The process of planning and installing landscape plants can feel daunting, especially around home foundations. Some people may choose a wide variety of shrubs and perennial plants without any specific plan in mind. This can lead to front yards that lack uniformity and look disjointed or confused.
Lackluster foundation plantings can decrease the home’s curb appeal and overall value. Luckily, even novice gardeners can create beautiful green spaces with a little knowledge of garden design. And I know because I’ve been there. We all gotta start somewhere, right?
Using Foundation Plants for Front Yards
Foundation plants refer to the plants placed at the front of the home near the foundation. These selections are especially important, as they work to frame the home and create flow towards the door. Foundation plantings can also be used to emphasize the style or architectural features of the home. Here are some landscape plants most commonly used:
- Flowering shrubs – These shrubs are an excellent choice for foundation gardens. Varying in height, width, and color, the interesting plants easily draw the eye and act as garden focal points.
- Evergreen shrubs – Like flowering shrubs, these plants are perfect for creating visual interest in the foundation border. In addition to framing flowering plants throughout the season, evergreen shrubs will add valuable appeal during cold winter months when much of the garden is dormant.
- Perennial flowers – Perennial flowers and plants work well as accent plantings for larger trees and shrubs. Most of these will reliably return one season after another to provide homeowners the most value for their investment.
- Annual flowers – Though less popular than other flowers used in foundation plantings, annuals grown from seed or bulbs is an excellent option for those wanting to change the look and feel of the garden each season. When added to a well-established foundation planting, they can add a welcome pop of color too.
Now that you know what types of foundation plants work well, here are my top picks to keep your front yard looking great:
