Front Yard Hardscaping Ideas
Hardscaping encompasses all of the hard or nonliving elements in the landscape, utilizing wood, concrete, stone and bricks. Hardscaping transforms the front yard of your home from a dull exterior to an exciting and welcoming entry. Combine it with landscaping to create a unique front yard that represents your aesthetic. Hardscaping your front yard will add to the curb appeal and value of your home. Does this Spark an idea?
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Retaining Walls and Edgings
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Change the grade of a slope by adding retaining walls. Create terraced planting areas to control water runoff and soil erosion while adding levels of interest to the front yard. Alternatively, add a patio by leveling a larger area of unused space near the house entrance. Add a table and chairs and enclose it inside a short retaining wall. Top the wall with flat stones to provide additional seating and a surface for container plants. Add coordinating edgings to build the grade and highlight flower beds and foundation plantings.
Driveways and Entryways
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Create a welcoming entrance to your home. Choose from a variety of designs for creating attractive driveways that include the use of elements such as patterned bricks, stones and stamped concrete. Use the different elements together, coordinating them by color or texture, to create a unique look and define landscaped areas along the way. Edge the driveway with matching stones or pavers. Set front steps with bricks, stones and slabs to create a contemporary, classic or Old World ambience.
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Ponds and Water Features
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Add a look of luxury that provides a place for relaxation. Include a koi pond in the front yard landscape, surrounded by smooth river rock or large boulders. Alternatively, a shallow bed of meandering pebbles creates the look of a dry riverbed or stream. A waterfall, whether large or small, will create a dramatic water feature when created with polished river rocks or flat stones. A fountain surrounded by flowering container plants adds a dramatic focal point to the front yard.
Paths and Walkways
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Increase your home's curb appeal starting at the curb. Create an inviting sidewalk that coordinates with other elements of your front yard. Add an irregular steppingstone or gravel path leading from the entrance to a nearby flower bed or water feature. Add a wooden bench that coordinates with the style of the home, as a place to sit and reflect. Irregularly shaped, meandering paths from the front door to the driveway or entrance to the backyard tie the landscape together.
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References
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