Did you know that strong curb appeal can boost your home’s value by around 7% or more? Whether you’re looking to move or just want a more attractive property, small changes can make a difference. You don’t have to spend a fortune to increase the wow factor.
Read on to learn about small front yard landscaping ideas that can improve your home’s curb appeal!
Add Planters
An easy way to spruce up your curb appeal is with planters. Large, stately planters on either side of a front stoop can help frame an entryway. They also can be placed at the front of a walkway, or even along a walkway.
Planters also present an opportunity to introduce some colors and textures to your front yard. Choose a ceramic pot with a glittery finish or robust color, like salmon or blue. Or go with a pattern to add more intricacy.
The plants you put in the planter are important to defining your landscaping, as well. Fill your planters with pruned boxwood or arborvitae for a geometric approach to greenery. Alternatively, you can add flowers like begonias or geraniums for rich colors.
Upgrade Your Lighting
Small yard ideas always should include upgraded lighting. Even the smallest yard can look grand or inviting with the right lighting. Best of all, outdoor lighting upgrades won’t set back your budget.
Solar outdoor lights allow you to harness the sun’s energy to power some ambient lighting. Brighten a walkway or spotlight unique greenery with LED lights. String some party lights across a front porch as another way to bring charm to your yard.
With many solar lighting options, you can install stakes in the ground to secure them. Look for sleek modern designs or Craftsman-inspired styles that pair well with traditional homes.
Refresh Your Flower Beds
Do you have any flower beds in the front of your property? If you don’t, it’s time to add some. But if you already have a few flower beds that are looking mangy, consider giving them a refresh.
Livelier flower beds are among the simple landscaping ideas that can help your yard pack a bigger punch. Plant hostas for reliable foliage that can do well regardless of how much sun they get. These lush plants bring vibrant green colors and textures to enhance any flower bed.
For pops of color, introduce flowers like coneflowers, marigolds, or daylilies. Try native plants for softer textures and colors. Just be mindful of how much shade or sun each type of flower needs.
Once you’ve planted or refreshed a bed, stay on top of weeds. Adding fresh mulch to a bed is a good way to keep the weeds at bay – and it looks good. Additionally, you’ll need to be attentive to watering to ensure each newly landscaped bed thrives!
Window Boxes
If you’re short on space for new flower beds, look to your windows for help. Window boxes are a charming way to introduce plants to the facade of your home. These boxes can hang beneath windows to bring both structure and vibrancy to your property.
Affix window boxes to first-floor windows to make accessing them for watering easy. Choose boxes in a color that matches your front door or contrasts the color of your home. Then choose plants in complementary colors for a striking dose of color.
For another take on window boxes, place them along the fence line surrounding your property. This is an easy way to bring color to an otherwise monotone border.
Plant Some Evergreens
Is your front yard looking bare? When you’re considering adding a tree to the space, turn your attention to evergreens. These rugged trees look great flanking a front walkway or sitting on either side of a home.
While deciduous trees can blossom into lovely canopies of leaves, those leaves won’t last when the weather changes. By contrast, evergreens hold their leaves year-round. When the weather gets wintery, you’ll be able to enjoy seeing some greenery in your landscape.
Evergreens also can be an excellent source of privacy. Plant them along the boundaries of your property to provide a cozier front yard. And unlike a lot of other trees, you won’t have to do much to maintain evergreens other than water them in their first year.
You’ll love the fresh scent of a fresh pine or spruce tree in your landscaping. Some evergreens can see significant growth within just a few years of planting, too!
Include Fruit Trees in Your Yard
If you want a functional tree, you can’t go wrong with a fruit tree. You may need to wait a year or two before you can enjoy the fruit from its limbs. But over time, you’ll end up with an attractive tree that also provides a tasty treat.
Check your climate zone to ensure you’re planting fruit trees that can do well in your area. Apple, lemon, and fig trees are some of the more popular options to plant in a yard. They’ll add vertical interest to a front yard that seems flat or dull.
For a similar option, look to raspberry bushes or strawberry plants. With these options, you’ll gain a bush or cluster of plants that bring texture to your landscaping. As a big bonus, you’ll also be able to harvest fresh fruit.
Use Pavers for Definition
When it comes to modern front yard landscaping, definition is key. While having some bursts of native plants with lively textures can look good, you don’t want a small yard to look overgrown. That’s where pavers can become an integral part of your landscaping plan.
Pavers are an inexpensive way to create stronger edges in your landscaping. Choose from among organic stones or bricks with sharper edges. Place them partway into the ground along the edges of flower beds, bushes, and other plantings.
If you have a little more space at your disposal, consider adding a small patio. A brick paver patio can add a handsome and level gathering spot that contrasts nicely against neighboring shrubs.
Choose a color and style that suits the colors on your home’s exterior. Once installed, pavers will bring more clarity to your landscaping design. And you’ll create a polished look that impresses your neighbors!
Introduce a Gathering Space
If you have a front porch or patio, create a spot that welcomes guests. A small bistro set with a glass table and two chairs can create a social destination. With a small lantern or some candles on the table, you’ll have an intimate conversation spot that you can use as the sun goes down.
Even if you don’t have a defined patio or front porch, you still can create a welcoming space. Consider carving out a portion of your yard to place a bistro set with an umbrella. Arrange some pavers to create an organic path from it to your front sidewalk for a neighborly gesture.
Alternatively, you can add a bench with some plantings around it. Intentional gathering spaces are functional additions to your front yard landscaping that will enhance your home’s appearance, too.
Try Artificial Turf
Not everyone likes having to mow a yard – even a small one. If you’re in that camp, you may want to swap out traditional natural grass for artificial turf. Today’s version of artificial turf looks highly natural, and it doesn’t require maintenance.
Artificial turf retains its color year-round and it won’t discolor when a pet uses it for a bathroom. Artificial turf can create a clean look when placed among flower beds in a modest front yard. You won’t need to water it, and you can gain back your weekend afternoons since you won’t need to mow it.
Bring Art Outdoors
Most people think of paintings and photographs when they think of art. But artistic flourishes can be part of your outdoor landscaping ideas, too.
You can turn to birdbaths for a fun option that brings the birds to your front yard. Situate one among some plantings near a window so you can watch birds from inside and outside your home.
As another option, think about a standalone fountain. Especially if you also have some outdoor seating, you’ll love the soothing sounds of water trickling from the top of the fountain. With some tall grasses around it or a small pathway leading to it, a foundation can enhance your home’s sense of charm.
Windchimes and metal sculptures that resist the elements are other good decorative touches. Artistic additions bring a level of originality that can enhance your home’s curb appeal.
Pursue These Small Front Yard Landscaping Ideas
Small front yard landscaping ideas can elevate the look of your property. Invest in vibrant flower beds edged with pavers, or introduce some new trees. Window boxes, fountains, and better lighting are other simple ways to give your front yard landscaping a boost.
At Arbeen Landscaping, we help customers with everything from year-round lawn maintenance to specialized projects. Our team has the breadth of experience and commitment to quality to tackle any landscaping request. When you need help, contact Arbeen Landscaping today!
