The front garden is undoubtedly the most frequently visited area of the house. Every day it is the focus of residents, visitors and passers-by. It is also responsible for functions such as unhindered access to the house and mailbox or as a discreet parking space for garbage cans and bicycles. Making the small area inviting is not an easy task. By following the following basic rules, your small front garden will become a tasteful showcase.
How can I make a small front garden attractive?
To design a small front garden tastefully, pay attention to precise planning, an inviting fence, focal plants as eye-catchers and plants that match the architecture. Additionally, you can plan a hill or narrow paths for visual depth.
Detailed planning guarantees maximum success
The smaller the front garden, the more important precise planning is. Measure the area precisely and create a scaled sketch. Take into account the course and the best condition of the paths towards the front door, mailbox and any seating area. Note the light and soil conditions for proper plant selection. Also mark the locations for garbage cans and bicycles. The following premises form the foundation for a successful design in the small front garden:
- Coordinate the pavement with the building materials used on the house
- Hide garbage cans behind a hedge or a nice fence
- Include the house wall in the garden design using trellises
To make a small garden area appear larger, plan a hill bed. Additional, narrow paths, for example towards a bench, provide visual depth.
With or without privacy screen – ideas for fencing
The overall impression of your front garden is largely determined by the type of boundary. One of the principles of creative garden design is the realization that an enclosure with an open character appears inviting and friendly. In contrast, closed, head-high fences and hedges give a repellent impression. The following ideas for both variants may serve as your inspiration:
- Open enclosure: waist-high picket or picket fence or low, green dry stone wall
- Restriction of territory: ornamental grasses, low perennials and flowering sub-shrubs in alternation
- Privacy protection: evergreen boxwood hedge with curved topiary or narrow gabion wall with wooden elements
Guide plants are the backbone of the front garden - tips for floral eye-catchers
Small trees, bushes and standard trees give your small front garden structure and make it appear larger. It is important to note that the growth height is limited to a maximum of 300 cm or that the plant can tolerate cutting. The following trees have proven themselves well as guiding figures for limited garden areas:
- Columnar cherry 'Amanogawa' ((Prunus serrulata), height 250 to 450 cm
- Ball trumpet tree 'Nana' (Catalpa bignoides), height 200 to 300 cm
- Hanging catkin willow 'Pendula' (Salix caprea) as a refined standard tree 60 to 100 cm high
Planting as a reflection of architecture – this is how it works
So that the front garden and house form a stylistic unity, the choice of plants plays a fundamental role. Lavish peonies (Paeonia) and opulent gladiolus (Gladiolus) stand out in front of a half-timbered house. In contrast, Mediterranean beauties, such as Mediterranean viburnum (Viburnum tinus) or lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), are showcased in front of a Tuscan house.
Tip
A small front garden is ideal for design according to the principles of Japanese garden art. In order to create a Zen garden from the four basic elements of stones, water, moss and trees, the size of the area is not important.