Carefully choosing front yard plants to accentuate your home can increase its curb appeal, make the yard look more aesthetically pleasing, and can even make your home more eco-friendly if you choose your plants based on the geography of your local area. Some people, particularly in drier areas, choose to eliminate their front lawns altogether, and replace them with local plants such as cacti, which can save thousands of gallons of water every year. When choosing your front yard plants, the importance of planning ahead and doing your research cannot be overstated. Plants that look great when first planted can quickly go out of control if you don't plan for how they will grow.
First consider the way you want your front yard to look, and the types of soil you have. Flowering shrubs can look nice, but they generally require soil that is fairly moist. Hedges can provide privacy, but they also require regular pruning in order to keep them from growing too large. Vines are also very aesthetically appealing, but they need somewhere to grow and climb where they won't crawl under the siding and cause it to crack or become damaged. Similarly, trees are excellent additions to larger front yards, but consider where the roots will grow, and make sure they won't go under any sidewalks or the foundation of the home.
All of these potential issues with different front yard plants can be prevented by simply planning ahead. Another one of the most important considerations is the height the plants will grow to. This can allow you to create visually interesting "tiers" of plants in the front yard landscaping by planting taller plants in the back and shorter or groundcover plants in the front. Go to a nursery or garden center and ask any questions you have; you may also find it helpful to bring a sketchpad with measurements of your yard and where you want the plants to go, and then fill it in with ideas.
Another helpful tip when selecting front yard plants is to do research on the plants that are native to your area. These will generally grow better and require less maintenance than if you select non-native plants. Occasionally the process of choosing front yard plants is a bit of trial and error over the seasons, but with some careful planning and research in advance, knowing the type of soil you have and the amount of sunlight the area gets, you will be much more likely to have a successful front yard area.
