3 Front Yard Landscaping Must-Haves

Your front yard is the first thing people see when they come to your home, and as we all know, a first impression is a lasting impression. This is one reason front yard landscaping is an essential part of the aesthetic of your home.

At State of the Art Landscape, we specialize in a variety of landscaping design and build services, including front yards. Working closely with clients we can help you develop a beautiful and welcoming lawn and garden that will add curb appeal to your property.

If you’ve been considering landscaping your front yard, here are 3 popular features to set you apart from your neighbors.

1. Focus on Walkways and Driveways with a Stunning Border 

The place we often start with front yard landscaping is by developing a border and dedicated entryway into the yard and your home. Paving stones, crushed limestone, or mulch are some of the products used to create these looks.

To begin, consider the layout of your driveway. This is the entrance into your home and front yard, so setting it apart from the lawn with a border of stone or gravel creates a sharp impact. Clean lines are essential to a classic, modern yard design.

Next, an entryway into your home from the driveway or lawn gives your home a welcoming appearance. Paving stones or a cobblestone walk are a whimsical way to develop a dedicated footpath without the need to set concrete or dig up your lawn.

To bring together these two elements, consider lining your path with the same product used to line the driveway. This creates a cohesive look and emphasizes the purposeful placement of each feature.

2. Add Some Layers and Structure 

Single level front yards are out, and layered lawns or structured features are in. Building up a retainer wall to separate raised land from dipped land makes the illusion that your yard is bigger and has more to it. If your yard is completely flat, you can build above ground wooden flower boxes, or create raised brick garden features. These add dimension to your property, making a small flat space into an intricate one that draws the eye.

The key to making this newly structured property flourish is to add greenery and floral elements. Garden beds should be filled with blue spiderwort flowers or Virginia bluebells. For land sectioned by retainer walls to separate layers, shrubbery adds texture and buoyancy to the layers.

3. Give Some Love to the Front Porch

As far as front yard landscaping goes, your front porch says a great deal about your personality as a homeowner. A large welcoming porch with steps leading out onto your new cobblestone path ties together home and yard.

There are so many amazing front porch designs in Virginia to choose from. Whether you want a patio-style porch or a small stone archway just before the door – the sky is the limit. One trend right now in Virginia, we’re seeing a lot of moderately-sized porches, big enough for a porch swing, small enough to maximize on gardening space.

When selecting a front porch, consider the colors and textures you’ve implemented into nearby landscaping. For example, if you’ve got red azaleas blooming on either side of the steps, it could be prudent to paint your front door red or add some red to your mailbox or welcome sign.

Bonus Feature: Potted Lights

Something to consider when planning front yard landscaping is the visibility of your yard. In daylight, your shrubs will shine, and flowers will pop, but what about at night? What’s setting your front yard apart from others when the sun goes down? Adding a lighting feature to your landscaping design will make your yard a place you can feel proud of day and night.

Planters can be used to shed some light on your beautiful new lawn. As a bonus landscaping tip, we recommend potted lights within planters. Not only does this illuminate all the beautiful greenery you’ve installed, but also it provides ambiance for outdoor activities, visitors, and reduces the temptation for trespassers.

Contact in the Professionals

For professional tips on front yard landscaping, or to begin bringing your front yard goals to life, we invite you to contact State of the Art Landscape. From water features to fencing and boulder work, we’ve got you covered.

Call 703-421-3666 to speak to one of our knowledgeable team members and begin transforming your front lawn into a home oasis.