8 Low Maintenance Front Yard Landscaping Ideas
By: Mackenzie
Transforming your front yard with a stunning landscape doesn’t have to mean spending countless hours on upkeep. With the right approach, you can create an inviting and beautiful outdoor space that requires minimal maintenance. From hardy plants and clever designs to water-saving techniques, there are tons of low maintenance front yard landscaping ideas that combine aesthetic appeal with practicality.
Do your design dreams feel too out of reach to get to them on your own? That’s where we come in. Our expert designers will work with you to understand your unique design style and goals, partnering with you on your path to achieve them. Whether you simply want to change the color of your exterior or you’re thinking of several changes at once, we’re here to help. Learn more about what we do.
What is the most low maintenance landscaping?
From implementing drought-tolerant plants to swapping grass for mulch, gravel, or pavers, there are lots of ways to lessen the upkeep of your landscaping. Introducing ground cover might save you time on mowing while implementing a xeriscape can eliminate the need to water your plants yourself. Read on for some of our favorite ways to approach front yard landscaping from a low maintenance perspective.
#1 // Play around with planters
When it comes to low maintenance front yard landscaping, planters are an obvious choice. They negate the need for lots of weeding, and they make watering more accessible. For this design, we used a mix of different planters for an eclectic aesthetic. At the base of the front steps, we added a concrete planter. The planter blends with some of the other industrial accents.
We also included a concrete planter right on the front steps, impactfully adding the address number to the face of the planter. Finally, we accentuated the front door with two staggered clay planters — a larger one and a smaller one. The combination of different planters throughout creates a dynamic look that doesn’t require a lot of effort to maintain.
#2 // Window planters for whimsy
If you’re seeking low maintenance front yard landscaping ideas that allow you to turn up the charm, window planters are the key. Not only do these planters infuse this exterior with a whimsical vibe, but they are space-efficient. We outlined the walkway and surrounded the front porch with mulch beds, marked with a mix of lush and colorful plants. Adding window boxes outside the porch windows and planters flanking the front door allows the landscaping to transcend, creating a dynamic façade.
Because these boxes are elevated, they reduce the need for bending and kneeling, making planting and maintenance more accessible. You can fill window planters with a variety of plants, such as drought-tolerant succulents, hardy annuals, or even perennials that require minimal care. You can even swap out plants seasonally to maximize the versatility these planters afford.
#3 // Consider a xeriscape
Creating a xeriscape is an excellent low maintenance front yard landscaping idea, particularly suited for areas prone to drought or with limited water availability. For this front yard, our designers used native, drought-resistant plants, significantly reducing the need for regular watering. We accentuated with rigid boulders and subtle landscape lighting, complementing the staggered walkway pavers.
We also used gravel instead of grass, which is standard with xeriscaping. The gravel retains soil moisture while also preventing weed growth, minimizing the time and effort needed for upkeep. The hardy plants, ornamental grasses, and perennials create an eclectic, sustainable landscape that meshes with this desert-style home seamlessly.
#4 // Embrace evergreens
Evergreens offer year-round greenery and structure with minimal effort. We lined the area encompassing the entry of this house with hardy plants and evergreens that retain their foliage throughout the seasons. These resilient evergreens provide consistent color, which achieves striking contrast to the red brick exterior.
In terms of maintenance, the plants we recommended here require less frequent watering. Evergreens are also slow-growing, so they only require occasional pruning to maintain their shape and size. Our designers also used mulch to fill the landscaping beds, which provides weed control.
#5 // Get rid of the grass
If you’re not attached to the idea of a green, grassy front lawn, you can fill your space with other materials to eliminate the need for mowing. For this design, we created a vast concrete walkway lined with mulched landscaping beds. While there is plenty of landscaping, we made intentional choices to keep things low maintenance. Our designers opted for hardy plants with a couple of perennials for color.
We also used window planters to elevate the landscaping onto the exterior, and we flanked the front door and garage doors with planters. Since we filled the mulch beds with layers of mixed foliage, the front yard still embraces nature, so the lack of grass doesn’t create a void.
#6 // Effortless elegance
The circle driveway in this design creates an extravagant aesthetic that we wanted to enhance with landscaping without the demand of intensive upkeep. In the middle of the circle drive, we accentuated the fountain with hardy plants, filling the space with pea stone to scale back on weeds. We also outlined the inner circle with embedded landscape lighting for added allure.
Surrounding the side of the driveway that borders the front yard, we created a mulched outline, filled in with small spiky grass plants and lights. In the yard and near the house, we continued the mulched layout, this time filling it with some larger wispy and spiky hardy plants. We kept the types of plants consistent throughout for a cohesive look.
#7 // Paved pathways
The paved pathways in this design are the perfect way to achieve low maintenance front yard landscaping, providing both functionality and aesthetic appeal. These paths create clear, defined walkways that reduce the need for lawn care and minimize foot traffic damage to the surrounding grass and plants. We created clean lines with the mulched spaces that outline the walkway pavers, filling them with simple shrubs.
Near the house, we used perennials with luscious white blooms to complement the white siding on the upper level and the white trim and porch columns. We chose to keep the landscaping in this front yard simple and tidy to enhance the classic vibe of the exterior.
#8 // Ground cover & wispy plants
Ground cover is one of our favorite approaches to low maintenance front yard landscaping. For this design, we layered the grassy-looking ground cover in patches over the pea stone landscaping. This infuses plenty of lush greenery into the neutral landscape. We also added lots of wispy plants to the scene for some soft, whimsical texture.
Dreaming of a beautiful front yard without the hassle?
Watering plants every day can be a lot to keep up on. Mowing the lawn can be a time consuming chore. And don’t get us started on pulling weeds. From impactful irrigation and hardy plants to ground cover and pavers, there are plenty of work arounds to consider. Our designers will transform your front yard with striking landscaping, aligned with your desired level of upkeep.
Don’t waste another minute waiting to tackle your exterior design goals. After all, the back burner is no place for the home of your dreams. Our designers are ready to work with you to bring every exterior aspect — big and small — to life. Get started today!
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