Landscaping Ideas for a Front Entry
- With very little planting space this door and single vining plant make a huge impact.blue door image by Marek Chalupnik from Fotolia.com
When you approach a home, the front entry is the first area you see. This makes it the most important part of your landscape. It also will be frequented year round, so it must look good all the time. Apply the same design principles you would inside the house. Make sure the door, plants and hard elements blend well. Make choices that set your front entry apart but still let it fit into the surroundings. - This bungalow and entry garden blend in English Cottage style.english cottage garden image by Paul Hunt from Fotolia.com
The first consideration is your home's architecture. A tall house will warrant taller plants and structures. A traditional home will require more formal plants. Even if you choose to go against typical design principles, start with them. The house, paths and planting beds should flow together. The front entry should look good at a single glance. You can use bright paint and colorful flowers to catch the eye, but even the best materials will look flawed if they do not blend with the period of the home. - This front entry design guides visitors from the sidewalk to the front door by way of an iron gate.entrance. gate. closed gate image by L. Shat from Fotolia.com
Paths must lead efficiently to the front door. They should be at least 3 feet wide and easy to maneuver. Hard paths will cut down on debris tracked into the house. The paths can lead from the sidewalk, driveway, or both, depending on natural foot-traffic patterns.
If the door has no sheltered area, consider adding a small covered porch to keep visitors dry. A front porch may sell your home, according to an article by Phoebe Chongchua in "Realty Times." This is important, because most home buyers decide from their cars whether to take a closer look. If you're not trying to sell your home, an attractive front porch encourages community. A small house can support a porch large enough for a chair or two. - The plantings in front of this entrance are arranged to frame the doorway.Fontaine garden image by Imagenatural from Fotolia.com
Select front entrance plants for visual impact. Trees rarely are used because of their size, but small containerized trees can be an exception. Good container trees include Japanese maple and crape myrtle. The trees at a front entrance should be small, but also able to tolerate wind and heat. Choose dwarf trees that are young enough to be shaped. Columnar plants such as sky rocket juniper (Juniperus Sky Rocket), or sky pencil holly (Ilex Sky Pencil) will add an exclamation point to either side of the doorway. You can let them grow tall without fear of crowding the home.
Topiary plants in containers also can add controlled height to a front entry. You also can choose evergreen shrubs less than 3 feet tall to mix with perennial flowers. The shrubs will create structure through the year when the other plants decline. Choose fragrant plants that bloom in winter. Hellebore (Helleborus), is an evergreen perennial that blooms in late winter. Sweet box (Sarcococca) is a small evergreen shrub that produces small, fragrant, white February flowers. To span more seasons, use plants that also produce berries or have peeling bark. - Decorative planters can serve as garden art at a front entrance.Pots asiatiques (Vietnam) image by Ludovic LAN from Fotolia.com
Items placed near a front entrance are important landscape features. A sculpture or some garden art can add personality. Avoid clutter by using one or two items. Choose art elements that complement the home and that can withstand weather. Concrete sculptures and containers are heavy and stay in place. The weight also discourages theft. Colorful ceramic containers can brighten a doorway. Use thick-walled containers that can stay outdoors year round. Change the plants inside the containers according to the season.
