Front garden design ideas, inspiration & pictures

How do I create a fantastic front garden?

The front garden ideas that you put in place directly contribute to the first impression that your home makes and while a tasteful, stylish house façade is essential, your garden has a distinctive role to play as well. So, what should you be thinking about when you start settling on an aesthetic and in what order should you start doing things?
Start by thinking about how much space you actually have to play with. Sketch out a plan, with accurate dimensions included, so you can be sure that your garden ideas will actually fit.
Move any garden furniture to the rear garden, as this will free up valuable front space and keep your socialising a little more private. The best backyard ideas always include furniture anyway, so you will be killing two birds with one stone.
Prioritise hardscaping first, so that you will have the paths, steps and edging that you need, to maintain easy access to your home.
Prepare your soil properly, in accordance with the plants you are going to use. Different varieties will need various soil conditions to thrive, so always combine these two elements together.
Start planting front the front of your house, under low windows and beside porches. Gardeners will explain that this allows you to control plant heights so that they won’t encroach on your interior light flow.
If you are planning to plant trees or shrubs, always make sure that you know what the maximum size they can reach is. You don’t want to get overrun.
pondAdd some finishing touches, such as hanging baskets, planters, garden ornaments or even a little . This is when you can let your creativity run a little wild, to garner a unique and beautiful space.

Which plants work best in a front garden?

You might assume that any plant can work in a front garden, but don’t forget that this is a space that will be exposed to extreme elements, potentially, more traffic and even extra pollution, if you live on a busy street. With that in mind, you need to think about hardy plants that will still fit into your chosen colour scheme and aesthetic. Some fantastic options to consider include:
Trees. Small to medium varieties work well and offer just enough shade without overshadowing your home.
Shrubs. Anything that can be sculpted will work exceptionally well, while offering great ground coverage.
Annuals. These are pretty blooms that need to be replanted every year but offer huge doses of vibrant colour. Marigolds work exceptionally well.
Perennials. These plants offer exceptionally pretty aesthetics alongside low maintenance care. Consider heavily scented varieties, such as lavender, for a sensory overload.
Grasses. Tall, fluffy grasses can make for a wonderful front garden design, as they fill available space quickly, garner a lot of attention and even add a touch of exoticism. As landscaping ideas go, this one covers most bases.

How can I include parking in my front garden?

One of the best benefits of having a front garden is that it could offer you the potential to enjoy off-road parking, but you don’t have to choose between a parking space and seriously stylish landscaping, but the two don’t have to be mutually exclusive. If you want the best of both worlds, follow these tips:
landscape architectCreate clear zones, using pretty hardscaping. You need a level, easy to clean surface to park your car on and self-contained beds for your plants. A professional  will make light work of this for you.
Consider adding some differently coloured stone, to add a little more excitement.
Keep everything really simple.
Don’t forget to think about adding some security, such as a gate.

Do I need to have specific pathways?

When it comes to front garden landscaping ideas, it can be easy to forget about pathways, but let’s remember that you’ll need to be able to get to your front door, easily. As a general rule, brick, stone or paving slabs paths are best and you will want to create a simple flow from the street to your door. You can get creative and edge your walkways with various materials, but always think about ease of use, simple maintenance and how they will look from the street.

I have a small front garden, what can I do?

You might think that just because you don’t have a huge front garden, you can’t do a lot with your space, but that simply isn’t true. Try one of these stylish ideas, to make the most of your garden:
Lay a stepping stone path.
Plant large numbers of brightly coloured flowers, in hanging baskets.
Create a small front patio with high quality materials.
Put planters to great use.
Mix and match the materials that you use, but keep them natural.