Front Foundation

   The front foundation of a house is what the finished product looks like when all of the landscaping has been completed.  Since virtually all houses are different in one way or another, this leaves an endless number of possibilities for landscaping the front of a house.  Landscaping your home can enhance the community, add resale value, and is a pleasure to the family.  Some of the pictures you will see here are actual photos and some are computer images.  Can you tell the difference?

   The first thing to remember about the front foundation of the home is that the landscape should be a reflection of the people who live there.  The landscaping of the foundation will be the first thing that visitors see and should, therefore, be very inviting and warm. 
    The most common idea for landscaping a front yard is shown in the figure below.  The front foundation consists of a simply designed grassy area with trees around the perimeter for framing and small shrubs closer to the house itself.  This design is very simple, yet also very clean and easily maintainable.  It gives the home a nice look and is not overly decorated with an excessive number of plants and trees.

      When creating an attractive front foundation, one must take several factors into account, such as climate, soil type, land area, etc...  All of these things will have an influence on what kind of plants you use, where they are placed, and even their size and shape, as well as care and maintenance for the foundation.  Below, we will look at three different aspects of the front foundation: the lawn, trees, and screens/ borders.

The Lawn

    When driving around town or playing in your own front yard, you see grass.  Grass is everywhere, different kinds of grass, different shades, different heights.  Why?  Is it there just because it looks good?  Of course not!  If you think about it, grass serves a very simple and very distinct purpose.  Grass is there so that dust and mud are not.  Who wants a front yard filled with dirt and dust, one that gets muddy when it rains and blows around when it gets windy.  Plus, grass is a much better connector to all of the landscaping in the front yard.  Which goes better with trees, dirt or grass?  Therefore, we can say that the front lawn is very important to the front foundation because it ties all aspects of the foundation together and fills a very important role in minimizing erosion and keeping the soil fresh.

Trees

    The most obvious use for a tree is shade.  In the warm weather, nothing beats the shade, and trees provide the most of it.  Being the slowest aspect to develop in the front foundation, it is important to plant trees first, giving them time to fill in and create the front you are after.  In the photo above, we saw how trees are used to "frame" a front yard.  Putting trees on the exterior/ perimeter of the yard can give it a very structured look, as well as providing a screen/ background from those noisy neighbors that no one likes.  One will never tire of a tree in the yard, as they are always changing color, shape, and size.  Well positioned trees can add great value to a home, as well as serving multiple purposes for the home.  Again, the climate and other factors will help in determining what type of trees are best for you, but once this is figured out, the possibilities are nearly limitless.

Screens/ Borders

    If you are looking for something to outline the yard, a border can be formed by using small bushes and hedges placed in close proximity to one another.  However, these must be trimmed and maintained regularly as bushes that are not taken care of can create a very shabby look for a house.  On the other hand, if it is full privacy that you are after, you may prefer a larger fence or tall grass screen around the border.  When creating a large screen, make sure to stop it at least 15 feet before the road to allow drivers to see around it.  Also, when planting shrubs on either side of the driveway as an entrance, make sure to use smaller plants for this same reason.  When creating a border around the yard, be sure to stay away from using a large assortment of plants.  Borders should be uniform, not the life of the party.   

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