How to Create a Lush, Low-Maintenance Front Yard

The ultimate front yard garden is beautiful and welcoming without all the fuss. 

Container gardens can highlight the home’s entry.MarynaG/Shutterstock

A beautiful front yard does much more than just showcase the homeowner’s wonderful sense of style, attention to detail, and pride of ownership—it also helps foster a sense of community by promoting social interaction. There’s no better icebreaker than talking about plants. It also helps build local pride by enhancing the overall aesthetic of the neighborhood.

When it comes to homeownership, everyone’s heard the term “keeping up with the Joneses.” In this case, why not be the “Joneses” with the most well-designed and well-manicured front yard in the neighborhood? Normally, this would involve a lot of ongoing maintenance, but by following a few simple design guidelines, ease of care can be built in from the start.

Lavish Simplicity

Every detail in a design should be chosen with lower maintenance in mind. For example, a high-maintenance situation such as a steep slope that is difficult to mow can be replaced with a hardy, undemanding ground cover that doesn’t require mowing but will add texture and even color to the yard. Similarly, instead of putting in traditional hedges that need to be trimmed regularly, opt for dwarf conifers, small ornamental shrubs that grow in slightly rounded or cone shapes that look stately yet require minimal, if any, trimming. Slow-growing boxwood is another undemanding option.