Chicago Landscaping: 6 Easy Front Yard Landscaping Ideas
Chicago Landscaping: 6 Easy Landscaping Ideas for Your Front Yard!
Sprucing up your front yard adds to curb appeal AND to owner satisfaction. Without focusing on a total redo of your front yard, here are some easy landscaping ideas to get you on the right path in improving the look of your property.
1. Use Edging for Your Gardens and Walkways
Edging offers contrast and definition to your beds, walkways and entry areas.
It also makes them tidy.
There are a variety of materials you can use for edging, and this is a project you can get creative with if you are so inclined.
Consider using:
- Pavers
- Concrete
- Wood
- Metal
- Plastic
- Cobblestones
- Slate
- Tile
2. Hide Utility Equipment
There’s nothing charming about a big old utility box sitting in your front yard, no matter how lovely the neighborhood. Well, luckily there are some ways to camouflage those boxes. But first, remember that you don’t want to dig around a utility box, so please don’t do that. Instead, consider:
A. Adding some soil atop the existing ground around the boxes and plant grasses or small shrubs in the berm you’ve just created. Finish off with some mulch and you’ve got great results.
B. You can also buy faux rocks to fit over the boxes. Just call your utility company first to get an OK.
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3. Mulch Your Beds
This one should be kind of obvious, but if you don’t know, well, you don’t know! Use a colored mulch to complement your landscape.
If you want something more permanent, use pebbles or rocks as a mulching medium.
4. Plant in Groupings for High Impact and Use Evergreens for Year-round Appeal
There’s always an exception to every “rule,” but generally you should consider planting in groupings instead of installing “one of these” and “one of those.” Multiples of the same plant make a bold statement. Too many single plantings can look completely discombobulated. The general rule in the art of planting is no different than with other arts: You want both repetition and contrast.
Remember, too, to mix some evergreens in with your other plants, trees and shrubs. This will give your landscape year-round interest and keep your outdoor spaces looking alive in the colder months.
5. Install Wireless Lighting
Even if landscape-grade lighting isn’t in your budget right now, you can very easily shop for and install wireless solar lighting all throughout your yard. Just like it does indoors, lighting makes a DRAMATIC difference in your landscape. By using solar lighting, you can play around and see where you want to make a statement with lighting.
6. Create an Island or a Berm
We talked about creating a small berm to hide utility boxes, but you can also use them to create borders to set your property off from your neighbor’s property. Use Pinterest to check out a variety of islands and berms. They create a ton of impact and require less digging than a traditional installation.
Check out these awesome Landscaping Berms on Pinterest.
Creating your outdoor space takes some time, patience, vision and creativity, whether you are landscaping a whole yard or just landscaping small areas. When you’re ready to move ahead, our team is highly experienced in all facets of landscape design. We’ll be happy to talk with you in person or over the phone to discuss how we can help you with your planning and outdoor overhaul. Feel free to call us or contact us online to get started with a discussion about your Chicago landscaping ideas and needs.
