One of the things you’ll want to do once you buy a house is put your personal touch on it, so it looks the way you really want it to. You’ll do that inside, certainly, but what about the outdoor spaces? What will people see when they pull up to your home? Your front yard is an important part of your landscaping, and with some great front yard landscaping ideas you can make the exterior of your home look just as good as the interior. Then it will be a reflection of you, and of your style and taste, so you can show the entire neighborhood what you love about your home and who you are. It’s a great feeling to have a home that really speaks to you, both inside and out.
1). Can mulch be of service in your front yard?
When you need to keep soil and plants in place, a layer of mulch can help. It’s not for every space, of course, but it’s one of the ways you can cover bare earth in flower beds and other locations. Be aware that mulch can float if there’s too much water, but you can also purchase different types of mulch that are heavier than what is commonly used. With the right type of mulch over soil that drains well, you can have a great looking front yard during the El Nino winter rains, so you won’t have to worry about how the space looks. If you’re concerned about mulch floating away and getting out of your flower beds during heavy rain storms, using the heavier type of mulch and/or having a barrier made from plastic or even rock or stone can be an excellent way to keep mulch in one place and add to the decorative look of your front yard landscaping.
2). Should you keep it natural?
Using natural landscaping when you buy a house can mean a lower chance that your front yard will be damaged in an El Nino winter. Natural landscaping works with the existing soil and the kinds of plants that grow in your region of the country. By using natural plants and flowers, you’ll get the opportunity to have something growing even when the rainy season threatens to drown out everything you had planned to plant in your yard. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on exotic plants to get a great look for your front yard and its landscaping. Sometimes keeping it simple and natural can be the best way to provide a lovely look and something that’s low maintenance, while ensuring that it will hold up to the El Nino weather all winter long.
3). Will ornamental plants protect your soil?
By using ornamental plants, the roots can stop some of the soil from being washed away by heavy or persistent rains. Soil that isn’t protected by anything is going to disappear quite quickly, mostly because wind blows it around and rain washes it away. If it’s on a slope, you can end up with a large amount of it at the bottom, where it can pile up and create a natural dam that means big puddles of water building up. Those are the kinds of things you want to avoid, along with a lot of standing water in your yard. There are native, ornamental plants you can add to your front yard landscaping that will help. These plants have roots that spread out, and those roots help to hold the soil in place. That gives you a great look to your yard, and also protects against erosion.
4). Maybe grass is a bad choice?
If you buy a home with grass in the front yard, you may find that it simply gets too soggy to make sense. That’s not true everywhere, of course, but it can happen in wetter climates that are getting hit by an El Nino winter and all of the rain that traditionally comes with that. In order to make sure that your front yard can handle the rains, you can aerate the grass to help it drain better. You may also want to have something besides grass in your yard. Depending on the size of your front yard and where you live, some people remove the grass and plant flowers or other plants, surrounding them with mulch, stone, gravel, lava rock, or other options. That’s not a look for everyone, but it can be very striking and unique if done right. It also helps your yard to drain, reducing water problems.
5). Could you add a rock wall?
It may be time for a rock wall around your front yard. There are two advantages there. It can help divert the water from your yard and stop so much of it running into your yard from other people’s property. It can also help hide your front yard a bit if the ground doesn’t look as nice during the rainy season. There are all kinds of ways to build a great rock wall, and only you can decide if it’s the right choice for your property. Walls like that can look very beautiful, and can be an excellent choice for controlling the level of water that gets into and out of a yard. That can keep your front yard dryer, and add to the lovely look of the landscaping that you’ve already put in, keeping your yard looking its best even through all the winter rain.
2 Point Highlight
When you need to keep soil and plants in place, a layer of mulch can help.
By using ornamental plants, the roots can stop some of the soil from being washed away by heavy or persistent rains.
