me at randi@fairycirclegarden.com or send me a message through social media as well!

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Wishing you all the best,

Randi