The best front yard plants for your yard will make the entire space more visually pleasing. You can create a focal point by planting one or several types of flowering shrubs. You can design the entire space around a focal point, such as a building, or you can simply choose the most appealing landscape features. In either case, the plants you choose will establish the mood, style and feeling that you want to convey.
Choose the best front yard plants for your climate because not all flowers are available in all places. If your front garden space doesn’t already contain several flowering shrubs, begin with a variety of low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plants suited for shady areas or those with small size. Consider replacing the traditional landscape with colorful edging of striking, exotic herbs, zinnias and marigolds. Some of the best fall color options include burgundy, gold and deep orange; cool to warm, bright yellow and orange; and fall hues like brown, tan and gold.
Shrubs and climbing plants provide an elegant accent with their rich, colorful blooms. Consider planting marigolds, scented verbena, tangy anemones, kalanchoe and witch hazel in the front yard. Many ornamentals, such as the popular bluebirds and ladybugs, also attract bees and butterflies. Bushes and flowering perennials provide color year-round, adding instant contrast to the array of flowers. Perennials such as these will fill in your garden after the flowers begin to die back.
In addition to the types of flowering and landscaping plants already mentioned, consider the following planting ideas: vegetable gardens in pots, hanging baskets and planters. Herb gardens can be of great interest to everyone in your family, while flowers and grassy vegetables can be enjoyed year-round by the entire family. Consider these step-by-step gardening tips for creating beautiful gardens that work well for everyone in your home.
Plant perennials as the base of a flower bed or container and alternate annuals and perennials throughout your garden. This allows you to move plants around without fear of them dying or becoming diseased. Perennial plants offer year-round blooms and are easy to maintain. Two perennial plants that are extremely easy to grow are the San Francisco bay plantings and the California poppy.
Cultivars can be used to add interest to your perennial garden. Some of the most popular gardening tools include: garden gloves, hoes, spades and axes. Herbs can be potted, as well, and can be further organized by their varieties and sizes using special containers designed specifically for herbs. Consider planting herbs such as basil, chives, chervil, oregano, parsley, thyme, tarragon, and wintergreen in containers that attach to walls or trellises.
Gardening can be simplified by using simple garden design plans that outline not only the growth pattern of each plant but also the spacing between each plant and the location you intend to place them when they reach maturity. Garden design plans can help you build a small vegetable garden on a deck or on a patio or even in a larger space. Using gardening containers is an excellent way to create a variety of different looks and colors. These containers can be purchased at your local home store or online and can be decorated with your favorite fabric, tassels, flowers, or even art and designs.
Other landscaping ideas include planting beds with edible landscapes, such as herbs and vegetables. Herbs such as basil, chives, chervil, and garlic cupped in aluminum foil on top of a bed will keep pests away and provide culinary herbs for you and your family to enjoy. Bountiful flowering garden plants are also an inexpensive way to add color and vibrancy to your landscape. Popular flowering plants such as marigolds and sweet peas can be planted in large pots on your patio or deck. When used in this manner, they can bloom all year around, producing fresh herbal flavor throughout the summer and late winter months before losing their leaves to the cool wind.