Newsletter Articles
Garden Ideas to Spruce up Your Front Porch
Written by David S.
The first thing that people see when they drive past your home is your yard and front porch. Inside, we talk about a few projects that add an extra bit of welcome to your front porch.
Flowers and Vines
The options for adding flowers to the porch area is immense. Small beds along the walkway or containers that sit on the porch are just two of the many options available. Hanging baskets are yet another idea that adds color and “friendship” to the entryway.
African Daisies – Gazania – are full of joy. They are brightly colored and have contrasting centers that make them fun and delightful. Gazania also comes in a wide variety of colors. They require little care besides good soil and water. In early spring, a planter full of colorful blooming bedding plants or succulents is also beautiful. For containers, use taller plants like snapdragons or Salvia in the center of the pot with lower growers such as Lobelia, Bacopa or Verbena around the edge. A similar arrangement of succulents would also work for shadier areas. The idea is to be able to change out the container or the plants as their blooming season ends. If you have a garden bench area, you can prime the next pot for the porch and replace it as it begins to bloom. You can also keep a container of beautiful greenery handy to fill in the gaps. Coleus is a lovely example of such a plant. The decorative green edges with the stripe of color are beautiful, lush, and they don’t mind shade.
Be sure to stop by one of the Green Thumb Nurseries and browse the vast assortment of plants that bring happiness to entryways. We also have a wide array of colorful pots that go with many types of aesthetics. Our decorative pots range from small troughs to huge containers fit for trees. The selection makes it easy to design an entryway that is welcoming year-round.
Water Features
There are some fantastic small water feature kits and pondless fountains that fit nicely into a front porch area. Some are operated by solar, while others need a hard-wired connection. The range in size is impressive too. Some are small tabletop fountains, whereas others are full-sized koi ponds. One of the most subtle water features is the container pond. These can be as small as a 5-gallon bucket and provide the perfect amount of interest and white noise. Usually, these are decorative urn type pots in which a few mosquito fish live. To this, you add water-loving plants that grow directly in the small pond. These are often rushes and reeds but can also be as exotic as lotus flowers and lilies.
Garden Art and Statues
There are a million ways to express your style and attitude. These range from cute little metal props with words – Welcome, Home, etc. on them to classic-styled statues in marble. Stop by and browse the massive selection of garden art that we carry. Some are stand-along pieces, while others fit perfectly into a flower pot.
Tables and Benches
Sometimes the best visit is over a cup of coffee and why not enjoy that time in a beautifully designed garden spot. The front porch can be that spot, or with a little bit of landscaping a small patio off of the front porch with a table for two amid the beautiful flowers and elements. Benches on the front porch are perfect places to put on and take off shoes, especially when it’s wet outside.
What does your front porch say about your house? Some essential design advice might be that the perfect entryway comes from the bits and pieces of all of these suggestions. Add in a few flowers in decorative pots and beds. Enhance those areas with a water feature that is the right proportion to your porch area. Maybe add in a small bench where you can sit and enjoy the yard, or a table where friends can gather for tea or coffee. Add in a splash of decorative items that add interest to the area and help tie each of the design elements together. These can include figurines and statues to signage that says, Welcome. The potential for sprucing up your front entryway is almost endless, and with a little thought and labor, you can design an entryway that is brilliant and welcoming all year long.
We encourage you to stop by and browse the different elements at one of our five Southern California Nursery locations. If you have a design idea, chat with one of our garden experts about how to make that idea a reality. Keep in mind though that our inventory changes daily. So, if you need a particular plant or product, call ahead, and we can check our inventory or order it for you. Visit us online or reach out to us in person, by phone, or via email.
Do you like what you see? Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get content like this every week!