Sure, a front yard walkway can feel like one of the least exciting aspects of designing your landscape. After all, maybe you’re more excited to expand your outdoor kitchen in the back.
Even though front walkway landscaping may not be at the forefront of your mind as you explore landscaping ideas, it’s not something to ignore. Choosing to landscape around your front walkway or install a professionally designed front walkway can transform your front yard. In fact, if you want to give your curb appeal a boost, an elegant and inviting front walkway can enhance your view from the yard tenfold.
You might be wondering how to landscape a front walkway and what it can do for your property value. Let’s dive into some ideas to inspire you.
Front Walkway Landscaping Ideas
Just like your backyard, your front yard holds some great opportunities for enhancement.
The right professional landscaping along a walkway in your street-facing yard can ease visitor guidance, boost your aesthetics, and make your home stand out in your neighborhood. It merges function and design seamlessly in one space.
Don’t let a boring front walkway put a crimp on your landscape style. Once you get started, you might even want to hang out a little longer in your front yard for a change.
Add Plantings With Intrigue
You may have the bare minimum of front walkway landscaping right now with a few shrubs and a shade tree. It’s OK. The front yard is sometimes an afterthought.
But adding a variety of heights, colors, and textures through layering can create great depth to your front yard in numerous seasons. Maybe you have an evergreen backdrop, for instance, some mid-size, flowering shrubs and then annuals in front of those. Each plant will appeal to the other, creating a dynamic front yard presence.
Make sure you choose plants that bloom at various times of the year so you maintain interest throughout the seasons. And also don’t neglect the color of your home when choosing plants as the right tones can bring out subtle colors in your brick, stone, or siding.
Structures Add Special Touches
You can enhance your curb appeal with landscaping, particularly those special touches that distinguish your home from the rest.
A retaining wall or front pillars, for example, can extend the stature of your home forward, boosting its grandeur. It also individualizes your space, focuses eyesight on your entryway, and creates another special nook in your yard where you and your guests can take the time to greet each other.
Light Up Your Front Walkway Landscaping
You might have very lovely landscaping along the walkway in your front yard, but once that sun sets, it could be tough to navigate in the dark.
And, let’s face it, days are shorter at certain times of year in the Greater Chicago area. So a little light could help you say around 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. during the winter when the day is far from over but you can’t see a thing outside.
Add some lighting to elevate your front yard appeal and safety during dimmer hours. You can uplight trees, light your front walkway, and even shed a little light on special architectural structures for a great look and optimized security.
Upgrade Your Front Walkway Material
Maybe now you just have a front walkway made of poured concrete – something standard and fairly plain.
But imagine how your front yard would look if your front walkway were in pavers that matched your home or bluestone. Add to that a natural pattern or unique border and your eye is instantly drawn in. This is one way to enhance your curb appeal with landscaping that adds an instant visual appeal.
Don’t Leave Out Plant Containers
Flanking the beginning or end of your front walkway with containers dripping with blooms is another way to make your home stand out.
You can add plant containers in layers along the walkway to guide visitors, and you can switch flowers out each season to create continuous appeal.
Use a Pro When Deciding How to Landscape a Front Walkway
Remember, people driving by your home are doing so at a fairly swift speed compared to walking – 15 or 20 miles per hour at a minimum. Plantings that pop en masse can draw eyes faster than a bare or minimal approach. This amplifies curb appeal exponentially, quickly and simply elevating the value of your home investment.
You may see the appeal of front entryway landscaping but have no idea where to start.
We understand. It can be challenging to envision the possibilities. Let KD Landscape’s professionals be of some assistance. We’d be thrilled to share our front walkway landscaping expertise with you, showing you how you can very easily boost home value and appeal.
Ready to see how KD Landscape can transform your suburban Chicago front landscaping into a space that makes your home beam in your neighborhood? We’d love to share our design and installation expertise with you. Get started today with a free consultation. Together, we can prepare a plan that works best for you.
