Creative Ideas for Small Front Yards

This article originally appeared on Houzz.com.

Whether you live in an urban area or a beach cottage on the coast, if your home is sited close to the street, landscaping the front yard can pose quite a challenge. Let these thoughtfully designed petite front yards inspire you to go beyond the typical lawn-plus-foundation-plantings combo, and find a landscaping solution that is as charming as the rest of your home.

Lay a steppingstone path. Steppingstones nestled into mulch and surrounded by perennial flower beds make for a layered and inviting front yard. Create a destination at the end of the path by placing a pair of chairs, a birdbath or a dwarf tree where the stones end.

Traditional Landscape by Montclair Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers Mierop Design

Plant masses of blooms. Take a cue from the cottages of Nantucket (most of which have tiny front yards) and plant an abundant row of hydrangeas and fragrant roses right along the street. It will charm passersby and provide a bit of privacy to the front of your house. A small picket fence makes a nice addition and gives the blooms a support to drape over.

Beach Style Patio by Manhattan Beach Interior Designers & Decorators Noelle Interiors

Create a front patio. If you’re searching for an easy-care solution for a petite yard, paving the area with large, irregular stones and gravel will save water and as be as low maintenance as possible. For some greenery, you could have a few planting beds or place potted plants atop the stones.

Traditional Landscape by Vancouver Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers Glenna Partridge Garden Design

Flower-lined path. Emphasize the path to your door by lining it with rows of small shrubs, miniature roses and other low-growing plants. If you have room to spare on either side of the planting beds, fill it with grass or gravel.

Plant small trees. Dwarf or semidwarf trees can be a beautiful addition to a small front yard, providing a focal point and increasing the sense of depth. In the yard seen here, one tree was planted on each side of a central path, with a second path running crosswise — a look that can be scaled up or down, depending on the size of your yard.

Traditional Exterior by Danville Architects & Building Designers Barry + Volkmann Architects

Tall grasses. Lush, tall grasses planted in front of a low fence can give a home that sits near the street a more protected feeling, without blocking views or light. Fill the area inside the fence line with grass, or with a small tree and perennial beds.

Coastal cottage garden. Embrace the seaside spirit with a front yard of crushed gravel or shells, and beds full of casual plants like lavender, sage and California poppy. In a large yard, the gravel might feel like too much — but in a pocket-size space like this one, it looks just right.

An urban square of green. Flagstone pavers fill most of this urban front yard, but a central square of greenery keeps the space vibrant. Planted in layers by height, the perennials, shrubs and small trees provide a bit of privacy for the small seating area beside the house.

Stacked-stone wall. For a formal look, you can’t miss with a classic stacked-stone wall and neatly trimmed hedges. The structure of the wall and shrubs is enough on its own — even if there is no room for a lawn on the other side.

Contemporary Landscape by San Francisco Staircases & Railings Five Twenty Two Industries

Street-side planter boxes. In the city your only real planting area might be closer to the curb — but don’t let that stop you from making the most of it! Here, raised planter boxes made of steel are filled with waving grasses and other low-maintenance plants.

Street-side “water” garden. For a more whimsical take on the curbside garden, consider a stream of stones winding its way between a ground cover, stones and small shrubs or trees. The effect will be soothing, reminding folks out for a stroll of flowing water.

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