Lines in Landscaping

• Lines can be curved, straight, hatched or irregular in landscaping. Using lines to draw attention to the front of your home is one of the most basic landscaping design practices. Lines can be the curved edges of your garden borders, the line of your walkway or a row of trees planted strategically to guide visitors to your home. Gently curved gardens that gradually angle to a gentle arrow towards the front porch frame an entryway beautifully. Borders become very important because they define the lines created in your landscape. Repeating the use of the same material for your borders helps the eye flow from one feature to another, leading to the front door.
  
  

Keep it Simple

• Choose three colors for your plants or shrubs and use these either symmetrically or asymmetrically throughout your entryway landscape. Color repetition creates a feeling of unity and simplicity in the landscape. Repeating the same colors and textures in more distant gardens unifies the landscape. Maybe you enjoy the vibrant red color of a particular shrub or the deep green of an Alberta Spruce. Use these plants to your advantage to accentuate the distinctive elements of your home such as columns or a wide front porch. Use plants in descending size to create the effect of leading visitors toward the front door. Blend the entryway design with the remainder of your yard by including favorite plants in other gardens.
  
  

Lighting

• Lighting is an integral part of front entryway landscaping that often gets overlooked. Install small solar-powered pathway lights to guide the way to the front door. Installation requires no electrical knowledge and provides a quick fix for dark entryways. Increase the safety in this area and illuminate your landscaped gardens with small spotlights placed strategically to enhance dramatic focal points. You'll draw attention to your front walk and create a safe haven from the darker portions of your yard.
  
  

Accents

• Landscaping can also take the form of containers placed on each side of the door. Create a garden right by the main entry to your home by choosing two containers that complement the home style. Choose a neutral color to prevent detracting away from any plant. Your planting choices are endless for these containers next to the door. Repeat a color or type of plant from the garden for a unifying effect or choose a topiary for a more dramatic effect. Place a series of pots of varying heights close together to create a dramatic container garden to draw attention to the front door of the home.