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Front Yard Landscape Basics

Whether you are a first time home buyer with a brand new house, a seasoned buyer who just upgraded to that stately old Colonial or somewhere in between, you can enhance the look of your home with some basic landscaping knowledge.

Garden Gate

First, walk out to the street and look at your house – let your eyes travel from the road up the drive, from the walkway or path up to the front door. Do you have a wrought iron fence or gate, a picket fence, or none at all. Do you have a front porch or a concrete slab underneath your front door? Is the pathway formal and straight like a long concrete walk, or a winding cozy cottage stone or brick path? Is there a lamppost or flagpole in your yard? Is your front yard an even sea of green with no waves or curves? All of these provide opportunities to do some basic landscaping that you can do yourself.

Second, let’s get down some basics you will need to consider:

Determine the look that you want to achieve and the amount of maintenance you can comfortably manage – this determines what you plant!
Look at your house - front yard landscaping should always accent the architecture of your house
Landscaping should be for all seasons – consider spring bulbs, flowering shrubs, and fall bloomers so that you create interest year round.
Choose colors and use color effectively – don’t be afraid of it. Accent color from your house or door, or create color to add warmth and curb appeal.
Repeat colors to create unity and draw the eyes to what you want to accent. Consider height and texture to compliment your look.

Third, let’s talk about starting small and gaining confidence. Choose an area to work with that you can do over a weekend. Whether it will be some planters beside your front door, shrubs to anchor the corners of your porch, or a small street side flowerbed to add a splash of color to your walkway or drive – start small and finish this task before moving on.
Remember that you live in growing zone 5, may sure that the plants you buy will l also. Amend your soil – it will make your planting and maintenance easier. There are native plants that love our Ohio clay, but soil amendment will increase your choice of plant material. Study your plants requirements – they all have soil, light and temperature preferences. Plants are alive – they need water and oxygen just like we do. Read your planting instructions carefully and follow them. These were written by the experts who created that lovely plant. If you have questions, talk to your local nursery or call your county Extension Office.

Last and most important, have fun – enjoy the time you spend outside in your yard. And just think, every time you pull into your drive, walk up your sidewalk, or sit on your porch, you will see a beautiful addition that you created.

The Master Gardener Offers horticulture advice and tips, focusing on current issues by volunteers who are with The Ohio State University Extension, Union County Master Gardener Program. For answers to gardening questions, call 937.644.8117 or e-mail gmcvey@ag.osu.edu. Hourse are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday