(Photography: Brent Wilson; styling: Kate Walsh; projects: Grahame Rowe, Scott Marvell)
Selecting the right landscaping ideas for the front of your house can be tricky. There are several factors which need to be considered for garden design, such as space, climate, and soil type. It shouldn’t be too hard to decide on what you like, after all, simplicity, elegance, and grace in a modern Australian garden is always a great choice.
Think tough, hard-wearing, and rustic materials and hardscapes, softened with low-maintenance native plants and a few exotics that can cope with our unique climate and soil conditions. It’ll not only enhance the aesthetic and kerb appeal of your front yard, but you’ll also achieve sustainability and style with a few simple, practical, and creative updates.
Want to find out how to make a beautiful front yard? We’ve got 11 stunning front yard ideas that you can incorporate into your home, plus three plant recommendations that’ll not only welcome guests, but be simple enough to maintain year-round.
Top landscaping ideas for front yard makeovers
01
Gold on gold
Want to know how to landscape around the front door? You can change the mood of the front of your home with small projects that work well with each other – a soft gold, wooden deck with an entertainment area that cuts the lawn in half, a matching modern picket fence, and foliage-focused plants!
02
Make it airy
A classic picket fence has charm and keeps children and puppies off the street. This modern iteration does the job plus gives your home – whatever its era – a fresh new look.
03
Gather round
Make your garden feel more inviting with a small entertainment area that cuts into part of your lawn. Spread crushed, gold-toned deco granite over the desired area, then add log stools and a firepit for extra warmth.
04
Watch the world go by
Capitalise on the steps that lead to your front door by building an open deck where you can sit and sip coffee as you watch the sun rise, or wine as it sets. And keep an eye on what’s happenin’ in the hood.
05
Do the splits
Ditch paving monotony, breaking up pavers with pebbles and footstep-hardy, low-growing plants, such as mondo grass or creeping boobialla (Myoporum parvifolium).
06
Swing low
Wondering how to design a front garden in Australia? Opt for ground-hugging plants kerbside, allowing the sun to shine through the front fence to those behind. Try tussock grass (Poa labillardierei), native correa and curry bush (Helychrysum italicum).
Do you know your soil type? Test it so you can select plants that cope with sun or shade as well as the soil. Nutrient-rich clay retains water but can cause root rot, or sandy soil drains water along with vital nutrients.
Better tip!
07
Ageing is beautiful
Blackbutt is hard and strong and, as it ages, it turns from mellow yellow, to silver grey, to brown.
08
Raise the bar
Many suburban plots are flattened to make construction easier and eliminate the need for terracing and steps. You can add a third dimesion to a garden by installing large metal planters that reflect the notion that your garden can be fluid. Silver banksia (B. marginata) and blueberry ash (Elaeocarpus reticulatus) add height rather than breadth.
09
Make stones special
Pebble mulching aids in weed supression, adds texture and colour and helps you to appreciate the architectural nature of ornamental grasses.
10
Colour coverage
Border beds usually bring colour to the garden via flowering plants. Turn up the visual interest – year round – with colourful foliage. Try golden brown carex and ornamental grasses supported by coastal rosemary and Agonis flexuosa ‘Burgundy’.
11
Styling
Arrange plants so they appear to be there by accident – it looks so much more natural!
Rather than building steps, put in ‘platforms’ that double as seating.
Better tip!
3 plants to include in your front lawn landscaping
Now that you have plenty of wonderful front yard landscape ideas, do you want to know what is the most low maintenance landscaping?
We have a few plant options to bring your garden to life.
01
Agave Americana
Succulent
Also known as the century plant, maguey, or American aloe, this plant is ideal for front yards as its quite low maintenance as it requires little watering and loves the sun.
02
Correa alba
Coastal
It’s a great option for a front yard garden, especially on the coast as it likes sandy soils and will resist salty winds. It enjoys the sun but can also grow in partly shady areas.
03
Casuarina ‘green wave’
Australian native
This shrub is ideal for our climate, enjoying heat and sunlight, and can thrive in heavy clay soils.
