Simple Front Yard Landscaping That Looks Great

A beautifully designed front yard landscape can completely transform the curb appeal of your home. While some think that landscaping projects require complicated designs and expensive plants, it's possible to create simple yet stunning landscapes on a budget.

With some planning, creativity, and elbow grease, you can upgrade your home's entrance in a weekend for less than you may think. Read on to learn tips and ideas for affordable, beginner-friendly front yard landscaping that looks professionally done.

Benefits of a Well-Designed Front Yard Garden

Putting effort into your front yard pays off in several ways. Here are some of the top benefits of improving your home's landscape:

• Increases curb appeal - A vibrant, well-kept garden attracts attention and gives your home visual interest.
• Boosts property value - Homes with attractive landscaping typically sell faster and for more money.
• Provides security - Strategically placed plants give privacy while allowing you to see the street.
• Creates an inviting atmosphere - Flowers, plants, and walkways welcome guests to your home.
• Improves energy efficiency - Trees or shrubs placed correctly can shade your home and reduce cooling costs.

Whether you're planning to sell soon or want to spruce up the place you call home, improving your front yard pays dividends.

Planning Your Landscape Design

The key to a successful landscape design is taking time to plan before picking up a shovel. Consider the following steps:

Take measurements

Use a measuring tape to find the exact dimensions of your front yard. Note things like slopes, drainage issues, and the locations of sidewalks or driveways. This allows you to map out beds, plants, and hardscapes to scale.

Map out beds, paths, and decor

Draw your landscape plan on graph paper, marking where different elements will go. Decide on the shape and locations of garden beds, paved areas, and decor items. Aim for geometric shapes in your beds for a clean, modern look. Make paths and beds wide enough for easy maintenance.

Pick a style

Determine the look you want, like formal and symmetrical, informal with curved beds, contemporary with hardscapes, or cottage style overflowing with flowers. Know your home's architecture so the design complements it. A landscape matching your home's style has the best curb appeal.

Choosing Low-Maintenance Flowers and Plants

To keep your front yard looking tidy without constant work, choose plants that thrive in your climate with minimal care. Some top options include:

Perennials

Perennial flowers come back year after year, saving you from replanting annuals each spring. Popular choices like daylilies, coneflowers, and asters are hardy, low-maintenance, and beautiful. Place them in beds near the street for maximum impact.

Ornamental grasses

Ornamental grasses add texture and color to gardens with nearly no upkeep. Grasses like Maiden grass, Fountain grass, and Switch grass are low-water and work in many climates. Cut them back once a year or leave them for winter interest.

Shrubs and bushes

Plant interesting shrubs like Boxwood, Hydrangea, and Holly along the foundation or in garden beds. They provide structure and greenery year-round. Choose varieties appropriate for your climate and prune occasionally.

Creative Hardscaping Ideas

In addition to plants, structures like fencing, stones, or pavements are key parts of landscape design. Consider including:

Mulch or gravel

Use shredded bark mulch or pea gravel in empty spaces to prevent weeds. Mulch also retains moisture for plants. Leave some soil exposed around plants to prevent rot.

Stepping stones

Add stepping stones to create walking paths through garden beds. This keeps foot traffic orderly and protects your plants. Choose materials like stone, concrete, recycled glass, or granite.

Simple fencing

Short, decorative fencing brings structure along walkways, edges, or between yards and sidewalks. Try inexpensive wood or metal options 1-3 feet tall. Paint or stain for added flair.

Easy DIY Landscaping Projects

Many front yard landscape tasks can be DIY if you have some time and motivation to get your hands dirty. Some ideas:

Plant flowers and shrubs

For instant curb appeal, plant vibrant flowers like Zinnias, Marigolds, and Begonias in beds near the street. Include a few evergreen shrubs for year-round color. Space plants appropriately and water until established.

Install a walkway

Define a walking path from your driveway to front porch with materials like brick, flagstone, or concrete pavers. Lay them edge-to-edge on a gravel base. Sweep off debris to keep it looking nice.

Add decorative touches

Personalize your landscape with fun accents like painted rocks, decorative containers,driftwood, or repurposed items like an old wheelbarrow overflowing with flowers.

Caring for Your Front Yard

Once your landscape is in place, minimal care keeps it looking fabulous. Be sure to:

• Water plants - Deeply water new plantings daily until established. Then water established plants 1-2 times per week.
• Weed regularly - Pluck weeds as soon as you see them to prevent spread and choking out desired plants.
• Prune occasionally - Trim back overgrown plants and shape shrubs once or twice a year to keep neat.
• Edge along beds - Use an edger every few weeks to define straight edges around beds and walkways.

Check for pests, treat diseased plants, and replace dead plants to keep your landscape vibrant. Estimate an hour or two per week for basic front yard care once planted.

Inspiring Photos of Beautiful Low-Maintenance Landscapes

Need a little inspiration for do-it-yourself landscaping? Here are a few gorgeous yet simple front yard gardens:

Cottage Garden

This overflowing display of flowering annuals and perennials embodies cottage garden style. Repeating colors and textures give it a relaxed, natural look. The stone path guides you right to the front door.

Modern Garden

A contemporary house needs an equally sleek landscape. This combines decorative grasses, lush foliage, and hardscape materials like gravel and pavers in geometric patterns. Concrete planters and pots add sculptural elements.

Formal Garden

Neat, manicured foundation plants, precisely edged beds and gravel pathways give this garden formal symmetry. Clipped boxwood hedges and containers brimming with flowers flank the entryway. It's elegant yet understated.

Woodland Garden

This shady landscape features leafy plants like ferns, hostas, and bushes with blue and purple undertones. Stepping stones wind through the beds beneath trees. It has a lush, naturalistic look perfect for wooded properties.

You don't need an advanced horticulture degree or hefty budget to give your home a welcoming landscape. A little planning and TLC makes it easy to upgrade your front yard over a weekend. Focus on greenery, splashes of color from flowers, and neat edges.

The investment pays off through improved curb appeal, a prettier place to relax outdoors, and a potential bump in home value when you're ready to sell. Don't let an overgrown, tired yard drag down your home's aesthetic any longer.