A Sense of Welcome - Front Yard Landscaping

One of the key decisions when drawing up adon't know them. They will also pass on tips if
garden design is how to approach the front yardyou need them. You also can take a leaf from a
landscaping. Behind the house, in the backyard,plant or a digital picture, and your local nursery
you can hide a million things that nobody sees, butshould be able to identify the plant from that.
the front yard is your home's 'public' face as itCare And Maintenance
were. So this begs the question - how do youAll plants prefer good well drained soil, mulching
want others to see it - and therefore you?and occasional feeding with manure and other
Another consideration is value adding. Qualitytargeted feed from time to time. In the heat of
landscaping can 5% - 10% value to your propertysummer keeping up the mulch will conserve water
- and this can benefit you if want to borrowand keep your plants happy. Having said that,
against accumulated equity or, more importantly,many plants will grow in soils and conditions that
if you are putting the house or property up forare not optimal. I have grown roses will in the
sale. Good landscaping doesn't have to cost antropics - with a constant fight against fungal
arm and a leg - even if the front yard is quitediseases! But I deemed it worth it as I can't live
large. Trees can fill up large spaces whenwithout roses! The better the growing conditions
combined with lawns. They also can add a touchthe better the plant will be of course. Soils can
of serenity or elegance.always be improved and mulching helps be more
Inviting and Welcomewater wise in dry regions. Clays can be broken
By their shape and foliage trees can also add bedown with gypsum and sandy soils can be built up
an extra architectural feature in their own right.with regular mulch and manure. If you need
This can also be true in small front gardens if youinformation on how to plant (soil, mulch etc), the
use trees like silver birches or Japanese maples orlocal nursery will always provide free advice. They
flowering cherries or almonds. Some simple bedswill also tell you what plants are drought resistant,
of cottage flowers are easy to construct andtough, not delicate and how fast they grow and
inexpensive - and with all the color you can obtainwhat maintenance they need.
from annuals like marigolds, foxgloves or petuniasQuality
and the like - you add both a sense of welcomeQuality comes from balance and careful
and enhance the front yard with beauty. Theplacement of what plants you choose for your
main aim is to create a sense of invitation andfront area. Simplicity works well, as do more
accessibility. As we don't use the front for muchcomplex designs that incorporate a wide range of
else, it doesn't have to cost a lot. A simple designplantings and features like cottage garden beds,
usually works best.hedges, trees, bushes, arches, fountains and so
DIY Front Yard Landscapingon. Add to that a perception of order (in the
Anyone can do their own front yard landscaping ifsense of tidy, not necessarily formality). Finally,
they need to save the expense of professionaladding subtle landscape lighting can heighten the
landscape architects. If you do not know what tobeauty of your garden and make your front yard
choose, simply look around at the better gardenslandscaping an asset at night as well as in daylight.
in the street and neighborhood - to see what youKeep an eye open for "The Backyard: Trash-heap
like - and if they look healthy, then you knowor Treasure?" (Landscaping For Beauty And The
they will also work in your garden. GoodEnvironment - Part 4)... and later a dirty story
gardeners love to talk about plants and garden(Soils ain't dirt!
owners will identify the names of the plants if you