Have you been looking around the front or back of your house and thinking it needs something? Continue reading to find out the top low maintenance landscaping ideas for your front yard.
Have you been looking around the front or back of your house and thinking it needs something? Many homeowners love a beautifully landscaped yard but do not have the time to give it the care and attention it needs. Others do not have the resources to pay for a beautifully landscaped yard.
The good news is there are ways to spruce up your landscape without spending a lot of time or money. Even if you are not an experienced gardener, you have options. I personally do not have a green thumb, and it seems like I kill every plant I have. If you feel like that, too, not to worry, there are plenty of ideas for you.
The area in which you live dictates, to some degree, which low maintenance landscaping ideas work best for you. No matter how skilled you are with landscaping and yard work, there is an idea here for you. Some ideas may take a little more work or require the help of a professional. But not all of them.
There are plenty of ideas that will have you relaxing and enjoying your landscape in no time. Continue reading to find out the top low maintenance landscaping ideas for your front yard.
Low Maintenance Front Yard Landscaping Ideas
Front yard landscaping not only gives your house curb appeal, increases its value, but provides a beautiful space in front of your home. In addition, landscaping does not have to take a lot of time or money. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Easy Landscaping Ideas for Front of House
Mini Entryway Water Feature
Some homeowners may think a water feature takes up too much space or requires too much time. However, that does not have to be the case. You can easily add a water feature to your front yard if you are creative with your design.
You can add a small fountain just about anywhere. For example, you may have a small area between your garage and the front door. If your house naturally creates any nooks, that is an ideal space for a small fountain.
You can place a small pump inside a pot to allow the water to circulate. If you find you have an area around your house where plants will not grow, you can add a pond there. It can help remove some of the grass you have to mow.
Planted Wheelbarrow
If you like the shabby chic or cottage look, a wheelbarrow overflowing with planted flowers and ivy may be just the thing for your yard. It is great for any yard or home style, but it is ideal for a cottage style home.
There are many flowers perfect for this concept, such as petunias, daisies, or any other hanging basket plant. A great plant is one that will spill over the side of the wheelbarrow. It would be best if you considered using a high-quality potting soil mix that retains water inside the wheelbarrow. This will help your flowers during the hot months.
Flowerbeds That are Multi-Seasonal
Mixing your flowerbeds with evergreens and annual flowers provides a good mix of flowers that will last the entire year. This ensures that you will have consistent color on display in front of your house.
A great way to do this is to mix evergreen bushes with spring and summer flowers. This gives a pop of green color to your lush plants. When you have a burst of color combined with the evergreen, it makes your house more welcoming.
An extra touch is adding window boxes with the same variety of flowers. This draws the eyes of visitors up while bringing a unified look to your home.
Evergreen Border with Color
Many homeowners prefer evergreens in their landscaping because they remain green all year long. They are also easy to maintain and always look lovely. This is especially helpful in the winter when there is not much color. As a result, creating a mulch border around the front of your home with evergreens is an ideal landscaping idea.
A great addition to this border is adding just a pop of color. Azaleas create a beautiful display of color during the spring and summer. They have a wide range of colors, from white to fuschia. These flowers adapt well to all climates. They do not create any additional work or maintenance needs.
Simple Small Front Yard Landscaping Ideas Low Maintenance
Floral Border with Window Boxes
A great and easy way to add some life to the front of your house is with a floral border and matching window boxes. The more colorful the border is, the more attention it will draw from visitors.
An excellent idea for flowers to choose for this concept is petunias and hydrangeas. You want to add a touch of evergreen here and there to provide green all year round. The flowers in the window box should match the flowers in the flower bed to tie them together.
Classic Edged Pathway
This is among the most classic and traditional types of landscaping. This type of landscaping is typically along the entry path. It is a simple design that is tightly designed, shaped, and created.
You can line the path with shrubs that you can trim and clip any way you prefer. You can pair the shrubs with flowers that provide ground cover, like phlox or creeping thyme. This gives your lawn and walkways a clear border.
Climbing Wall
If you do not have a lot of room, a trellis with climbing flowers is a great addition. This gives you a pop of color and curb appeal in a smaller space. In addition, it allows you to add flowers without taking over any ground space.
This is a great idea; if you have a space that is not attractive, you can cover it with flowers. An excellent flower selection is a clematis. It is an ivy alternative. There are more than 300 species from which you can choose.
The flowers may change slightly based on the climate. In warmer areas, it may be evergreen. In cooler areas, it may be deciduous.
Front Yard Landscaping Ideas Without Plants
Stepping Stones
If you want to add some pizazz to your front yard but do not want to plant anything, stepping stones are a great option. They help to break up the yard and are simple to install. Stepping stones can be more than just a way to get from the edge of your lawn to your door.
There are countless options from which you can choose. They can add some pop and color to your yard without requiring any maintenance. You place them and forget about them.
Landscape Lighting
Consider Landscape lighting because it is not only a safety feature, but it can also increase the value of your house. For example, when you have lights our front of your house, it deters robbers because everything can be seen. It also safely lights up the path so that anyone walking can see where they are going.
There are countless options when it comes to landscape lighting. You can even get solar lighting, so there is no need to plug them in or tie them to your current electricity. You will not have to pay any more on your electric bill to power the lights.
Adding lights to your landscaping is an easy and effective way to upgrade your landscape without adding any plants to your landscape. But, unfortunately, not everyone likes or appreciates flowers.
Low Maintenance Landscaping with Rocks
Potted Border
A potted border is a great way for individuals that are new to gardening or do not think they are the best at caring for plants. When you add flowers to your landscaping this way, they are easy to change or update.
You are planting flowers in pots and lining your landscaping border with them. This is a great idea for flowers that may need special care or have to be brought indoors when the weather gets colder. It is much easier to move a pot inside the house.
This is an easy way to change your plants based on season or holiday, or whatever you would like to see at the moment. You can easily switch out plants with evergreens.
Succulent Stone Planters
This is a modern way to address landscaping for your front yard. It combines stone and succulents for a low maintenance landscape. It does not require a lot of water or attention. This is a great low maintenance way to add life to your front yard landscape.
This type of landscaping allows you to combine types and textures of different heights. You can also use succulents, aloe, and yuccas to fill the pots. This concept is ideal for any type of climate or application. For example, if you live in an cold and wet area during the winter, you should bring your planters inside during the winter.
Industrial Cinderblock Planter Bed
A cinderblock planter may seem bland and clinical, but it truly is not. Instead, it creates a look that is simple, clean, and easy to care for. It is complementary to modern landscaping and a modern house design.
With this design concept, you may see rocks in place of grass and cinderblock planters on top of the rock garden, the planters house mulch and succulents. You can use any type of plant that is suited to your environment.
When using this landscaping idea, one tip to keep in mind is less is more. You want to maintain clean lines and keep your plantings limited and sparse. You do not want overflowing flowers and vines. This is a basic landscaping plan that is easy to maintain.
General Tips for Low Maintenance Landscaping
Updating your landscaping does not have to include big and bold steps. You can make a huge difference with your landscaping with just a few small changes. You can do any of the items below to improve your landscaping. You can do as many or as few of them as you wish and still see changes in the landscape of your front yard.
Ornamental Grass
If you are interested in having some type of grass, but you do not want to maintain it or mow it, ornamental grass is a great way to cover the area that once was grass. Not only are these grasses beautiful and colorful, but they are easy to maintain. They offer coverage all year long and can withstand even the most extreme weather.
If you want to add a path or walkway in with the ornamental grasses, you can choose flagstone. This gives you an effortless way to create a walkway for visitors that is surrounded by beautiful and low maintenance plants and grass on either side.
You can add a few trees, such as maple, that, after about two years, no longer takes up additional space in your yard and provides some structure.
Pebbles and Plants
If you are interested in a landscape design that has no care or fuss involved, you may want to consider pebbles or stones. You can pair plants and shrubs as accents to the pebbles.
A great way to do this is to use dark grey pebbles around paving stones. Another option is to surround the shrubs in your yard with pebbles. Instead of relying on mulch to create an edge for your landscape that needs to be replaced every season, stones and pebbles provide a solid boundary.
In addition, you can add native plants that you carefully select for your front yard. These may include black eyed Susans, coneflower, or liatris. You do not want to forget ornamental grass to pull it all together.
Mediterranean Gardens
Mediterranean gardens have a significant appeal. They are ideal for any type or size of the yard but really open up a small yard. This type of landscape mimics what you find in the Mediterranean, including traditional Italian gardens.
You might consider citrus trees in large terracotta pots for this type of landscape. If you have a really small space, you might want to have two potted trees on either side of your door. You want to consider terracotta tile to match the pots and tie your entire landscape together.
This landscape concept, especially the tile, is low maintenance and will last long without any real maintenance. Therefore, it does not need special resealing or cleaning.
Herbaceous Borders
If you want a classic look for your front yard landscape, you can create garden borders around your walkway and in the flower beds in front of the house. You can add herbaceous perennials such as rosemary and lavender to give it a different look.
These types of plants are able to withstand drought or limited water supply. In addition, they will create a nice contrast to the grass in your yard. Lavender looks great in just about any type of lawn or house style.
Japanese Inspired Yard
A Japanese inspired yard can be a low maintenance way to landscape your yard. This concept is ideal for small front yards. It is also ideal for someone that wants a simple landscape in their front yard.
This design combines slow growing cedar and maple, gravel, moss, and grass. These plants require little to no pruning to keep them looking good. This landscape is low maintenance and takes up little space. The gravel used in this type of landscape does not require raking.
Just A Single Tree
It is easy to keep your landscape simple, clean, and low-maintenance. However, it may feel challenging to find the proper landscape design when you have a small yard. One shade tree that is carefully positioned may be enough. However, it does need to be the right large shade tree.
There are ideal small garden trees, like dwarf cherry trees and Japanese acres. You can also choose a full size tree in your garden. You want to make a smart choice when you select your tree. You might want to consider a magnolia tree or an acacia tree. These trees are perfect for a small yard.
Add a Post and Rail Fence
While typically, you install a fence to add some privacy to your backyard. When it comes to your front yard, considering adding a post and rail fence attracts visitors’ attention.
A post and rail fence also creates a border around your house. For the most part, a bordered area is more attractive than a wide open space.
Frame the Driveway
When you create a landscape plan for your front yard, your driveway often cuts through it. A great way to frame your driveway is to use it as a driveway gate. It is critical to keep the landscaping around your driveway must be well maintained.
What is the Best Way to Landscape My Yard and Keep it Low Maintenance?
When you want to keep your low landscaping maintenance, you want to keep it simple and clean, especially with smaller yards. The less maintenance a landscape needs, there will be less time in the space. Foot traffic can compact the dirt, soil, or mulch and can put wear and tear on the plants.
You also want to create borders that are well maintained and easy to determine. The best choice is flowers and plants that are able to withstand a drought. This means plants that do not need a lot of watering. Gravel around flowering plants also helps to retain water.