If you're after some fresh front garden ideas, you've come to the right place — we've spoken to garden experts and drawn up a list of planting and landscaping techniques to suit every space.
Whether you've got a small driveway or a sprawling front garden lawn, there are plenty of ways to spruce up the exterior of your home.
'Front gardens are often overlooked with function over form taking priority, but with some imagination and planning, they can become welcoming spaces for homeowners and visitors alike,' says Matt Carroll, head of assured landscaping at Bradstone.
A few design tricks can go a long way, landing guests with a super first impression of your home and even helping small front gardens look bigger.
Front garden ideas
The world's your oyster when it comes to designing a front garden — even if you're looking for small front garden ideas.
We've rounded up our favourite front garden ideas to give you a little inspiration.
1. Cover a wall or fence in climbing plants
One of the most popular (and beautiful!) front garden ideas is letting fast-growing climbing plants like wisteria and ivy cover the front of a house or surrounding fence.
'Growing climbing plants is a perfect way to bring vertical surfaces like fences or walls to life, adding a splash of colour and fragrance to your outdoor space, while providing food and shelter for all kinds of wildlife,' says Steve Swanborough, gardening expert at Henchman.
Where to buy climbing plants:
- Gardening Express: Buy climbing wisteria to decorate the exterior of your home.
- J. Parker's: Boston ivy turns crimson in the autumn for seasonal interest.
2. Train flowering plants along a trellis screen
For pretty front garden privacy ideas, consider training a flowering climbing plant like jasmine or honeysuckle along a trellis to screen your front garden from neighbours.
'Varieties such as clematis, ivy, honeysuckle, or wisteria can scale trellises effortlessly, turning bland pieces of architecture into an eye-catching, personalised display,' says Owen Simpson, managing director at Henchman.
'Mix and match different varieties for a dynamic effect and invest in sturdy support structures to ensure the plants thrive.'
Where to buy flowering climbing plants:
- Crocus: Honeysuckle 'Rhubarb and Custard' produces fragrant flowers throughout the summer.
- Thompson & Morgan: Train star jasmine along a trellis for thousands of sweetly-scented blooms.
3. Make a feature of an ornamental tree
Ornamental trees are another great choice for a front garden, especially if you pick one that flowers beautifully in the spring or shifts colour in the autumn.
Where you're looking for the best trees for small gardens or a statement tree for a larger area, there are plenty of attractive options to choose from.
'Ornamental trees can make a beautiful addition to any front garden, adding style and a burst of colour!' says Morris Hankinson, founder of Hopes Grove Nurseries. 'If you have grass in your front garden with very little else going on, an ornamental tree will make a great focal point.'
Morris recommends a flowering almond (Prunus triloba) for gorgeous pink flowers in early spring and red fruit in the summer, or a Japanese maple (Acer japonicum) which has deep red and burgundy foliage, perfect for autumn.
4. Enhance your entrance with clay pavers
Looking at front gardens across the UK, you'll notice that a vast number are entirely paved. While some are allocated solely to cars, others provide an entryway into the home.
Tapping into the style of your house's exterior can help you choose a paving material that perfectly complements your home.
'For red brick Victorian-style properties, the entrance pathway will always make a statement, so consider clay pavers in a contrasting shade,' says Georgina Read, managing director at Paving Superstore.
5. Go for a natural stone front patio
If clay pavers aren't your thing and you prefer a less uniform look, try natural stone. Materials like limestone and sandstone are versatile and complement a range of house styles.
'As a general rule, natural stone is very forgiving, as the gentle range of colour hues means it isn't necessary to find an identical match,' says Georgina. 'The colours that tone in will come to the fore when positioned against your brickwork.'
You can find natural stone pavers at a range of reputable suppliers like Paving Superstore and Royale Stones.
6. Incorporate edging
The best garden edging ideas combine style with function, and they can make a real statement as part of your front garden ideas.
'Edging adds a sense of shape and style to your front garden and keeps everything neat and tidy,' says Matt from Bradstone. 'It comes in several materials, including plastic, wood and stone. Plastic is a cheaper alternative and can sometimes look unsightly against a well-designed garden, and wood can rot or warp once weathered.
'On the other hand, concrete or natural stone edging is stylish, versatile and durable, and will stand the test of time, making it worth the investment.'
You could try lining edging around flower beds, underneath windows, or against walls and fences to highlight different areas of your front garden.
7. Frame the front door with bold flowers
Once you've sorted your front door ideas, consider framing the porch with potted flowering plants. Opt for bold blooms and foliage to give guests a cheerful welcome when they arrive at your home.
'For two pots framing a doorway, I often use white camellias, rhododendron ‘Cunningham’s White’, Arbutus (the strawberry tree), and Grisillinia litoralis with its lovely apple green foliage that looks so cheerful in the winter,' says garden designer Harriet Worsley.
'I always try to add a bit of Sarcococca into a front garden scheme somewhere, as it has a stealthy winter honey scent that creeps up and hits you as you pass.'
Our gardens editor, Sophie, loves framing her front porch with potted begonias. Try Begonia 'Nonstop Fire' from Thompson & Morgan for bold, fiery blooms.
8. Line a front path with pots
Containers are the perfect way to add greenery to a front garden if you're low on soil space, and they can also be used to zone pathways.
'Potted plants are a versatile and easy way to add colour, texture, and interest to your front garden,' says Jenny Davis, head of marketing at Forest Garden. 'They can be used to line pathways or even create a mini-garden on a porch or patio. Consider using a mix of pots in various sizes and materials to add depth and visual interest.
Try growing scented plants like lavender to greet guests with a gentle fragrance, or learn how to grow peonies in pots for gorgeous blooms from late spring.
9. Keep a neat lawn
If you're lucky enough to have a lawn in your front garden, there are plenty of lawn ideas to experiment with. The most popular, though, is the traditional manicured look.
'Keep a front garden lawn well-maintained by regularly mowing and trimming it to keep it neat and tidy,' explains Chris Bonnett, owner of Gardening Express. 'You may also want to consider installing a garden path or walkway to create a more defined space within your garden.'
10. Consider low-maintenance lawn alternatives
If you'd rather spend less time tending to your front garden, there are plenty of low-maintenance lawn alternatives to consider.
'There are low upkeep and slow growing seed mixes which require much less mowing than most grass seed types,' says Chris Mcllroy, lawn expert at The Grass People. 'Ideal for those of us who are looking for a low-maintenance lawn, the seeds are particularly good for lawns that are shaded. Plus, they'll be hard-wearing, drought-tolerant, and can grow well in low-nutrient conditions.'
Creeping thyme and golden creeping Jenny, available at Crocus, are also popular choices. You can buy clover seeds from Amazon to cater for wildlife, too.
11. Add furniture
The best garden furniture ideas aren't limited to the back garden — they can enhance a front garden, too.
'Furniture can be a fantastic addition to a front garden, transforming it into a welcoming, functional space,' says Jenny from Forest Garden. 'It can serve as an extension of your living area, offering a spot to enjoy a morning coffee or an evening chat with neighbours.
'The key is to ensure the furniture doesn’t obstruct pathways or overwhelm the space. It should enhance the garden's appeal without taking away from the natural beauty. For instance, if you have a cottage-style garden, a wooden bench or wrought iron seating can blend beautifully.'
Look out for weatherproof styles or learn how to weatherproof garden furniture to help it last longer.
12. Flank the front door with potted bay trees
Make a smart entrance by placing a pair of clipped standard bay trees either side of the front door. Painted trellis flanks this country porch, shading the doorway and providing a home for climbing plants.
'Large feature pots by the front door or on a terrace in front of windows help to create privacy and make the garden look elegant and fun,' says garden designer Harriet Worsley.
13. Add lighting
As with your other outdoor spaces, consider which garden lighting ideas you could add to your space.
'We’d recommend adding lighting to highlight specific areas like your porch, creating a welcoming ambience,' says David Amos, founder of Amos Lighting. 'Choose energy-efficient lighting that is suitable for outdoor use and ones which complement the style of your home.'
Think about how outdoor lighting will enhance security as well as style. 'Consider wall lights on either side of the door or possibly a recessed spotlight from above for a porch,' suggests Piero De Marchis, director of Detail Lighting.
'If you are opting for one light, place it on the side where the keyhole and door handle are as it will make it easier when unlocking your door. Above all, ensure it is warm and inviting and makes guests feel safe.'
14. Plant a fragrant border
Gardens can please all the senses, so don't just look at visuals for your front garden ideas and call it a day. Our sense of smell is so important when building the atmosphere of a space and can elevate our mood in seconds.
If you're looking for garden border ideas, planting fragrant herbs and flowers along your path will provide a pleasant welcome home every day. Think lavender, sage and primrose. If you're not sure which plants go well together, pick up a ready-made scented garden border from Crocus.
15. Change it with the seasons
Just like styling your indoor space, you can have fun changing up your front garden ideas with the seasons. A festive wreath, zinc tubs filled with freshly foraged foliage and pots holding seasonal blooms will do the trick.
Plus, there are wreaths for every season, and they're the perfect way to decorate a front door. We love Dunelm's selection of wreaths.
16. Utilise hanging baskets
Hanging baskets allow you to make the most of the vertical space available to you, and there's a long list of the plants for hanging baskets to choose from.
‘Hanging baskets are a simple way to brighten up your front garden and can be particularly effective if you have limited space,’ says Tom Clifford, director of Gardenstone. ‘You can hang them either side of your door or garage to frame the area and add a pop of colour.'
Incorporating flowers vertically will naturally draw the eye upwards and create the illusion of a more expansive space.
17. Swap a fence for a hedge
Many terraced and semi-detached homes use front garden ideas that separate their space from their neighbours'. The most common in urban areas is a wall or an array of garden fence ideas, but a simple switch to a hedge will provide natural interest, not to mention a hangout for wildlife.
The most common choice is boxwood, which offers dense leaves that can easily be pruned into shape. Other popular options include laurel hedging, which can be purchased from Gardening Express.
18. Create a natural archway
You can transform the look of your front garden with a few cottage garden ideas. The house and garden should appear to flow into one another, and one way to achieve this is by training climbing plants to create a natural arch over the front door or porch.
As well as looking pretty, this will act as shelter when you're fumbling for your keys on a damp day.
19. Include raised beds
Raised beds aren't just for the back garden. If you're looking for easy garden ideas, they can be the perfect addition to a front garden. Plant evergreen shrubs and include some seasonal perennials to provide bursts of colour throughout the year.
This style is also great if your home is on a hill, as you can build the beds above one another like steps. Portable options are also available, like the Outsunny 2-Piece Raised Beds from Amazon.
20. Try a mirror
Garden mirror ideas are a great way to make outdoor spaces seem bigger, but have you ever considered using one in your front garden? Well, Elaine Penhaul, founder of home staging company Lemon and Lime, suggests doing exactly that — not only to make the space feel larger, but also to add instant visual interest.
‘Garden mirrors work well in a private front garden,’ says Elaine. ‘Putting more than one mirror together and framing it with climbing plants will soften the edges and help to create a cohesive look.’
Plus, this can be a rather inexpensive front garden upgrade if you’re looking for budget garden ideas.
21. Add pattern with a tiled path
Though often overlooked, the ground is the perfect opportunity to add colour and pattern to a front garden. With developing techniques and technology, it's now possible to find almost any tile design in outdoor-appropriate materials for your garden path ideas.
Just remember that while some tiles may be suitable for outdoor use, they can become slippery, so ensure you speak to your supplier to make sure they will be safe to walk on in inclement conditions.
22. Play with textures
Many people focus on colour when attempting to add character to their front garden, but there's a lot to be said for texture, too.
Mix and match plants with different shaped and sized leaves, from long and wide to tiny and narrow. This is a great way to achieve year-round interest, especially when you're using evergreen plants or low-growing evergreen shrubs.
23. Add a water feature
There are a range of benefits to adding a water feature to your front garden, from blocking out external noise from traffic on busy streets to attracting wildlife.
‘Not only are water features visually appealing, but they can also transform your front garden into a calming sensory experience,' says Marlena Kaminska, designer at ValueLights. 'The gentle sound of flowing water will greet you on your return home, helping you to transition away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.'
Where to buy water features:
24. Install a rustic path to add character
Set the scene with a wooden decked pathway leading up to the front door. This rustic wooden design, infilled with pebbles, offers a softer approach to a front garden path, instead of paving slabs and bricks.
The look can be softened even further with wild but thoughtful planting on either side of the path.
25. Hide bins with a wheelie bin store
If you don’t have a lot of outdoor space to begin with or are limited to a front garden only, it can be tricky to think of wheelie bin storage ideas. But that doesn’t mean you can't hide them in a stylish way.
'While a collection of wheelie bins and recycling boxes can immediately bring down the look of even the nicest of front gardens, you can hide bins using a wooden bin store or sit them behind some trellis that also doubles as a planting feature to keep your front garden looking clutter-free,' suggests Furniturebox’s product development lead, Laura Rich.
26. Curate a corner of thoughtful planting
Give your driveway a modest planting scheme to pretty up the exterior of your home. Carve out a corner bedding arrangement to plant a mix of perennial green foliage and seasonal flowering shrubs such as hydrangeas to add a splash of colour.
Use garden trellis ideas to extend the planting vertically, to flank the doorway, and to make the most of a compact corner plot.
27. Plant tactical topiary for privacy
If your small front garden doesn't offer much in the way of outdoor space, use it to cultivate a garden that offers privacy. This is especially important if your house resides by the roadside, directly on the pavement.
Topiary is a great way to create your own piece of living architecture to create shelter from the outside world. Add topiary balls by the front door to complement the boxwood topiary hedge.
'We usually plant a hedge of bay, bush-form olives or Grisellinia litoralis in front troughs to act as a boundary or provide a screen between the street and the front garden,' says garden designer Harriet Worsley. 'Evergreens are essential here, as no one wants to arrive home to a hedge that is dying back in October.'
28. Dress the windowsill
You can keep things simple but stylish with planting ideas for window boxes.
This idea is perfect for dressing the exterior of your home but also provides a pretty view through the window from indoors, too. Go for the best trailing plants for outdoors to create a cascading effect.
29. Create a rock garden
There are plenty of variations of rock garden ideas, but in a nutshell, you’ll be looking to combine decorative rocks, bark chippings and drought-tolerant plants to create a low-maintenance front garden.
‘A rock garden is a wonderful way to display small alpine plants at the front of your property,’ says PriceYourJob.co.uk’s gardening expert, Harry Bodell.
'While they are more suited to front gardens that face the south, as most of these plants enjoy full sun, there are shade-tolerant plants that you can use if your home faces the north.'
30. Use gravel for an informal and secure front garden
If you're looking to add security to your home, gravel is a great cheap DIY garden path idea because it will crunch as anyone approaches the door or window. As well as looking and sounding great, this is a popular choice for homeowners on a budget.
Gather together a selection of old planters to make a feature on a gravelled patio. Plant them up with bay, scented lavender and cheerful pansies.
31. Make a feature of a tree with a round bench
Wooden tree benches are a quirky seating solution you'll love, and they're perfect for those wanting to build around nature. You can pick up pre-made designs from as little as £150, or potentially even less if you make use of some garden discount codes.
Alternatively, if you're a competent DIY-er, there are a number of videos on YouTube which show you how to make wooden tree benches from old pallets and more.
32. Plant rose bushes for a country look
Complete a country home in picturesque style by including white-painted picket gates to mark the entrance to a charming floral-bordered driveway.
Learn how to grow roses to decorate your borders with scented blooms. The colours will pop against a white picket fence.
FAQs
What plants grow in the front garden UK?
The options are endless! Of course, it all depends on how much light your front garden receives.
'Consider which way your front garden is facing, as this may impact which plants will thrive best,' advises Morris from Hopes Grove Nurseries.
Plus, you'll need to consider how much drainage your front garden allows.
'Make sure you have proper drainage for water, otherwise your driveway could become waterlogged when watering your plants,' warns Morris.
It's also important to consider which plants and trees could block light from your neighbours' gardens, or you could receive a hefty fine.
How can I tidy up a small front garden?
Keeping on top of maintenance will help your front garden look as good as possible.
Sweep away fallen leaves and trim any plants that begin to grow over doorways or paths. This will remove any trip or safety hazards and keep your front garden looking neat and tidy.
During the summer, learn how to deadhead roses and other flowering plants that are growing in your front garden to keep them flowering for as long as possible.
And of course, if you have a paved front garden or pathway, learn how to clean paving slabs to help your space look fresh all year round.
No matter how large or small your space and budget, there are plenty of front garden ideas to choose from — have fun seeing what works for your space!
