The front yard is one of the most important parts of any property. It is what neighbours see when out for a walk, and the first thing you see as you come home from a long day’s work. You deserve to have a beautiful and inspiring front yard that says welcome home. Here are some tips from Ottawa’s Landscape Expert for planning a unique and attractive landscaped front yard:
Analyze the Site
Every front yard is different. Elements like the size, sunlight volume, shade patterns, and topography will play a large role in what kind of yard you can plan. Also be aware of the presence of electric lines, cable lines, water pipes, and so on. Use the strengths of your yard to your advantage, and avoid weaknesses. If you have a shady yard, avoid planting flowers that require full sunlight. If you have a flat yard, plant flowy and large blooming plants that create shape. Take all of these elements into account, and you will have an attractive and functional landscaped front yard.
Creating a Walkway
Grass, plants, and trees are meaningful in terms of aesthetics, but walkways play the most important function. If possible, you should try to follow the natural access patterns for your yard. A path that leads directly from point A to point B won’t just be the most practical, it will also likely be the most cost-efficient solution. Walkways should be safe and well-lit.
Choosing Plants, Shrubs, and Trees
Once you have the general layout in place, now comes the time to choose your plantings. You can rotate plants with every season, but trees, shrubs and ground covers will be more permanent installations. The best landscaped front yards have a good mixture of plantings but follow a general theme. However, don’t be afraid to follow your instincts as long as the plantings make sense for your climate, sun/shade volume, and so on.
Lawn Gone?
Lawns require a lot of maintenance, and it’s difficult to get that perfect lush lawn every season. Though Hansen can certainly help with this issue by maintaining your lawn, you may want to investigate planning a front yard with no grass. A beautifully landscaped yard with winding paths, attractive rock features, vegetables and abundant greenery and plantings makes a convincing alternative.
Whether you’ve come up with the perfect landscape design and want the talented Hansen Lawn & Garden team to execute it or you would like our assistance with designing your front yard, we’re here to help. Give us a call and let’s start the process!