First impressions are important. And since your front yard is the first thing people see – whether they are coming to visit, or to inspect your property for purchase or lease – here are a few ideas landscaping ideas for your front yard, so you can make a positive first impression.

Install a fence

Other than increasing street appeal, other benefits include:

* Increased child and pet safety

* Block unattractive views

* Increased privacy

* Reduced noise

* Creates a sense of space

* Evokes a sense of security

And it doesn’t need to be a traditional, whimsical, white picket fence. Make a statement with a strong, durable retaining wall – although that could probably be incorporated if you wanted!

Here are some pictures to inspire you.

Please note, council approval may be required.

Make an entrance

If your house lends itself to it and you don’t already have one, install a front landing.

Decorate it with a small outdoor setting and some pot plants to create a warm, welcoming entrance to your home.

Protect it from the elements by installing an awning, so you can use it all year around. Even enclose it with some railings so as to again:

* Increase child and pet safety

* Create a sense of space

* Evoke a sense of security

Best of all you’ve got an awesome new outdoor entertainment area! If someone pops over unannounced and the house is a mess, you can have a cuppa outside and not feel any less the entertainer.

Or you could go for a statement entrance like this.

Easy care lawns and gardens

If you’re looking for designer appeal at a fraction of the cost and also without the crazy maintenance schedule, consider the following:

* If your lawn is dead, dying or patchy as hell, consider installing hardy new turf. The best time to do this is towards the end of winter, start of spring.

* Minimise the number of plant species in your garden to make it easy to care for and to give a more uniform look.

* Install an irrigation system – especially if you have a tendency not to water your plants and let them all die.

* Lay down some wood chip – this will help your plants retain water, while also keeping weeds at bay.

About the author: Providing complete landscaping services to residential and commercial clients for more than 10 years, Empire Walls are the retaining wall specialists in Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula. We ensure each client receives personalised service, their retaining wall is fit for purpose and we guarantee our retaining walls from the ground up. Retaining walls are just the start – offered as part of our complete landscaping services.

• For examples of our work, please refer to the Empire Retaining Walls online ‘Portfolio’. 
• If you’re after a service not listed here, refer to this list for details of our complete landscaping services.
• For more information/a free quote, call Adam on 0421 573 001 or email empirewalls@live.com.au.
• For free landscaping tips and to stay in touch, follow us on Facebook.

Structural tips

Tiered gardens

Maximise the ground space you have available by adding vertical layers to your garden. Retaining walls are especially fabulous for this. Remember they do retain heavy soil behind them, so have them installed by a retaining wall expert, to avoid any risk associated with collapse, which could be pretty devastating in a smaller space.

Take it up a step

If you do install a retaining wall, it can be handy to maintain access to the tiers so that you can easily conduct garden maintenance – planting, weeding, etc.- and the best way to do this is by adding some stairs as part of your retaining wall design. Not only will they be practical, they will provide some additional seating and become the focus point of your landscape.

Create an outdoor entertainment area

If you’ve added layers to your garden by installing a retaining wall will often create some additional space for a small outdoor entertaining area. Think about installing some brickwork or decking – somewhere you can pop a cute outdoor dining set, have a coffee, glass of wine or beer and enjoy the scenery.

Decorative tips

Add some extra height

While we’re talking about adding height, consider a vertical garden. Something that will flower all year and spill over the edges will look fabulous. Not much of a green thumb? Buy some fake greenery. Another enchanting option is succulent wall art.

Fake it

Photo sourced from the Liz Marie Blog, via Country Living

While we’re talking outdoor entertaining areas – if your yard is a little too small for a real lawn, consider a faux grass rug. Offering the illusion of a luscious green lawn while also making the space look bigger, pop your faux grass rug under your outdoor dining table or between a couple of outdoor chairs of the ultimate outdoor living experience.

About Empire Walls

Providing complete landscaping services to residential and commercial clients for more than 10 years, Empire Walls are the retaining wall specialists in Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula. We ensure each client receives personalised service, their retaining wall is fit for purpose and we guarantee our retaining walls from the ground up. Retaining walls are just the start – offered as part of our complete landscaping services.

For examples of our work or If you’re after a service not listed here, please see www.empirewalls.com.au.

For more information and/or a free quote, call Adam on 0421 573 001 or email empirewalls@live.com.au.

For free landscaping tips and to stay in touch, follow us on Facebook.