Front Yard Landscaping Plans

The Layout Plan

There are two types of layout designs, the symmetrical design and the asymmetrical design. No matter which pattern you choose, it is important that you balance out all the elements of the landscape, and importantly create a feeling of unity within the elements. Symmetrical designs means having a mirror like division of the front yard and house. such houses, a symmetrical landscape design works well. In a symmetrical design, plant the elements in the yard like trees and shrubs in almost an equal number to give a balanced look.


Though, symmetrical landscape design can be a bit difficult to achieve, they compliment nicely with houses which have symmetrical design and a formal look. On the other hand asymmetrical designs give a more relaxed look and are easier to create and plan. However, it is important that you balance out the asymmetrical landscaping plans in front of the house properly. Also, arrange all the elements in such a way that everything gives a feeling of unity. An example of asymmetrical landscape design would be having the location of the pavement somewhere towards the left side of the house. can see in the top and middle image, front yard landscaping plans which follow the asymmetrical pattern. This was about planning the basic layout, which lays down the foundation of the softscape and hardscape elements.

Adding Softscape Elements

The softscape materials or elements used in front yard landscaping plans are the plants, for example, the trees, shrubs, flowering plants, the lawn, etc. After deciding your layout, you need to make a wise selection of the trees and shrubs which you want to plant in your front yard. Make sure you go with the trees and shrubs which are a mix of two seasons, so that they help to accentuate the yard in both summer and winter season. is better to go for native plants, as they have already adapted to the soil, water and weather.

The right placement of the shrubs and the trees is very important, so keep in mind these front yard landscaping ideas. Never plant trees right in front of the house, and avoid planting the shrubs too close to the pavement or driveway. Shrubs should be planted on either side of the driveway, and should be placed in an odd numbered group of 3 or 5. While planting trees, consider the size and space that a full grown tree will take and have enough space around it. Plant the trees at the edges of the house, to soften the pointed edges of the roof. You can plant some trees at the front near the edges of the house, and few at the back, which will blend the man made house nicely in the front yard and backdrop.

To add flowers to the yard, make sure you just go for a few number of plants like 2 - 3 flowers of contrasting colors, and avoid a riot of colors. Too many accents should be avoided, as it will spoil the look. You can see in the middle image, that there are very few flowering plants, but still the house and the yard looks good and inviting. Even without adding any flower plants, you can create a good looking front yard landscape. choice of hedges is up to you, depending on whether you want a screen and boundary around your house. Make sure you select the hedge type wisely, and plant it around 15 - 20 feet away from the street.

Adding Hardscape Elements

The hardscape materials or structural materials are the fences, walls, paving, etc. Make sure you have a driveway which is around 10 feet wide, but if your driveway also serves as the road leading to your front door, then make it wider. This will make walking on the driveway easy in case a car is parked on the driveway, and prevent stepping on the lawn. There are various choice of materials for the pavements. You can go for a brick wall which is the most attractive material, or go for stone, wood or concrete material. you have a bigger budget, and good amount of space then you can consider going for a secluded courtyard design, or accent your yard by having a water fountain or a garden pond.