Landscaping in front of the house: ideas and common mistakes


Landscape design should cover the entire site, so when designing the main territory, pay attention to the space near the residential building. The front garden in front of the house will become the owners’ calling card, from which they can get an idea of ​​the rest of the landscape design picture. Information about ways to design a flower garden, options for planting and decorating ideas will help when landscaping your own front garden at home.

Types of front gardens

It is impossible to list all the possible design options for a front garden. To understand the variety of species, a conditional classification of flower beds will help. Open and closed flower beds are distinguished by shape. The open one has no fencing, except for a low curb. As a rule, visibility is possible from all sides. Often filled with compact plants that look especially elegant against the backdrop of a mowed lawn.

Enclosed front gardens are distinguished by the presence of a hedge. They can be located between the house and the main fence or be placed outside the fence and additionally decorated with a low fence. Often tall plants are present in a closed flower garden.

There is also another approach to the design of a front garden, which is conventionally divided into Russian and European. In the first case, the composition of the flower garden is revealed at its best when viewed from the window and is primarily intended for the owners. The European approach to landscape design is focused on passersby. The beauty of the front garden is directed outward.

Another difference between Russian and European composition is the manner of planting and selection of plants. In the first case, the front garden looks more natural, it uses plants familiar to our latitudes, and requires less care. A European-style flower garden is a standard of style and elegance, where every blade of grass in landscape design knows its place.

Preference is given to evergreen plants, which maintain the attractiveness of the front garden all year round.

Beautiful front gardens near the house in the photo below:

Design methods

It is not at all necessary to strictly adhere to one or another design method in landscape design. When choosing the type of front garden, they are guided by the location and configuration of the house, the proximity of the main fence and other factors. Here are some design examples:

  • Border flower bed. A popular solution is to lay out a flower garden in front of the house, which can partially frame the building around the perimeter. To enhance the decorative effect of a border flower bed, hanging plants hung on the walls in hanging flowerpots are intended.
  • Flowerbeds supplemented with an artificial pond are more difficult to design. This could be a compact pond, along the edges of which moisture-loving plants are planted, a small waterfall or fountain. Even a miniature object with water will transform the landscape design and add sophistication to the atmosphere. Advice! If water is present in the design of the front garden, it is better to design it in a well-lit area so as not to create additional dampness near the house.

  • Planter flower beds. A flower garden, where the surface is covered with pebbles, with flower pots placed between them, will help reduce the time spent fighting weeds and caring for plants.
  • Rockery. It is not at all necessary to use vegetation in tubs in landscape design. An elegant rock garden, which harmoniously combines sparsely planted plants and stones, can decorate the area in front of the house.
  • Vertical gardening. If there is very little space in front of the house, but there is a desire to decorate the facade, turn to vertical gardening. In addition to hanging flowers, climbing plants are widely used, for which trellises are prepared on the walls of the house.
  • Multi-tiered flower garden. When a residential building is located on a slope, a practical landscaping technique in the form of a multi-tiered front garden is useful for decorating the area in front of the house.
  • Mixborder. Thanks to the selection of plants that ensure flowering throughout the warm period, it is incredibly popular in landscape design. It will require an area near the house at least 1.5 m wide.

Various options for front garden design in landscape design are presented in the photo:

Design style

The opinion that plants in the front garden are planted chaotically, without a specific concept, is wrong. Landscape design methods offer many styles, among which you can choose the direction that best suits your own worldview about harmony and aesthetics.

Advice! When determining the design style of the flower garden in front of the house, it is recommended to maintain compatibility with the rest of the landscape design of the site and the architectural concept of the buildings.

Rural style

The reason for purchasing a country plot is often the desire to become closer to nature and move away from the bustle of the metropolis. The front garden and the rest of the landscape design with traditional village elements will help you immerse yourself in the atmosphere of naturalness as much as possible. A characteristic feature of a flower garden with an emphasis on rural themes is a certain touch of sloppiness. There are no clearly defined lines, rigor or pretentiousness here.

For decoration, choose perennial flowering plants that are undemanding in care. A low fence looks relevant. This could be a wicker fence or a picket fence. The rural style of landscape design is the optimal solution for decorating a front garden with your own hands.

East direction

The direct opposite of a rural flower bed is a flower garden with a touch of oriental style. As a rule, these are rockeries or other forms of front gardens, complemented by stones and artificial ponds. Characteristic design features:

  • The lines of the landscape design are arbitrary, but there is clarity in the configuration. There is no place for chaos here.
  • Preference is given to laconic forms. The flowers are selected to be medium-sized, without bright colors.
  • Evergreen plants of dwarf species are extremely in demand for decoration.
  • Stones are used as fencing.

The originality of oriental motifs is demonstrated by the front garden in the photo below:

Mediterranean atmosphere

A feature of landscape design, which declares the Mediterranean style, is mobility. The front garden is decorated by planting flowers in pots and tubs, which can be easily moved to another place.

Mediterranean style is distinguished by brightness and variety of decorative elements. Here you can find a comfortable chaise lounge for an afternoon rest or wicker chairs with a table. Plants are chosen with lush greenery or bright blooms. Often the use of wooden trellises entwined with vines. A comfortable stay in such an environment will be ensured.

Democratic modernity

There are no special restrictions when decorating a front garden in a modern style. Experiments in planting new plant varieties are encouraged here. For example, European larch and boxwood will look organic, and natural stones will not be out of place. If desired, you can build an alpine slide.

The landscape design of the front garden with a touch of modernity necessarily includes neat paths lined with paving slabs. From the outside, this design resembles a small corner of a decorative park.

Hints of romance

A conversation about a romantic atmosphere in landscape design invariably evokes associations with exquisite roses. When decorating a front garden, mostly bright plants with beautiful flowering are used. The fencing material used varies, but the most stylish look is a low wrought-iron fence with openwork elements.

An arch entwined with climbing plants will effectively complement the atmosphere of a front garden in a romantic style. Their varieties will be discussed further.

What can be included in the landscape design of the front garden in front of the house

Landscaping a front garden with your own hands is a fascinating activity that requires patience, perseverance, creativity and a flight of imagination. Viewing finished design works will give you inspiration, and our recommendations will help you become a master of your craft and create a site that you can enjoy and be proud of.

1. Fencing

A front garden fence can simply separate a site from the outside area, or it can become a decorative element or part of a landscape design composition. Types of fencing are classified according to the materials from which they are made.

  • There are stone, metal and wooden fences. An ordinary brick fence or one made of corrugated sheets is not very aesthetically pleasing. A wrought iron fence with gaps is much preferable to a metal fence.
  • The classic arrangement of the facade of the site is a wooden picket fence. This is dictated by the convenience of its parameters, which allow you to view the entire territory while simultaneously creating barriers. The choice of color depends on the taste of the owner of the site. It can be either the natural color of the wood, or white, blue, green or brighter shades.
  • The oriental style of front garden design is perfectly emphasized by a low stone fence, which provides little protection from the entry of strangers, but perfectly suits the style.
  • The most interesting option for a fence is a hedge. It is created from plants with a voluminous crown that tolerate constant pruning. They are planted in a fairly dense row and are regularly trimmed as they grow. After some time, a dense decorative hedge is obtained.

2. Accessories

Having chosen a certain style of landscape design for the area in front of the house, you need to adhere to it in everything, including the choice of accessories that decorate the front garden. You shouldn't post a lot of them. In this case, less is more. A bright accent will be wooden or ceramic figurines and figurines, a large stone or boulder, decorative flowers, a swing, a gazebo, etc. Solar lamps carefully selected in style will add a special charm to the front garden. However, plants undoubtedly play the main role in the composition. It is their choice that decides everything in landscape design.

3. Plants

Having determined the style of landscape design, you can begin to select plants, taking into account the characteristics of the territory of your personal plot. When creating a landscape design for a small area in front of the house with your own hands, you need to correctly distribute all its elements. With the help of some tricks you can make a small area much more spacious visually.

Plants planted directly in front of the house are selected taking into account their flowering period. This ensures the front garden a beautiful appearance and continuous flowering in spring and summer. In autumn it will be decorated with the spectacular colors of the foliage of various shrubs, and in winter it will be enlivened by the green paws of conifers and evergreens.

The chosen landscape design style should also be the basis for the plants chosen. For example, sunflowers - the crowning element of a rustic style, go perfectly with simple wildflowers - daisies, bells, forget-me-nots, etc. The romantic style befits a large number of majestic flowers - lilies, hydrangeas, roses in mandatory combination with climbing plants like clematis.

4. Color scheme

The color scheme also depends on the chosen direction. Rustic style welcomes a wide variety of shades, from delicate and calm to the brightest. The design can also be executed in monogamy from different plants of the same shade.

For example, maintaining a laconic style of the house and garden plot, you should limit yourself to one or two shades that are close to each other. To visually expand the space, you need to focus on cool colors - blue, lilac, green. To add light to an area, it is wise to focus on warm colors - yellow, coral, orange.

All plants must be combined with the overall design of the house, the color of buildings and fences. The bright walls of the house will be perfectly set off by modest varieties of flowers and shrubs, and the colorful landscape design of the front garden will enliven a house painted in gray, white or another neutral color.

5. Cultures

Typically, home gardens are landscaped and decorated with annual and perennial herbaceous plants. Lawns are sown with varieties of suitable grasses. Various shrubs and sometimes trees are no less popular in landscape design.

Flower beds are made up of a wide variety of flowers and non-flowering plants, based on the chosen design and taste of the owner of the house. There are many nuances. For example, it is much better to decorate a small space with crops with small leaves and flowers. The beauty of plants with large leaves and flowers requires space. Climbing crops require support, so it is better to place them next to arches, walls, and fences.

Shrubs make a great addition to the yard. The most common of them are barberry, honeysuckle, acacia, rose hips, mock orange, and lilac. In addition to ornamental shrubs, the front garden can also be enlivened by berry crops, which are especially popular now. A self-created landscape design with flowering and fruiting Japanese quince, currants, rose hips, and hawthorn looks great both in spring and autumn. Some types of shrubs, planted in a dense row, serve as an excellent hedge and decorative element of the site, provided they are regularly trimmed.

You should not plant a large number of trees in front of the house, thereby shading the area. A few copies are enough to focus attention on a specific point. For this purpose, coniferous or deciduous trees, including fruit-bearing ones, are used. Coniferous and evergreen plants look more impressive alone, in the form of a column or ball. For front garden landscape design, dwarf conifers are most often chosen, which resemble toy copies of large trees.

A separate item considers the design of lawns planned on the site. First you need to determine its purpose. For example, a lawn intended for walking is sown with trampling-resistant species of ornamental grasses. Herbaceous plants with decorative foliage are more suitable for planting in flower beds and garden beds. The most common are hosta, fern, heuchera, and cereal grasses.

Front garden design

Any landscape design object requires preliminary design. Before starting to design a flower garden, a plan is drawn up, the main points of which cover the following points:

  • Dimensions and configuration of the front garden.
  • Design style.
  • In accordance with the chosen direction of landscape design, a suitable set of plants is determined.
  • A planting sketch is drawn up, which takes into account the height of the vegetation and the flowering period.
  • When using bushes, they stop at low specimens, not exceeding the base of the house.
  • If the front garden is located on the side of the house without windows, you can plant compact pyramidal trees.
  • A bright accent will add harmony to the landscape design. It could be an exotic flower or a decorative figure.

Attention! In order for the front garden to develop fully, plants with identical growing conditions are selected. First of all, this concerns the requirements for illumination and soil characteristics. There are no restrictions regarding the growth rate.

At the final stage, they consider the need for fencing and the material for decoration. Naturally, the style of landscape design is taken into account.

What you need to know about landscape design

When designing an area, it is necessary to create a complete picture of plants, since it is completely under review.

The following rules must be observed:

  1. Trees and shrubs must be planted at such a distance from the fence that it does not interfere with their growth and development.
  2. Fruit trees should not be placed near drainage holes.
  3. The closer to the fence, the greater the height of the plants.
  4. There should be no tall trees or bushes in the foreground that block the view.
  5. In the selection of plantings, each one should stand out in color, shape, or height.
  6. The variety of colors creates a more interesting effect.
  7. Planting of perennial plants should be done in autumn or spring.

Flowers and plants

The front garden is, first of all, a kingdom of flowers, which can be supplemented with shrubs, trees or succulents if desired. Therefore, we will dwell on flowering plants in more detail. In order for the flower garden to illuminate the landscape design with bright colors throughout the warm season, it is recommended to select plants with different flowering periods for its design. The proposed grouping will make it easier to complete the front garden.

Spring primroses

After a dull winter, primroses, most of which are represented by bulbous plants, will enliven the area in front of the house. Suitable for landscape design:

  • Snowdrops and blueberries. They will delight you with flowering at the end of March - beginning of April. It is recommended to plant near bushes.
  • Crocuses. They bloom almost simultaneously with snowdrops and are valued in landscape design for their varied colors. There are no restrictions on the choice of location in the front garden.
  • Muscari is considered a relative of hyacinth. In landscape design they find their place along the border and in an alpine hill. They reproduce independently with the help of children.
  • Vesennik will add sunlight to the front garden, which will color the area near the house with bright yellow blooms. Prefers shaded places. Looks impressive in a rocky composition.
  • After the primroses comes the daffodil. Depending on the variety, the front garden will sparkle with white and yellow flowers.
  • Frost-resistant periwinkle will decorate a landscape design area. In addition to its decorative function, it is used as a remedy to combat hypertension and vascular spasms.

Comment! Primroses are short in stature, so it is recommended to plant them in the foreground in the front garden.

Spring-summer set

When spring moves from a cool stage to a warmer period and approaches summer, the following plants are used for landscape design:

  • Pansies. Flowers in blue, purple, white and yellow shades will be a worthy decoration of the front garden.
  • Adonis. The main requirement is fertile soil that tolerates well-lit and shaded areas of landscape design.
  • In the sun, short alyssum will sparkle with purple hues. Does not like waterlogged soil and needs good drainage.
  • The unpretentiousness of bergenia will be appreciated in a front garden with a rustic style of landscape design. The plant survives without replanting for 10 years.
  • Landscape design will benefit from decorating the front garden with hyacinths. Thanks to the variety of bright shades, an exquisite composition can bloom in a flower garden. But the flower is quite capricious, afraid of frost, winds and does not tolerate excessively wet soil.
  • Primrose can create a colorful carpet in the front garden. The main condition for full development is fertile soil and sufficient moisture.
  • Violet is characterized by similar growing conditions.
  • The peony has royal luxury. Landscape design will be enriched not only with lush flowering, but also with the pleasant aroma of flowers in the front garden.
  • The delphinium looks extremely impressive in the front garden. If the landscape design does not have enough colors, then flowers in pink, lilac and white shades will successfully eliminate the problem. You just need to take care of high-quality soil fertilization.

The competent design of the front garden in front of the house is shown in the photo:

Summer palette

Summer is the richest season for bright colors in landscape design. To enjoy the lush flowering of the front garden in front of the house, be sure to take into account the climatic conditions of the region when choosing plants. Possible solutions:

  • The orchid's relatives, the irises, will delight you with their exquisite inflorescences. Flowers are resilient in the harsh conditions of northern summer.
  • June is the finest hour for cornflowers. The beauty of flowers will be ideally revealed in the rural style of landscape design.
  • Lilies, the variety of varieties and colors of which are difficult to list, look no less impressive in the front garden.
  • Among the perennial plants that grow successfully in cool-climate landscapes, Fischer's clove and echinacea deserve attention.
  • Delicate inflorescences of cornflower will decorate the front garden in June.
  • Basilisk requires regular watering. It will add yellow, hot pink and white shades to the landscape design.
  • Astilbe requires similar growing conditions in the front garden. The flowering period occurs in mid-July.
  • Pelargonium blooms for an incredibly long time. The front garden will be filled with its flowering from June until the first frost. The only condition for maintaining beauty is timely fertilization of the soil.
  • Unpretentiousness and shade tolerance are characteristic of loosestrife.

Attention! The rapid growth of the flower creates a threat to nearby plants in the front garden. Therefore, it is given enough space in landscape design; the reproduction process needs to be controlled.

Among the annuals you can choose marigolds, begonia, calendula, and matthiola. Petunia, snapdragon, salvia, purslane, and lobelia will ensure long flowering for the front garden.

climbing plants

Climbing plants can create a beautiful backdrop in a compact front garden or decorate the romantic atmosphere of landscape design. The presented species are very popular among flower growers due to their high decorativeness and ease of care:

  • Clematis. Making an arch or trellis is a common landscaping technique using clematis. The plant loves well-lit areas protected from the wind. May die if the winter temperature drops below -15°C. There are many shades and shapes of flowers that can decorate a front garden.
  • In warm regions, wisteria will add sophistication to landscape design.
  • It is impossible to imagine a romantic landscape design style without a climbing rose. During cold weather, the plant needs shelter.
  • Unpretentiousness and high decorativeness in the autumn season are characteristic of virgin grapes.
  • Landscape design will be transformed with attractive morning glory, which is undemanding in care. Blue, purple, white and pinkish flowers will be a worthy decoration of the front garden.

Examples of front garden design and harmonious landscape design in the photo:

Autumn colors

In order for the front garden to retain the attractiveness of the landscape design for as long as possible, it is recommended to use plants whose flowering period occurs in autumn. The choice of one type or another depends on the experience of the gardener and the time he is willing to spend on care. Some specimens are unpretentious, others need careful care.

Design options:

  • Gladiolus can be called the king of autumn. The richest assortment of varieties will allow you to fill the landscape design of your front garden with a wide palette of colors. But the regal flower requires close attention in its care.
  • Yarrow. Multicolor and durability in unfavorable weather conditions are the outstanding advantages of the plant.
  • The chrysanthemum is not inferior in decorativeness and variety of colors. The landscape design will be illuminated with the splendor of colors, the flowering is long-lasting and can withstand even slight frosts.
  • Variegated asters, which do not require special knowledge in floriculture, can support the concept of a rural front garden style.
  • Colchicum is also unpretentious; low flowers occupy the foreground in landscape design.

In addition to flowers, the front garden is decorated with shrubs, compact trees and evergreens. Honeysuckle guarantees beautiful flowering and subsequent blue or red fruits. But to maintain a neat appearance in landscape design, the plant requires regular pruning. Barberry looks impressive. Among the evergreen representatives of the flora, boxwood, juniper, thuja, and dwarf pine are in demand in landscape design.

Comment! When there is very little space for a front garden, the local area will be decorated with succulents planted in pots that are raised on a stand for a better view.

Perennials for the shade garden

It is among perennial plants that most of all are those that prefer areas protected from sunlight. Thanks to this diversity, you can create flower beds, flower beds, mixborders and place them in the shade, either from the street or from the courtyard. Experienced gardeners especially love these plants:

  • Hosta grows best away from the sun. And with good soil moisture, its foliage will be simply magnificent, which, depending on the variety, can be monochromatic or variegated. The choice is great. Hostas combine well with other perennials and annuals.


Hosta in the flowerbed

  • Lily of the valley is a classic plant for shaded areas of the garden. Flowers in the form of bells will especially delight you in early spring, when they are especially decorative.


Silver lily of the valley

  • Astilbe japonica "Bonn" prefers moist soils. Flowers of bright carmine color are shaped like curls. Astilbe needs shade in the afternoon.


Astilbe japonica variety "bonn"

  • Meadowsweet will fill the most seemingly lifeless areas with the aromas of summer. Flowers of the “Nana” variety delight the eye with a deep pink hue. Meadowsweet prefers moist, well-drained soil.


Meadowsweet

  • Brunnera tolerates any degree of shade very well. It is worth considering that it grows very quickly. Therefore, it is better to plant it in places that require urgent and abundant landscaping.


Brunera sibirica

  • Ferns. You simply cannot do without this plant in a shady garden. It goes well with other types of plants. Prefers moist soil.

Fencing options

A fence for the front garden is designed to give the composition near the house a complete look. There are many design options in landscape design. The type of fencing is chosen taking into account the location of the building and environmental conditions. A flower garden with a low fence looks most impressive. The material depends on the style of landscape design. Here are some current examples:

  • A picket fence or wicker fence will organically complement the rural direction of landscape design. The service life depends on timely care. But even with short-term use, replacement will not be a problem due to its affordable cost.
  • Forged fencing looks elegant and sophisticated in landscape design. The high price is compensated by a long service life. Suitable for modern and romantic style.
  • Admirers of the East should pay attention to the stone fence of the front garden.

It is not always possible to install a low fence so that not only the owners, but also passers-by can admire the beauty of the front garden. Sometimes you have to use a secure fence. A row of trees will help hide the structure in the landscape design. In this case, the decorative function is often performed by evergreen specimens.

What else can be included in the landscape design in front of the house (photo)

Shaped design of bushes

An original design for a personal plot can be a topiary trimming of shrubs or hedges. They can represent a makeshift gate, lead to the main entrance in the form of an interesting path, or resemble columns and statues. Shrubs planted in the middle of the plot and drawing attention to themselves look unusual and attractive. Topiary trimming of ornamental bushes is great, but it requires much more effort, expense, patience and skill than creating a regular flower bed or lawn and garden paths.

Fountains and ponds

The highlight of any style of landscape design of a personal plot will be a fountain or an artificial pond. Installing a mini-pond, swimming pool or gurgling waterfall is the creation of the brightest element of the author’s composition, which can be complemented by a bench, swing, animal figurines and other decor conducive to a romantic mood, peace and tranquility. The shape and size of the composition have no restrictions; they depend only on the imagination of the owner of the personal plot.

Green rooms

The creation of stylized mini-rooms in the open air is gaining increasing popularity in landscape design. This could be a green room, a wicker seating area, a gazebo with some furniture, decorated with a vineyard or plants in container pots. A table for tea drinking and lamps are required, giving a charming atmosphere of comfort.

To protect the furniture from bad weather, it is recommended to make a roof for such a “living room”.

Multi-level garden

The uniqueness of the landscape design of a personal plot is successfully emphasized by decorative elements made of stone, wood and other natural materials. Any composition will be decorated with artificial or natural irregularities, making it full and voluminous. The area can appear visually wider and higher if you plant flowers on high stands or create garden paths with steps.

By laying paving slabs from various materials and a variety of colors, you can achieve a 3D effect.

Decorating ideas

Decorative objects are designed to add even more attractiveness to landscape design. Certain elements are selected depending on the size of the front garden. It would be useful to equip a large area with a neat path. Lighting will help extend the opportunity to admire the composition in the evening.

It is advisable to choose low lanterns with streams directed directly at the front garden, which will not dazzle the eyes. Small statues, beautiful flowerpots, or hand-made figures made from tires and plastic bottles are used as decorative objects. It all depends on the style of landscape design.

There are countless options for designing a front garden. When planning, the location of the house relative to the fence, free space, and the style of the rest of the landscape design matter. Taking into account all factors will help to organize a harmonious front garden that will remain attractive for a long period.

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