Landscaping Access Areas And Entryways

Your home entrances should be designed to provide easy access through your yard and landscaping. 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. Side entrances that are used as much or more than your front door, should also be considered. Shrubs, flowers, pathways, border beds, and lighting can be used.

To create some height with plantings, start by building up towards your house. Start plantings low and then increase the height of your plants as they get closer to the house. This will help direct attention to your entryway. Landscaping beds that border a walkway can distract attention away from the entryway. Think of the beginning of your path or sidewalk simply as an opening directing you towards your door.

Your entryway should be inviting as well as safe. 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 any type of utility room, mudroom, laundry room, or outdoor kitchen that matches up to your front or rear entrance, plan for something that’s easy to look at as well as functional for traffic flow.  

How do you guide and lead folks to your access and entryway areas? Most professional landscaping companies basically follow a common pattern here. Sidewalks, privacy fences, border gardens, edging, walls, trellises, screens, and also rails are more choices. You can add planters to accent entryways to certain places. Raised beds, screens, and fences can also be useful for masking places that are more utility based from sight.

When using plantings to define access areas, consider their mature size and spread when spacing. This is often overlooked in landscaping ideas. Since your access walks and paths will usually lead to or near your house, plants sted with enough distance from your foundation so that you can maintain both the plantings and home should be plan. Space your plants far enough from your house and sheds so that you can work all the way around them once they are mature size. Over time, hedges and larger shrubs can create a natural screen while fences create an immediate boundary.