The front garden is the face we show to the world, indicating the sort of people we are. It may be open and inviting, with a broad path leading straight to the front door or it may be enclosed and private; it may be excited, or calm and dignified.

You should consider the practical details of construction materials and plants. The principles of good design must be your guidelines.

The choice of plants naturally will depend to a large extent upon situation, climate and soil type, but again color, shape, and texture are important. Flower colors should harmonize not only one with another, but with the color of the house. Plants that are attractive for the greater part of the year are preferred for the front garden, but this does not rule out deciduous trees which, even in winter, often have attractive outlines.

It is helpful to look at the types of plants that are growing elsewhere in the same street. Not only will this provide clues to the sort of plants that grow well in the locality but it will lead to ideas on how any predominant plant features can be complemented. Complementing rather than copying should be the aim — for example the upright form and deep white and rosy-purple goblets of a Magnolia x soulangeana in the front garden next door might be complemented by the low spreading shape, and white open starry flowers of a Magnolia stellata; the exuberance of a pink, double-flowered Japanese cherry by the more delicate ones of a flowering apricot.

Columnar trees like lawson or italian cypresses or some of the junipers are useful for front gardens. For deciduous trees the box elder maple, Acer negundo, and the silver birch are attractive trees that do not grow too tall nor take up too much room — but definitely not poplars or willows unless the front garden is a large one and they can be planted well away from sewer lines and any form of structure.

Similarly, where climbing plants are to be used, for example on a carport or up a trellis on the front wall, avoid those that grow too strongly, like the honolulu lily, which with its thick canes and huge golden yellow trumpet flowers, can cause problems by overreaching its allotted space and sprawling over everything. Some of the honeysuckles, too, become very heavy and woody with age and are best used on a boundary fence at the back. Generally speaking the more restrained climbers like clematis or the more moderate among climbing roses, or some of the jasmines are better for front gardens.

It is generally better not to plant too many different types, but rather to have fairly bold masses of one type—meassed azaleas at one side of the front garden, for example, will provide a striking effect, while dotted azaleas here and there will have little or no effect. Massed plantings of bulbs—  daffodils, bluebells, freesias,  etc for spring;  lilies and various members of the amaryllis family for summer, will add seasonal interest.

One or more perfumed plants, like port wine magnolia, mock orange, or roses, will be another inviting garden feature.

No mention has been made of fences, walls, or gates, as these are largely a matter of personal preference, although the same principles of good design must apply. Whether you have a low or a high fence, or no fence at all, depends on the sort of picture you wish to present: but in some areas there are local council regulations, so don’t forget to consider these when you plan your front garden.