Your home entryways should be created for easy access through your landscape and yard. First impressions count for a lot, so aesthetic appeal surrounding your landscaping ideas and entryways is important. It’s usually best and easiest to start with the highest traffic entries which are usually from your front door to your parking driveway. Next, assess the paths and walkways to and from all access areas of your home. Planting ideas that surround these spots should help guide a visitors eye towards your entryways or exits. If you have a side entrance that you use as often as your front entrance, consider that path as well. Colorful blooms, walkways, foundation beds, and outdoor lighting may be used.

If planting for height, build up towards your house; that is to say, start lower on the periphery and gradually increase the height of your plants as they approach the house to direct attention to the entrance. Use caution here as any garden beds bordering a walk or path can distract from your entrance. Try to think of the beginning of your path or sidewalk as a starting point leading as an opening directing you towards your door.

A sense of invitation and safety should both be considerations for your entryway. Some moderately good lighting and visibility can help ensure safety at night when walking from your parking area into your home. If your home has a mudroom, laundry room, or any other type of utility room that sits next to your front or rear entryway, plan for making it look good as well as functional for traffic.  

How do you guide traffic to and through your access areas? Most professional landscaping contractors basically follow the same pattern here. Walkways, privacy hedges, shrubs, border gardens, edging, fencing, trellises, screens, and railings are options. Add a planter to frame and highlight entry to certain areas. Fences, raised beds, and screening can also be used to hide spots that have visible utilities from view.

When using plantings to define access areas, consider their mature size and spread when spacing. This is often overlooked in landscaping. Since paths, walkways, and other access areas will usually lead to or near your house, plants should be planted with enough distance from your foundation so that you can maintain both the plantings and home. Plants should be spaced far enough from your house and outbuildings so that you will be able to tend to them once they have reached full size. Given time to grow, shrubs and hedges create a natural boundary and screen while fences create an immediate boundary.

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