The front entrance of the home gives a powerful first impression for guests or passers-by. Your home’s curb appeal lets people form an opinion of the home and, by proxy, the people living inside it. The home itself may be gorgeous, but the landscape has to match - and not only for others but for your own enjoyment of your property. If your home’s curb appeal could use sprucing up, here are five landscaping ideas to improve your home’s curb appeal in Hollis and Amherst, NH areas.
Related: 3 LANDSCAPE DESIGN IDEAS TO TAKE YOUR LANDSCAPING TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN 2021 IN PETERBOROUGH NH
A Gorgeous Walkway
Poured concrete walkways may have been the norm for many years, but they are typically ugly and boring, and greatly diminish the sense of welcome that a simple paver walkway could offer. Your guests’ first walk up to the front door should be on beautiful natural stone or brick pavers that meld to the personality of you and your home. Instead of a straight run to the front door, a walkway could feature curves and undulations along with exquisite accents and borders that make the walkway a visually interesting experience.
Walkway Features
Pillars and seat walls can make a simple entrance into a grand welcome. By enclosing the front walkway with a low wall, your front entrance will instinctively feel more secure and the home will feel more integrated into the landscape (as opposed to the old-school home-foundation plants-walkway-lawn progression). Masonry structures provide an opportunity for artistic expression: a pillar with a gazing ball … a low seat wall if your walkway is long or changes elevation… and even a water feature at the home’s entry can completely transform the way your home welcomes guests.
Welcoming Lighting
In the past, front doors were typically illuminated by a single light either mounted on the home or on a post. This over-illuminates certain areas and casts harsh shadows that aren’t exactly welcoming. Masonry features such as pillars or seat walls are the perfect opportunities for incorporating an LED landscape lighting system to elegantly illuminate the walkway and add to the “you’ve arrived” feeling.
Lush Plantings
The front yard is typically used far less as an outdoor living space than the backyard and, as such, it makes much more sense to allow elaborate plantings in the front. It’s important to break up the monotony of just one or two plants and have a wide variety of well-maintained plants that provide a visual feast for your guests as they approach. Highlight any existing trees or gorgeous shrubs and cater the landscape to them. Think about how various types of plants balance each other visually, to create a pleasing arrival at the front door. You can minimize upkeep by installing an irrigation system and planting native flowers, shrubs, and trees that are hardy, beautiful, and low-maintenance.
Encourage Symmetry
Symmetry is a design technique that helps evoke a pleasing ambiance. However, perfect dead-on symmetry shouldn’t always be the goal in landscape design. Formal designs often place identical features - such as a masonry planter with an ornamental tree - on either side of the front entry. But most homes look better with symmetry that comes not from matching elements, but from balanced elements. For example, a mature evergreen tree could feel too heavy when the other side of the walkway or entryway is nothing but lawn; so balance its visual heft with a cluster of birch trees or fruit trees, a few ornamental boulders, and a lush flower bed. The effect of symmetry has a calming effect on the brain and helps tie into the curb appeal of your home and the welcoming experience you have to offer.
Related: 8 LANDSCAPE DESIGN IDEAS FOR SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING IN HOLLIS NH
