50 Small Front Yard Landscaping Ideas From Top Designers and HGTV Stars

Large front yards aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. A small yard has a lot of benefits — less work, less water and less money to maintain. And it can be just as charming with lush and colorful landscaping and well-thought-out hardscaping features that match the home’s architecture. Read on to find high-style ways to make your tiny yard the best on the block.

Here, on this pretty yellow house, a triple layer of landscaping — two rows of evergreens and a row of colorful annuals — along the front of this home adds dimension and interest. Ivy-filled window boxes and vibrant planters top off the charming look.

If your landscape is lacking color, try adding window boxes like Ben and Erin Napier from Home Town did on this adorable cottage. Window boxes are relatively cheap, or you can DIY them in an afternoon. To amp up your curb appeal, match the window box color to the home’s front door or window trim. And bonus points if you can do like Ben and Erin and match the color of the mulch to the color of the stairs.

Jonathan Knight, formally of New Kids on the Block, is now a Farmhouse Fixer extraordinaire. His family owned an early 1900s farmhouse. Jon had it moved and then renovated the home from top to bottom. The handsome green house is on land subject to a conservation restriction, meaning that only one house can stand on the 7-acre property. Even though the home has several acres, most of it is used for farming, so the actual front yard is rather small. But that doesn’t mean it's not brimming with personality. Jon created a broken flagstone walkway and a herringbone-patterned brick path. Both are lined with rows of colorful perennials such as hydrangeas, coneflowers and black-eyed Susan, plus ornamental grasses and lush evergreens. Staggering the height of the plantings with the tallest in the back on both sides of the pathways makes for a cozy and inviting portal.

This 1910 home is charming in itself, but the landscaping also helps set it apart. The rock wall is made from stone that was dug out of the yard. Not only does it look gorgeous, the boulders help conceal the home’s foundation and prevent erosion. We especially love the way the hostas on the left spill over the rock wall and into the crevices.

Landscaping a steep yard can be a challenge. Approach it with a one-step-at-a-time attitude by creating terraced levels that can be treated as separate planting beds that will be easier to conquer and climb.

A white fence with copper post caps and climbing vines adds tons of personality and a bit of privacy to this petite front yard. Jasmine Roth of Hidden Potential also planted a garden bed full of low-maintenance ornamental grasses to fill the space between the driveway and the front door. She even went the extra mile and landscaped the sidewalk bed with drought-tolerant plants and wood mulch.

Large boulders in the flowerbeds add dimension to the landscape of this mountain home. Implementing natural materials like these large boulders add curb appeal year-round and the best part, they’re absolutely maintenance-free.

To lend more privacy to this front yard a small picket fence was added to the top of the brick retaining wall. Twin planters at the top of each set of stairs and a pair of tall skinny evergreens provide symmetry and style.

When designer Hilary Farr from Love It or List It designed her own home, she turned the front yard’s gradual slope into an attractive feature. The brick switchback staircase with its long landings invites guests to stop and enjoy the verdant landscape’s many shapes and textures. Hillside stairs that change direction can make a small yard feel bigger because they allow you to see the yard from different vantage points.

To make this low-maintenance desert landscape look bigger than it actually is, the large paver-pathway switches back and forth while the retaining walls are staggered. Smart lighting placement and interesting plantings keep this 1950s home looking mod and stylish.

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, but it may not do a lot for your home’s curb appeal. Here, a curved walkway lined with red flowers that match the front door makes for an enticing entry.

If your house is symmetrical, take a cue from Ben and Erin Napier of Home Town and make your landscaping symmetrical, too. Here, Ben and Erin framed the grand staircase with matching evergreens then added a row of red caladiums to inject a bit of interest and color. The tall planters on each side of the door continue the balance and symmetry.

A mix of vertical and horizontal siding, various colors and the shapely hardscaping materials used in the walkway and retaining wall make this front yard a showstopper.

A pair of Japanese maple trees frame the picture window and help cover the expansive exterior wall on this adorable cottage. The maples also provide shade to the lower planting as well the interior beyond the window.

Corner lots can sometimes be a challenge to landscape but not for Jasmine Roth of Hidden Potential. She made the most of the small lot by creating a lush lawn on two sides so the kids (and adults) have plenty of room to run and play barefoot. A front patio provides a place to sit and greet the neighbors. To make sure there were no blank spaces, Jasmine planted tall shrubs to fill the walls on the side of the house and the side of the garage. A border of ornamental grass hugs the curve of the yard and helps delineate the sidewalk from the yard.

A trio of cone-shaped conifers matches the two sets of triple windows on the house to keep the balance in check. Hydrangeas and hedges line the driveway and other planting beds so there’s only a small patch of grass to mow.

Knee-high shrubs frame the path and front porch of this adorable cottage. Tall cannas with orange blooms (left) match the front door and porch accessories to help amp up the curb appeal.

Placing an arbor at the end of a walkway can make you feel like you're entering a cozy room instead of a plain old front yard. Pair the arbor with a picket fence to create a welcoming portal that encourages guests to enter and explore.

Just because you don’t have a traditional front porch doesn’t mean you must forgo a front yard living space. Take a cue from Jasmine Roth of Hidden Potential. She gave this home an inviting space to greet guests and wave to neighbors. The starburst fence adds personality, lends privacy and even mimics a porch railing. Colorful flowerbeds and potted plants provide extra color and charm. Jasmine even took the landscaping vertical with the trio of wall planters underneath the overhang.

Instead of putting your white picket straight across the property line, set it back a few feet at the walkway to create a welcoming entry. The staggered look adds depth to the front yard and the matching flower pots help provide some cottage charm.

Cut down on lawnmowing by filling in borders with groundcovers like ivy, wild ginger or pachysandra. Low-maintenance plantings like these add color and texture, and many are drought-resistant.

Dave and Jenny Marrs of Fixer to Fabulous lined this charming front porch with long beds of petite evergreens. Red brick pavers in a subtle hexagon shape frame the bed to help keep it neat and tidy. Dave and Jenny then topped off the porch with one of the quintessential porch accessories — hanging baskets of ferns.

If your home is perfectly symmetrical it makes sense to have the landscape symmetrical as well. Here, a pair of Japanese maple trees match the portico columns while two layers of evergreen shrubs frame each side of the house. Laying the brick walkway in a Chevron pattern adds a modern touch to a normally traditional feature.

A steep slope can easily be conquered with a sturdy retaining wall. By using the same type of stone as the home’s foundation, this retaining wall doesn’t stick out; instead it looks like it’s part of the home.

This front yard makeover by Ben and Erin Napier of Home Town screams Southern charm. It's so impressive how the low-lying porch doesn’t need a railing because it's beautifully framed with rows of boxwood. Spiked variegated plants in front of the "porch railing" add contrast and texture to the entry while a pair of matching planters flank the pretty blue door.

The white picket fence mimics the porch railing and pairs nicely with the gingerbread corbels on the porch posts and second-story roofline.

Plant a specimen tree to create a focal point in your yard. Here, your eye can’t help but land on the umbrella-shaped tree that is shading the set of chairs; plus the tree prevents the massive chimney from taking over the curb appeal.

Ben and Erin Napier of Home Town updated this contemporary ranch home with planter boxes to match the home’s front door and wood posts. Raised beds like this help create a stylish barrier between the home and the street. Evergreens of varying heights and a crape myrtle between the two front windows add height and color to the white façade.

A stone-color walkway — as opposed to blacktop or gray concrete — helps keep this entryway looking natural and neat. Use a variety of foliage, textures and seasonal colors in your garden to create interest year-round.

A large porch can make your home's entrance feel fresh and inviting, plus it lends a bit of privacy to the inside of the home. Placing a selection of potted plants and outdoor furniture will add ambiance to the open space.

Everybody loves a front porch, but privacy may be an issue if your house is close to the street. Use hanging ferns and baskets filled with a mix of creeping Jenny, caladium and flowering annuals to create a screen with tons of ambiance.

A rock-lined waterfall creates a zen-like feel with its soothing sounds and calming effect. The bright perennials and annuals surrounding the water feature help create that lush, mountainous look.

Illuminate your entry with light fixtures that match your home's style. For a pleasing touch, pick a lamp color that plays well with your home's exterior. Here, the soft teal fixtures complement the home's beige hues, while blue fescue grasses echo the color of the lamp posts.

With so much to look at, this front yard doesn’t seem small at all. By using a variety of natural elements on different levels, there are so many places for the eye to land that the yard feels spacious and interesting.

Garden beds don’t need to always follow a straight line. Dave and Jenny Marrs of Fixer to Fabulous chose a curved garden bed to silhouette this recently remodeled home. The freeform shape that gradually narrows draws the eye to the flowering tree at the corner of the house.

Instead of a typical front porch, these homeowners opted for a large pergola to shade their entry. The curved gravel pathway and freeform planting beds contrast beautifully with the straight lines of the porch and pergola.

Even the most simple facade can be made interesting. This basic rancher is given a high dose of style with the addition of raised planting beds and a modern porch rail.

For visual interest on a steep slope, stagger stair directions and create landings between each. Here, the stone steps and stucco walls are softened with a Mediterranean color palette of green-gray foliage and ornamental grasses.

Add a new eco-system to your yard with a small lily pond. Not only is it pretty, it's a great way to teach kids about nature when you add in a few frogs and fish.

Instead of a thirsty lawn, native, drought-resistant plants are anchored in gravel and accented with twin water features to create a low-maintenance yard that is perfect for this desert environment.

A cobblestone and concrete wall paired with arborvitae and climbing vines provide privacy to this stately home. Matching the arched gate to the transom window over the front door ups the curb appeal.

A dry bed is a great option for a low-maintenance yard in a drought-prone area. Add a little bridge for a touch of whimsy and to give the kids an additional play spot.

Steps at the corner of the yard provide easy access from the driveway to the front door. The added level between the street and porch stairs evens out the slight incline that angles to the left.

A traditional grass lawn would seem almost silly for the tiny front yard. But this variety of soft shrubs and spiky perennials provides the perfect amount of color and texture to this 1930s Craftsman home.

This brick walkway cleverly morphs into a retaining wall as the driveway descends to the side yard. Tying architectural elements together like this can give a home a purposeful, cohesive look.

This front yard features a drought-tolerant landscape instead of a high-maintenance lawn. The pretty color palette provides year-round seasonal color with ornamental grasses, evergreen shrubs and perennials. The curvilinear gravel and flagstone walkway easily leads the eye to the front door.

Established perennials are most often easier to maintain than a grass lawn, plus, they’re just more attractive. Here, a variety of plantings at different heights adds extra personality to this adorable Tudor cottage.

The notched walkway leading up to the door echoes the rectangles throughout this home’s architecture. Low-maintenance, desert plantings also accentuate that cool mid-mod aesthetic.

Don’t be afraid to jazz up your curb appeal with a bold punch of color. Here, two turquoise wood planters flank the walkway of this 1960s rancher. The contrast of the bright hue against the muted brick makes this home feel livelier and more contemporary.

For long pathways, don’t use straight lines; use curves and waves instead. Curvilinear walkways and flowerbeds provide a more natural look than straight lines and sharp corners. To make it even more interesting, this pathway ends in a circle with a boulder and a bench.