When people think of sprucing up their landscapes, the backyard gets most of the attention. After all, we spend a considerable amount of time back there!
But if you want your visitors to feel welcome, some thought needs to go into planning your front yard too. And if you’re thinking of selling your home, the stakes are even higher — a property without curb appeal may be undervalued or passed over entirely.
But how do you create a great first impression? It’s actually easier than you think, since a lot of issues are cosmetic or require simple fixes. In this post, we’ll share our top tips for creating a front yard that’s warm and inviting.
Add landscape lighting
Most people have a porch light, but that doesn’t really add a lot of curb appeal or safety to your property. Often times it isn’t even bright enough to illuminate your house number, making it difficult for the pizza delivery guy to find your house at night!
When it comes to lighting up your front yard, there are a few key areas to keep in mind:
- The path to your door should be lit to avoid having people trip or accidentally walk through the garden.
- Your front entrance should be well-lit so you can clearly see who is at your door at night and your guests feel welcome and aren’t left lurking in the dark.
- Lighting up your house number makes it easier for people to find you at night.
- Other areas you’d like to draw attention to, like specimen plantings, sculptures or architectural features.
There are all sorts of lighting types to choose from too… flood lights, bullet lights, garden lights and more. When you’re ready to install your lighting, we can help you decide which ones would be best for your yard.
Widen your pathway
A wide front path and entrance give the impression of being welcomed with “open arms.” This could be as simple as cleaning up the grass and other plantings that have invaded the paving stones, or constructing a whole new walkway.
A good rule of thumb is to make your walkway about four feet wide, so two people can approach the front door side-by-side. A nice, wide entrance also gives you plenty of space to spruce it up with seasonal planters.
Another consideration that’s often overlooked when planning a front walk is the natural traffic pattern. Just because a path looks nice winding around a raised garden bed doesn’t mean it’s practical. You want to make sure people arrive at your front door as easily as possible. This is something we pay close attention to when designing new front yards.
Paint your front door
This is probably the easiest solution to a tired front entrance. A coat of paint can make just about any door look new and fresh. The trick is to find a colour that suits your home’s exterior and shows a bit of your personality.
Hanging a colourful wreath on your door or framing it with seasonal planters is another way to make visitors feel special — and it’s also a nice way to welcome yourself home too!
Evaluate your plantings
Often people will put too many plants in the garden, forgetting that they grow and will become overcrowded. This isn’t aesthetically pleasing and it isn’t good for the plant, either. Planting them too close together stresses them out and leaves them prone to disease and fungus.
To remedy this situation, thin out your perennials (give them to a neighbour or plant them somewhere else on your property), prune your shrubs and go easy when adding annuals to your front garden.
When choosing plants for your front garden consider their mature size, colour palette and even the scent of the flowers. Nothing says “welcome” better than a walkway flanked with fragrant blooms!
Include a focal point
Having a point of interest in your front yard can make it more memorable as well as inviting — whether it’s a beautiful Japanese maple, a special water feature or a gorgeous statue (personally, I’d stay away from pink flamingos or garden gnomes, but to each their own).
If you decide to add a water feature there are all sorts to choose from, such as fountains, basalt columns, bubbling rocks or even pondless waterfalls. Listening to the sound of water makes sitting on the front porch more relaxing than ever!
Change it up with seasonal decor
Your front entrance is also the place to showcase your decorating skills! Planters full of colourful annuals, holiday wreaths and special displays, like pumpkins at halloween, is a cheery way to welcome your guests. You can find plenty of inspiration for outdoor decor on Pinterest or Instagram.
Ready to make your front yard more inviting?
First impressions are important. If you want a thoughtfully designed front yard so you can welcome your guests in style, Raymar Landscapes can help plan and build walkways, steps, porches, gardens, trees, pillars and walls, driveways and much more.
Simply contact us to talk about making your front yard shine!