Front Yard Landscaping

The front yard of your house is much like the clothing you wear, often semi-functional; but mostly for show. It is the public face of your home that you show the world. Naturally you want this public face to look good.

With that said it is important not to go overboard. Cluttering your front lawn can be embarrassing. The tricky part is, not getting bored with what you have. The tendency is to add instead of subtract when things get stale. This isn’t always the case.

What you really need to do is get some perspective before making any drastic changes to your front yard landscape.

Perspective
When setting out to redesign your front yard landscape you need to get a new perspective. One usually only sees their front yard from two perspectives:

1. The front window
2. The walk up the driveway from your car

A great way really get to know your front yard is to walk down the street turn around, then walk back soaking in as much detail. Another great way to see your yard in a new light is to grab a large mirror and walk to the other side of the street and place the mirror in front of you with your back to the yard. You will see your yard in a different light, and you’ll get a better sense of balance.

Now that you have a new perspective, you should start asking yourself the following questions:

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but they should give you a starting point for your decision-making. Make a list of what you like and what you don’t like. Then come up with three solutions to each thing on the list.

Also, be sure to consult with everyone in your family (even your kids) before you make any changes. Everyone has a different style and thus everyone’s character should be presented in the front yard landscaping.