First impressions are very powerful things. They even unconsciously predispose us to be either open or close minded to what is to yet to follow. That puts a lot of pressure on a front yard garden landscape, since it needs to present an accurate impression of the home environment to all who visit the residence. And that goes for foundation garden plantings.

What are Foundation Garden Plantings?

Foundation plantings serve as a base planting against the building for multi-dimensional layered landscape design. Lower layers of a variety of trees and plants are arranged in front of the foundation planting. Here are a few suggestions to consider when planning foundation garden planting:

Classic Foundation Garden Planting for Philadelphia Gardens

• Match the planting to the architecture – Your house projects a certain style, and creating a foundation planting garden with a complementing theme can achieve an overall sense of harmony and seamless design. Consult a professional landscape designer if you need assistance determining the best garden style for your home.
• Plan for four-season interest – While stately evergreens present a picture of greenery at the foundation from season to season, you can add in some other shrubs and plants which offer waves of colorful flowers, berries, and foliage. This creates a constantly changing portrait of shades and textures adding year round visual interest.
• Plant to scale – Because the foundation garden plantings frame your house, it is important to choose a frame that fits correctly, so that your house looks neither smothered nor ridiculous by ill-proportioned plant selections. Also, widening the garden gives a more open, relaxed feel to the entire landscape.

Foundation Garden Plantings Reinforce the Architecture

Finegardening.com says, “When choosing foundation plants, I consider how their forms can reinforce architectural lines. Narrow trees or tall grasses accentuate the height of the house and echo vertical elements such as chimneys and turrets. Horizontal lines of contemporary homes are reinforced by spreading and weeping trees or low-growing shrubs.”

When placing foundation plantings beneath windows in informal design styles, look for plants with horizontal growth tendencies. This natural growth pattern will remove the temptation to shear shrubs into round and square topped objects. One popular shrub that offers an attractive horizontal effect is the weeping English yew. When placed with a low ground cover, it will keep its natural, horizontal form over the years.

Some careful planning could lead to a brilliant display of seasonal color and lushness to make your foundation garden planting the talk of the neighborhood.

Spaces by Newtown Square Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers Aardweg Landscaping