The front yard is the first visual appeal for friends, family, or any passersby, so it should be captivating and appealing. Whether you own a small plot or a huge yard, it’s possible to create beautiful, low-maintenance outdoor landscaping in an affordable way.
You must have heard about “less is more,” and now it’s the time to implement the mantra in your yard. The yard landscape should set the tone of the house where you can spend precious time with your friends and family. If you are searching for low-maintenance landscaping ideas for the front of the house, we’ve rounded up some of the best ideas for your yard.
If you are living in a 55+ manufactured home community such as the gorgeous Lavender Meadows in Sequim, Washington, then the chances are that you no longer have the mobility to do all that work. And more so—you might not get the joy out of those intense landscaping projects quite like you used to. That’s why low-maintenance landscaping options are so desirable.
Tips to Consider When Planning for Low-maintenance Landscaping
Soil Preparation
Loosen the soil underneath the new plant to aerate it, allow roots to grow strong, and add compost.
Dense Planting Practice
Dense plantations ensure less chances of weed growth. If you don’t like dense plantations, let mulch in your garden perform the same task in a sparse plantation.
Low-maintenance Landscaping Ideas for Front of House
Landscaping can increase a home’s value instantly. The idea of low maintenance fills your mind with innumerable ideas, and you don’t know what to do or how to proceed. Whether you have any prior experience with flowers, pavement decoration, or any other idea or are fresher, we will help you with some low-maintenance landscaping ideas. Let’s have a look:
Opt for Gorgeous Evergreen
This is an amazing low-maintenance option for the yard. Evergreens are available in various shapes, sizes, and shades. If you have limited space, opt for a dwarf variety with a conical shape without any pruning requirement.
Incorporate a Small Tree in Your Front Yard
Use small trees strategically in the yard to add vertical interest and create a focal point. Small trees also provide shade and save you from noisy neighbors. The best feature is that it requires less upkeep and no pruning. Consider plants like rosemary and lavender that grow well in the Pacific Northwest and add a soft splash of color and fragrance to your garden.
Plan Your Entryway
The entryway is the first visual interaction of your friends and visitors to your home, so make it inviting and memorable. Brighten up the space on either side of the entryway with colorful containers with shrubs and flowers.
Cohesive Color Palette
Bring uniformity to the garden with a cohesive color palette for various reasons, such as reducing the cluttered look and making it look organized and spacious. This idea works wonders for a small front yard because uniform color themes change the appearance to a bigger space. Always keep in mind the foliage shades and blooms before selecting the color of the landscape plants.
Low-maintenance Groundcover
Groundcover is a practical way to create a natural carpet for the front yard that requires no mowing, less water, and fertilizer. Other advantages of these groundcovers are that they reduce weeds and soil erosion because the dense layer stabilizes the soil. The best area to grow ground cover is along the mulched areas and pathways.
Accent Your Landscape With Flowering Trees
A flowering tree accentuates the outdoor look without requiring much upkeep. Flowering tree become the focal point of your yard with bare minimum upkeep. You can opt for Kousa redwood or redbud trees. Kousa redwood is disease-resistant, and redbud trees have beautiful spring flowers.
Raised Beds Boundary
To keep the front yard spic and span, raised garden bed, especially made with natural stone, is a great idea as it lasts long and is visually appealing.
Fencing Idea
Selecting durable material fencing is a functional idea to enhance the look of the outdoor space and to keep the yard protected from animals and peeping eyes.
Invest in Window Boxes
Hang window boxes for colorful flowers without hassle and investment. The best thing is that you can change the plant with each season to enjoy the sight of stunning flowers. Opt for self-watering boxes to save you time, as they will need weekly watering.
Add Multiple Fun Features
Add layers of fun features in the yard for a unique impact. A flower bed, vegetable garden, a fire pit, and a cornhole set up, you can bring it all in one yard.
Upgrade Landscaping With Low-maintenance Plants
Select the right plant for an affordable and low-maintenance landscape. Spend time on research when buying flowers. For cold weather, you need to select a plant that can survive extreme cold weather.
Select Perennials for Your Garden
Investing time and money on perennial plants is worth the investment as they grow year after year giving beautiful flowers. Opt for catmint and coreopsis for full sun and dicentra for partial sun.
Incorporate Native Ornamental Grass
Ornamental grass is another option for low-maintenance landscaping. There are various options of native grass which don’t require an expert hand to maintain, but can be used to create a border, add texture to the landscape and fill seasonal interest in the space.
Minimal Upkeep With Gravel and River Rocks
Consider gravel and river rocks for front yard landscaping because they won’t require fertilizer, sun, or water and are a cost-effective option for lawns and garden beds. Gravels are best for pathways, driveways, and walkways. To keep gravel in place, you can opt for homemade mulch glue, which can bind gravel at minimal cost.
Lush Appearance With Artificial Turf
Artificial turf is a smart option that requires minimal effort and investment. Unlike its inception, artificial turf has evolved over the last sixty years into multiple varieties.
Extend a Finishing Look With Mulch
Mulch gives landscaping a finishing touch and also protects plants from overheating by acting as a barrier between the sun and the plants. Mulch also holds water in the garden to allow it to reach the roots of plants.
Conclusion
Proper planning and creative ideas can easily create a low-maintenance landscape. You can elevate the curb appeal of your front yard with low-maintenance plants, beautiful lighting, recycled items, and many more, as mentioned in this article.
