How to Plan a Front Yard
- 1). Start by measuring the size of the front yard. You may have plans from a builder or a previous occupant if you have purchased an existing home. If possible double-check the given numbers. The soil may have settled differently in the interim.
- 2). Document the features of the yard on a piece of graph paper. Your document should indicate all the varied features of the yard such as any hills, trees, flowerbeds and paving. Note where the sidewalk begins, where the boundaries of other houses are and where the front of the house starts. A good solid understanding of the existing features of the yard can help you decide how best to use it.
- 3). Work with your house and the houses nearby. A yard does not exist by itself. The yard leads to a house. Use colors that work harmoniously with the colors of the house behind the yard. Bright red flowers may clash when placed against a house done in pastel shades. If the neighborhood has front yards done up in the Victorian style your Asian rock garden may look out of place.
- 4). Decide what you want to put in the yard. Many yards have a varied mixture of features. The yard may include mature plantings, shrubs, annuals, perennials, pavers and a water feature such as a fountain as well as mailbox. Your yard should include the kinds of items you enjoy. If you love roses, plan a rose garden. If you adore brick, add a brick walkway. Look for items that add your own personal stamp if possible such as a birdhouse.
- 5). Map out where you want to place each item. If you are working with a brand new yard that has not been touched before, you will not have remove items or rearrange any plantings. If the yard is an existing yard you will have to take into account all plantings that are already present. Certain items such as large trees can be very hard to move to a different location. Take the yard's light and shade into account when planting items. Certain flowers need a specific amount of sun each day to grow properly.
