Quite often, homeowners focus much of their attention on the back garden. And why wouldn’t they? After all, this is the area they’ll spend plenty of time in – whether it’s relaxing alone or entertaining guests. It’s a space for children to play, for BBQs to be hosted, and even for a late night drink with nothing but the stars to gaze at.

Plus, back gardens typically have more space. This lets your creative side run wild. The front garden is a different ball game. The chances are there’s not a great deal of room to play with and thus, it’s been a little neglected over the years.

However, this is a huge mistake. Your front garden is the key to boasting a superb kerb appeal. It’s one of the first things any visitor will see and therefore, makes a significant impact on first impressions. Whether or not you’re selling, having this kerb appeal is vital.

There are certain rules to think about though. How can you really have a front garden that wows? With the right design, of course.

1. Think symmetry: Choosing symmetry in the garden, along with a great structure will really help your front garden stand out in a good way. Here, you’re looking for flower beds and straight lines. Don’t go too bold and have plants left, right and centre. A minimalistic but stylish appeal is crucial.

2. Be seasonal: You want a front garden that looks great all year round – not just in summer. It’ll be tougher to maintain your garden in the colder, wetter months, so choose plants that survive the harshest of the UK’s weather conditions.

3. Use your property: Using your home as a guide to the design will help improve the finished effect. For instance, choose high plants between ground floor windows, and low plants underneath them. You’ll have a neat pattern which can be employed throughout.

4. Remember selling: You could be perfectly happy in your home – but think what a buyer would want to see. This can help you to enter a more productive mind frame for designing the front garden. Choose options that are easier to maintain, aren’t overly whacky, and look good all year round.

5. Don’t stand out: Similarly to the whacky point above, try to fit in with your road – tailoring a design that doesn’t stand out in a negative way. You want your garden to have the wow factor, but quietly smart and sophisticated is a simple way to do this.

6. Find a route: There needs to be a route from the path to your front door – for both you and any visitors. It’s an easy thing to forget when you’re caught up in whole design aspect. Your front door should stand out too, with an obvious way of reaching it.

7. Stay lawful: As you’re unlikely to be doing large renovations in the front garden, many people overlook the need to check planning permission. It could be the height of your fence or the colour of your house – either way, double check to make sure – by getting in touch with the local council. Remember too, driveways need to be approved by your council, who will have a designated company responsible for droping the kerb.

At Millhouse Landscapes, we can help provide help, advice, and design ideas for your front garden. We’ll visit your home, get an understanding or your requirements and provide a number of potential ideas and sketches we’re sure you’ll love.

Contact us today and speak to a member of the team, by calling 01732 590130.