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The most attractive front-yard landscapes give a nod to the architecture of the house. Here's how to achieve that eye-catching connection. Add Elegant Touches An otherwise modest house can be given a look of elegance by paying attention to the details. A classic gray, white, and black color scheme sets the tone, as do neatly clipped hedges and topiaries and a traditional black lamppost. Brick paving and lion sculptures add to the semiformal look, which is made less rigid by splashes of annual flowers. Let the House Set the Style The choice of plants and materials can marry a landscape with a house style. Here, the heavy wooden gate and stone wall play up the home's English cottage look. Limestone stepping-stones edged with ground covers keep the timeless look of the landscape intact. A rose-covered arbor calls out the location of the entrance and adds a dash of color, as do the pink roses and the white birch bark that contrasts with the dark structure. Set the Mood with Accents Decorative metal fences complement a home with black trim and echoes the sprawling annuals and rambling vines of the informal flower garden. A matching gate encourages visitors to slow down a bit and enjoy the garden. Although your house and garden may be of modest proportions, together they can add up to create a memorable first impression. Connect House and Garden A tiered flowerbed adds height to the landscape, which would otherwise be flat and a bit dull. Stay True to Yourself The decidedly country look of some homes call for an equally country-look landscape. Example: Exuberant stems of sweet peas ramble over an old board fence, while country-style decorations, such as a horse statue and old cart, underscore the rural sentiments. Let Nature Be Your Guide Answer the call of the wild in your own yard simply by following nature's lead. Blessed with mature shade trees, homeowners can opt for a natural shade garden that features low-maintenance, shade-loving ground covers and shrubs. A narrow gravel path fits in nicely with the rustic look of a stone chimney and natural wood shingles. Play Up the Drama If you own a home with large or tall architecture, drama is already on hand. So why not heighten it with a landscape that complements the style? A wide, herringbone-pattern brick walk and ivy-decorated steps set the tone for a grand entrance. A rose-covered arbor and tall junipers pruned into spiral shapes can mimic the home's pillars. Deciduous trees with a more open shape can help balance the landscape and keep it from looking too vertical. Match Your Materials Echoing the house's colors or materials helps provide smooth transitions from house to landscape. A front path that is edged in brick that matches the tile roof of the home, while the neutral-color concrete matches the home's beige exterior looks beautiful. Lavender- and violet-colored flowers that can highlight an understated plantscape that complements rather than overpowers the structure is a great way to dress up your front yard. Blend Nature and Art If you own a home with an arched entryway, it attains a mystical, almost churchlike presence thanks to an Asian-theme design that successfully blend natural and artificial elements. Individually placed boulders that edge aggregate steps gives a natural look. Pachysandra ground covers and small azalea, Rhododendron, and Pieris japonica shrubs can soften the look of the boulders. Finally, delicately branching Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) and vine maples (Acer circinatum) complement vertical pillars. Control the View When landscaping a front yard, consider the view -- both toward the house and from within the house. A garden crammed full of plants can look busy and overcrowded if you're not careful. The front porch should remain in full view, dispelling any question about where the entrance is. Careful selection of plants should result in a tiered garden bed in which the tallest plants are on the outskirts and smaller plants nearer the sidewalk and front paths. Use Space Smartly Small city properties aren't limited to foundation shrubs and postage-stamp-size lawns. A layered look featuring a variety of sizes and shapes for an eye-catching landscape that won't be missed is very attractive. Rocks throughout the yard can bring a sense of continuity to the design and keep the landscape from looking helter-skelter. Emphasize the Entry Lacking height or grand proportions, smaller ranch-style homes can sometimes get lost in the shuffle. Good landscaping can get them noticed. An ornamental arbor and fence will quietly call attention to the house and also serve to mark the entrance. A cheerful yellow-and-white color scheme is made even more animated by bright flowers in front of a fence. Work with a Slope Don't let a front yard with a slope interfere with a practical landscape. Stone-bordered terraces can create level planting areas that may be filled with old-fashioned flowers like delphiniums, catmint, and bellflowers. By locating the most heavily planted areas near the house, maintenance chores are made a bit easier. The fringes of the yard can be left in easy-care natural grasses. Adding a spruce tree on the far side will eventually gain size and make the house seem less imposing.
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