The Invincible Yard: 25 Ideas For Lazy Landscaping
Photo: istockphoto.Com
Some people love the backbreaking business of taking care of their lawn and garden. Then there's the rest of us: We'd rather relax and let our little piece of heaven largely take care of itself. Ahead, find easy landscaping ideas to make your outdoor space the envy of the neighborhood.
1. Replace some lawn with functional hardscaping.Less lawn equals less work. That's the best argument for hardscaping—that's the use of pavers, brick, or decorative stone. Whether you opt for a patio or lay garden paths, you'll have a durable surface that never needs weeding or watering, although you might want to sweep it occasionally. Options abound, from neat grids to a patchwork effect—great low-maintenance front yard landscaping is just a stone's throw away.
RELATED: 9 Ideas for a Beautiful Brick Patio
2. Plant easy-care perennials.Perennials are the gift that keeps on giving, season after season, unlike annuals, which you have to plant every year. Some perennials are more carefree than others, though. Forgetful gardeners will love the drought-tolerant pasqueflower or the delicate-looking but durable penstemon. For hot and dry climates, we like brilliant sedum, and, yes, yarrow (don't dare call it a weed!).
RELATED: 50 Plants That Thrive in Any Yard
3. Opt for native plants throughout the landscape.Plants adapted to their environments long before people did, so native species are a wise choice for the laid-back landscaper. Native plants require less fertilizer, water, pesticides, and overall care than plants brought in by settlers. To learn what will thrive in your neck of the woods, type "native plants" and your state into a search engine—you'll find tons of info.
RELATED: 34 Amazing Plants That Are Native to North America
4. Lay some artificial turf.Artificial grass has come a long way since your granddad's Astroturf. Today's synthetics, made of nylon or polymer, have varying heights and color gradations to look and feel more like the real thing. You can even plant a tree in it. Though pricey ($7 to $18 per square foot), your faux lawn will be absolutely fuss-free.
RELATED: Buyer's Guide: The Best Artificial Grass
5. Plant evergreen trees, shrubs, and ground covers.What could be simpler than plants that keep their vivid, verdant color all year long? Put dwarf varieties into flower beds, set shrubs near your house to disguise the foundation, choose tall, columnar types for privacy—there are even creeping varieties for ground cover.
RELATED: 10 Evergreens to Beautify Your Garden Year-Round
6. Use monkey grass for low-maintenance borders.For interesting edges without the effort, try clumping monkey grass (Liriope muscari) along flower beds, borders, and walkways. This Asian native is hardy and stands up to dogs, deer, bugs, and weeds. As a bonus, it grows well in a variety of soils and climates. Monkey grass can grow to about 15 inches, so trim it if you wish or go long.
RELATED: 20 Plants to Use as Lawn and Garden Borders
7. Select fewer trees and shrubs for less maintenance.Here's a tip that's particularly relevant for those looking for small front yard landscaping ideas: Less is more. Rather than crowd a bed with lots of plants you'll need to tend, put in just a few high-impact, high-performance varieties. Planting one or two nice trees and some powerhouse perennials gives you more time to sack out in the hammock.
RELATED: 20 Tiny Backyards We Love
8. Plant hardy succulents in sunny areas.If watering falls low on your to-do list, succulents (like echeveria, agave, and sedum) are your garden go-tos. Tough, colorful, and captivating, they also play well with others, so mixing 'em up adds more excitement to your landscape. Drainage is key, however: Depending on your local soil, you might be better off putting these shallow-rooting, sun-loving plants in raised beds with porous, well-aerated soil.
RELATED: Solved! Why Are My Succulents Dying?
9. Grow self-cleaning roses for color with little effort.A rose by any other name probably isn't as easy as Knock Out roses. These set-'em-and-forget-'em flowers are heat-resistant, pretty much prune-free, and "self-cleaning"—you don't even have to deadhead them. Just use a good organic rose food in early spring, and follow up with foliar feedings (liquid fertilizer applied to the leaves) through the blooming season.
10. Raise plants suited for your growing zone.Remember to pick plants suited to your USDA hardiness zone. Anything too tender is destined to fail, and who needs the frustration? While you're at it, a soil test will diagnose your dirt and tell you what nutrients it might need to keep your plants low maintenance or help you select the best plants for your soil type. Your local extension office can help advise you, too.
RELATED: Buyer's Guide: The Best Soil Test Kits
11. Build paths or patios with gravel.Strew irregularly shaped landscaping rocks around for the no-sweat simplicity of paving with a softer, more organic vibe. Gravel can be either man-made, which is ideal for high-traffic areas, or natural (smoother but less stable—so use where traffic is light). To keep the space looking spiffy, banish errant leaves as necessary with a wire-tined rake.
RELATED: The 9 Best Types of Gravel for Your Driveway
12. Replace grass with no-effort ground covers.Give your mowing muscles a rest—and lighten your water and fertilizer load—by swapping traditional turf for a no-effort ground cover. These plants create a pleasingly plush carpet, and there are enough varieties to suit just about any climate and traffic condition. Consider mat-forming creeping perennials like New Zealand brass buttons (Leptinella squalida), Scotch or Irish moss (Sagina subulata), or low-growing clover.
13. Automate watering tasks.Remembering to stay true to your watering routine can be tricky. Take steps to automate it so you're less apt to forget. If you have an irrigation system, set up the timer based on what's appropriate for the season. And if you don't have underground sprinklers, you can still automate the process by purchasing a timer that attaches to your hose bib. Your grass will thank you.
RELATED: Buyer's Guide: The Best Sprinkler Controllers
14. Choose low-maintenance shade trees.When selecting trees for your landscape, choose those that are low maintenance to avoid having to spend your free time cleaning up a carpet of spent blooms, hickory hulls, or invasive seedlings. Opt for evergreens and standard shade trees that don't drop a lot of extras or reseed themselves all over the lawn.
RELATED: 10 of the Best Trees for Any Backyard
15. Mulch fallen leaves with a mower.Why spend hours and hours of your fall weekends raking leaves? Run over leaves with the lawn mower to make a mulch that will act like a superfood for your lawn. Keep the layer of mulched leaves no thicker than 1 inch to avoid creating thatch; use any extra to mulch garden beds.
RELATED: Buyer's Guide: The Best Mulching Lawn Mowers
16. Lay fabric barriers to cut down on weeding.The more time you invest up front putting down weed barriers in your landscaping beds, the less time you'll spend battling the unwelcome plants later. Just be sure to choose fabric barriers that are permeable enough to let water run through, especially near any tree. Use the fabrics under gravel or mulch paths you add as well. Contending with fewer weeds equals more time relaxing with family and friends—it's a win-win.
RELATED: Buyer's Guide: The Best Weeding Tools We Tested This Year
17. Add maintenance-free rock mulch.Want an easy way to cross a major spring and fall project off your to-do list? Replace organic material mulch like wood chips or pine straw with pea gravel or river rocks (or crusher fine in paths). These options require much less maintenance and don't need to be refreshed every year. For best results, aim for a 2- to 4-inch layer of rock, with the thinner layer for small-particled rock. If any weeds pop through, take the little bit of time needed to pull them right away. Once weeds go to seed, you can expect even more of the same next year.
RELATED: 8 Ways to Upgrade Your Backyard With Pavers
That timer on your hose or sprinkler system can automate lawn watering, but what about your garden beds and vegetable beds? A few tools can ease this burden. Start by laying out a soaker hose and covering it with a thin layer of mulch to protect it from the elements. Then set a reminder on your phone to run it as needed, or use an automatic hose timer.
Speed up your watering even more by investing in a quick connect system. This handy innovation makes it easier to thread hoses to soaker hoses and sprayers, or switch out watering tools. Install a male end on the soaker and sprayer and a female end on the main hose. When it's time to change watering tools, just pull back on the female end and pop it onto the connector.
RELATED: Buyer's Guide: The Best Lawn Sprinklers
19. Choose plants that make new plants.Although some flowers grow only as annuals in your area, you might be able to save time by starting them the first year, and leaving them to self-seed so new plants just appear out of the ground spring after spring. Productive seeders worth consideration include colorful cosmos, California poppies, giant larkspur, nigella, and portulaca. On the herb side, try dill (a host for butterflies) and parsley. Best of all, it's your neglect that helps them reproduce. Leave the faded flowers on, especially toward the end of summer, to allow seeds to drop or blow in the wind and maybe even feed a few birds.
A similar strategy is to choose plants that spread via runners. Many good candidates are ground covers like creeping Jenny, but some edible plants, such as strawberries and mints, also send out runners and reroot. Leave them to spread as they will or control them as needed.
RELATED: Plant Propagation 101: Easy Techniques for Beginners
20. Go ahead and repeat plants that work.Once you get the hang of caring for a native or otherwise low-maintenance plant, add another one. If you lose a shrub, replace it with a duplicate of one that worked for you. It's likely that any plants that have thrived in your conditions and care (or even your benign neglect) will be good bets going forward, as long as the sun exposure and soil are similar from one spot to another.
If you think owning several of the same plant is just too lazy, think again. A tenet of landscape design is the "rule of threes": To unify the landscape, repeat elements in groups of threes or in other odd numbers. For instance, you might place three matching Knock Out roses irregularly in the landscape, plant a line of three ornamental grasses, or station three identical containers along a wall.
RELATED: 30 Plants for Your Easiest Garden Ever
21. Collect or redirect rainwater.Catching rain in a well-designed rain barrel is an eco-friendly way to garden, saving nature's moisture for dry times. Truth be told, however, a rain barrel needs periodic cleaning and should be emptied before winter, so it tends to add to your landscaping tasks. Another option is to simply redirect the rain. If you can force the water that pools under your downspout to travel 15 feet away to your tree, you can prevent puddling and reduce the time (and water) you would otherwise have had to commit to irrigating the tree.
There are several ways to do this: One is a French drain, which requires some work up front but allows you to direct the water underground toward the thirsty target. An easier DIY project is to create a dry riverbed by digging a gentle slope from the ground below the downspout to the perimeter around the tree, and then filling the pathway with rocks, gravel, or river rock.
RELATED: 12 Rain Barrels That Make Water Conservation Stylish
22. Encourage natural pest control from predators.There is nothing more natural than critters eating other critters, so do your best to encourage natural predators to visit your property and take care of undesirable pests. Attract barn owls, which feast on flying insects and rodents, as well as other helpful pest-eaters like woodpeckers, bluebirds, and cardinals, by providing water in the form of a bird bath and appropriate shelter, such as nesting boxes or even dense shrubbery—which mean less pruning for you! You can also try introducing lady beetles or other beneficial insects into your landscape and hope they stick around.
RELATED: Buyer's Guide: The Best Bird Baths
Containers add pretty color to your landscape, but they can dry out quickly and need to be watered more often than beds. You can invest in an outdoor self-watering container for herbs or ornamental plants, or purchase a few simple tools. For instance, try plant stakes that draw water from a reservoir, or take a tip from ancient irrigation techniques and bury an olla jar in a container or garden bed to provide consistent water that seeps through the clay. You will have to fill your olla jar or other watering tool periodically, but not every day, and that slow, steady seeping or dripping is better for the plants than rushed, inconsistent watering.
RELATED: 9 Brilliant Ways to Put Your Garden on Autopilot
24. Use chickens or other livestock to take on some of the work.Although keeping a few farm animals on your city lot requires some attention (and familiarity with local zoning requirements), animals like chickens can ease the burden of pest control or other landscape duties. Chickens love grubworms, nab grasshoppers, and also scratch into soil to reach other insects and larvae. Not only can they help control the beetles that are damaging your plants, but they'll also provide free fresh eggs and manure to enrich your compost pile. Ensure the safety and comfort of your small flock with a portable chicken coop like the Omlet Eglu Go UP, the best plastic option in our researched guide to the Best Chicken Coops.
In addition to chickens, consider raising geese, which eat grass and some weeds but avoid large-leaf plants. Geese even help protect chicken flocks by honking a warning or chasing off predators—and, of course, they also produce eggs. Pygmy goats are small and friendly, and they're excellent foragers, grazing on grass and weeds. They can also produce milk. Just keep them away from shrubs and herbs, which they are prone to munch on.
25. Plan ahead and keep track.As with any endeavor, up-front preparation trumps time spent fixing mistakes. When planning for or altering a landscape, do plenty of due diligence. Low- or no-maintenance landscaping begins with picking the right plant for the right spot. For example, you might love roses but not realize they need at least 6 hours of sun to thrive. Similarly, don't place a drought-tolerant plant in a low spot where water pools, and remember that cold-hardy plants will survive winter better growing on the north side of your house than will heat lovers.
It also helps to keep track of what works and what doesn't in your growing conditions. You don't have to start a garden journal, but you might want to take some notes or photos to help you track planting times, when to prune, or when you last fertilized a shrub. As you plan, note that shade from trees changes during the day, with the seasons, and as trees mature. Take photos if you're considering placing a vegetable bed near shade from a large tree. A little bit of prep can refresh your mind and save you from repeating mistakes.
This Landscape Designer's Front Yard Has A No-mow "Korean Grass" Lawn That's Low-maintenance And Looks Incredible
There's something of a renaissance happening in the design of front yards recently. Sure, we've always wanted curb appeal for front yards - a neat lawn, some seasonal color maybe - but always in aid of creating a good first impression over useable outdoor space.
This is translating into modern front yards where not only is a pristine green lawn a concern, but where social seating is integrated into the design, allowing for the residents to use the front yard in the same way they do their backyard - without being shut away from neighbors.
And if anyone is going to spearhead these trends in their own front yards, it's a landscape designer. For Ben and Erin Fredrickson, the owners of Southern California-based landscape company Fredrickson Landscape Inc, these were all important considerations for the design of their own yard.
'We offer several design packages but specialize in "softscape" designs - plant design, finish material selections, and lighting,' Erin tells me, 'but since we were starting from scratch and had hardscape needs as well as softscape, we collaborated with Max from Max Vedder Land Design to put everything on paper. Max is known for his modern landscapes that are not only beautiful but inject a sense of fun into any yard.'
'Before our design meeting, we carefully considered how to best use our yard,' Erin adds. 'We knew we wanted a better entry (after all curb appeal is king); privacy because we are a corner house; and as busy, small business owners and parents of teens, we knew we wanted to minimize maintenance time!'
'Speaking of teens, gathering spots for their friends were key, so we wanted to create spaces that would allow them to hang comfortably,' she explains.
It's a lot to ask from a front yard, but the resulting space succeeds in all that and more. From Ben and Erin's water-wise grass selection, to how they've turned a front yard into a space that's a joy to spend time in, this might be one of my favorite front yards I've ever seen.
What is this lawn alternative?a modern front yard
A peek over Ben and Erin's fence reveals an unusually-textured lawn, defined by small mounds, surrounding their patio. 'We thought long and hard about what grass alternative to use in this space,' Ben says. 'As landscape designers, our focus is always on water-wise designs, and as busy, small business owners, we knew we wanted to minimize maintenance time.'
Traditional lawns are neither, so these designers took a different avenue that lends a unique texture to their front yard landscaping. 'In the end we chose zoysia tenuifolia also known as Korean grass,' Ben explains. 'It comes in flats and fills in so quickly! It's lush, green, super soft and definitely a conversation starter. RIP lawn mower and high water bills!'
However, it's not a lawn choice that works for all climates. 'We were really inspired by Australian coastal landscapes,' Ben adds. 'They use zoysia tenuifolia quite often and have a similar climate to ours. Zoysia works best in warm climates. We live in Oceanside, Californiam where the hottest summer temps rarely top 90 degrees Fahrenheit and the coldest winter nights are rarely below 35 degrees. Zoysia loves the heat but hates the cold. If your area drops into the low 30s, this grass is not for you!'
a seating area in a front yard
So what maintenance does it require? 'I've had it for almost 1 year and never mowed it,' Ben says. 'It will continue to grow and the mounds will get larger slowly over time. I may have to scalp it down the road if it gets too high, but I don't see that coming for years.' It's a win for a low maintenance garden if it suits your climate.
Zoysia grass plugs
Quantity: 50Price: $44.99
Should I have seating in my front yard?a seating area in a front yard
There's a definite trend towards making front yards more sociable that we've spotted here at Livingetc, and Ben agrees. 'I definitely think front yard social spaces are trending,' he says. 'I think it started during the pandemic when people were home more. Homeowners began to re-evaluate how they used their spaces and they wanted to use every inch of space and that included their front yards.'
Outing seating in this front yard design that made sense for Ben and Erin's lifestyle, and as a way to enjoy the Californian weather more. 'We are outdoor, social people by nature, so the idea of more gathering areas was a no brainer for us,' Erin explains. 'We also have a small home with two very social teens, so outside spaces give them room to spread out and not trample through the house.'
'We also liked the idea of a transition down into a fire pit seating area where we could hang with neighbors and our teens could hang with their rowdy friends (and not be in our tiny house),' she adds. 'Curb appeal is great but nothing's better than actually using and sharing your yard with family and friends.'
A modern planting schemea tree next to a front door
Part of the charm of this front yard is in its plant selection, and how it feels like an undeniably green space, but not overly formal. 'We were inspired by Aussie landscapes but wanted to give it a California Coastal twist, Ben tells me. 'We chose a monochromatic green palette with lots of texture.'
This texture includes the likes of Pittosporum golf balls and agaves pto provide structure, while softer grasses like lomandra and miscanthus morning light grasses bring movement to the front yard landscaping. 'Even though we were looking for a monochrome palette, Max added a touch of color with the Leucospermum high golds,' Ben says. 'And I'm glad he did! The yellow pincushion blooms are a gorgeous addition come spring and I now use them in a lot of my softscape designs.'
Ben also added some feature plants he'd always lusted after since becoming a landscape designer. 'We installed three large Jubaea wine palms and some rare cycads as feature plants,' he says. 'Only plant nerds truly appreciate how cool these are. It's my little landscaper flex.'
Leucospermum High Gold
Size: 0.7 gallonPrice: $79.99
Creating curb appealthe front of a stylish house and front yard
However, this front yard's looks aren't neglected from the sidewalk, and the landscaping incorporates an upgrade to the home's overall curb appeal.
'Other than our zoysia grass, the fence and address monument are our most asked about yard features,' Ben says. The privacy fence is unstained cedar 2" x 2" pickets on a 2" steel frame and is only 4.5' at its highest point. 'It adds so much dimension and curb appeal to the space without being overbearing,' Ben explains.
'The address monument was all Max's idea,' Ben adds. 'We wanted something substantial and cool at the entry and this was it! It's a poured in place board formed concrete wall. We went vertical with the boards to mimic the siding on the house.'
'We really leaned into the coastal design theme and added an Ipe wood deck for the anding area. It's a nice transition to make you feel like you've arrived! We left the wood unstained so it will age into a cool, driftwood color.'
It's the perfect combination of materials that sets off the entire design beautifully.
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The 12 Best Trees For Front-Yard Landscaping
Photo: istockphoto.Com
Trees form the architecture of residential landscapes, adding beauty along with several practical benefits. The best trees for the front yard increase property value by as much as 15 percent. They can help reduce utility bills by providing shade in the summer and screening from cold winds during the winter months. They also can help buffer noise to make the yard and home quieter as well as provide privacy.
Trees help fight climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and providing oxygen. They stabilize the soil and help lessen water runoff to minimize soil erosion, reduce flooding, recharge aquifers, and maintain water vapor in the atmosphere. Because trees attract birds and other wildlife, they help create a healthy habitat. The following are some ideas for trees in the front yard.
RELATED: The Dos and Don'ts of Landscaping Around Trees
1. Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)It's no wonder the dogwood is one of the most popular ornamental trees for the front yard. In USDA zones 3 to 8, it offers four-season interest, with spring blooms in white, pink, or red; a compact canopy in the summer; red fall foliage; and winter berries that attract birds. Typical height at maturity is around 15 feet, although flowering dogwoods can reach up to 30 feet. Flowering dogwood is a fast-growing tree that prefers full sun to partial shade. Dwarf varieties, such as kousa dogwood, are also available.
Best For: Wide-open spaces where they can spread and attract pollinators.
2. Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera)This fast-growing tree is typically grown in clumps of multiple trunks that can reach up to 70 feet tall. Prized for its dramatic peeling white bark, this native North American tree doesn't tolerate drought, so it prefers partial shade and moist or evenly marshy soil. It grows best in zones 2 to 7. The cold-hardy birch is a lean tree, adding height over width to provide a dappled canopy. Yellow autumn leaves are as attractive against the white bark as the summer's greenery.
Best For: Areas with moist soil or near water.
3. Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)Native to areas of the Eastern U.S., the sugar maple is a tall and stately tree, reaching up to 75 feet high, with a wide, spreading canopy that provides ample shade. Famous for producing syrup, the maple tree is a beloved autumn star, with blazing yellow, orange, scarlet, and red foliage, which are features of good trees for the front yard. Home to insects, birds, and small mammals, the maple needs room to grow. This combination shade and ornamental tree lives a long time if it receives the necessary moist, well-draining soil. This maple prefers clean, country air in zones 3 through 8 and can tolerate shade.
Best For: Suburban or rural lots with room to spread, but away from septic tanks.
4. Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)Adding year-round interest, the coniferous evergreen Colorado blue spruce belongs to the pine tree family. Its silvery blue foliage forms a pyramidal shape reaching up to 75 feet tall, producing a pleasantly classic "Christmassy" aroma as well as pine cones. Native to the Western U.S., this evergreen does best at higher elevations in zones 3 through 7.
The spruce prefers full sun and tolerates most soils. This medium- to slow-grower is a low-maintenance tree for the front yard, but it needs room to spread. Whether planted in rows as a windbreak or singly as a specimen, Colorado blue spruce is a stunning tree that attracts birds.
Best For: Spacious front yards.
5. Emerald Green Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)A fast-growing evergreen tree for the front yard, emerald green arborvitae quickly forms a privacy hedge and is often used along property borders in zones 5 through 9. Stretching 15 to 20 feet high, the arborvitae exhibits a narrow, columnar, almost architectural shape. Featuring flat sprays of soft green needles and urn-shaped cones, arborvitae add interest to the landscape.
These evergreens are exceptionally hardy and tolerate most soils. Companion plants that can go near or around them include daylilies, roses, and several types of shrubs. They are easy to maintain but toxic to people and animals.
Best For: Planting in rows along a street or property for a tall, natural privacy screen.
6. Magnolia (Magnolia dodecapetala)With its large, fragrant pink, white, or lavender goblet-shaped flowers in early spring, the magnolia is an excellent flowering tree for the front yard. Hardy in zones 4 through 9, this little beauty prefers moist, well-draining acidic soil and full sun, although it is best to avoid a southern exposure, which can cause the tree to bloom too early. Exposed areas should also be avoided, because frost can turn petals brown. A low-branching tree, magnolias grow to 10 to 30 feet high, depending on the variety. Despite its smaller stature, the magnolia is a true specimen, putting on a show and littering the ground with the remains of its delicately colored flowers.
Best For: A sheltered but full-sun section of the front yard for optimal blooming displays.
7. Red Oak (Quercus rubra)One of the best shade trees for zones 3 to 8, the moderately fast-growing red oak reaches up to 75 feet tall with a rounded canopy and a spread up to 50 feet. It has a deep root system and strong wood. Its hardwood sturdiness makes it safe to plant close to the house, where it will provide plentiful shade. Providing an oak with lots of water during dry spells and a healthy dose of compost will reward you with a healthy tree and a bold display of red fall foliage.
Best For: Larger yards need of shade.
8. Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)Originating in the eastern part of North America, the eastern redbud is a small deciduous tree that produces tiny pinkish-purple flowers in early spring along its branches before heart-shaped leaves appear. Not growing much more than 20 to 30 feet tall, this medium-size tree for the front yard has a spread almost as wide. The ornamental redbud is hardy in zones 4 through 9, and it isn't fussy about soil type. It also is drought-tolerant and prefers full sun to partial shade. Multiple trunks grow in a vase shape. Be aware that it has a short lifespan and does not take well to transplanting.
Best For: Front-yard landscaping as a solitary specimen or as part of a small grouping in a naturalized garden.
RELATED: What Is Tree Equity and How Can You Help Improve It in Your Community?
9. Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)From the eastern and central portions of North America comes a tall, straight hardwood tree that produces in the spring tulip-like flowers of a yellowish-green hue with a touch of orange. Its distinguishing lobed leaves turn a glowing golden yellow in autumn. Growing best in zones 4 to 9, the aptly named tulip tree can reach heights of 70 to 130 feet, with a spread of 30 to 60 feet, but the sunnier the location, the taller and narrower it will grow. This sun lover grows quickly and has few pest issues, yet it attracts pollinators and wildlife.
Best For: Big, open spaces away from buildings.
10. Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)There are many varieties of Japanese maples, from dwarfs that grow only about 8 feet tall to full-size trees that can reach 30 feet high. Either way, this slow-growing specimen tree is quite stunning. The tree's form can be upright, pendulous, or cascading (which looks particularly lovely near water). Smaller trees make good container plants. Their leaves can be red or green, lacy or traditional. Most prefer partial shade and protection from the wind in zones 5 through 8.
Best For: Growing in containers, beside water features, in rock gardens, or as a front yard focal point.
11. Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)This popular Southern slow-growing star can eventually reach 26 feet tall in zone 6 and above. Drought-tolerant and easy to care for, crape myrtle prefers full sun in a sheltered south- or west-facing spot. The versatile tree is available in single or multi-trunk varieties, and its gray, tan, or cinnamon branches feature peeling bark. But it's the clusters of paper-like, crinkly flowers in vibrant shades of purple, red, violet, white, or pink that steal the show all summer long, before giving way to radiant red, orange, and yellow leaves in the fall, helping it rank among the most beautiful trees for the front yard.
Best For: Sunny and sheltered locations with enough room for horizontal spread to best show off its beauty.
12. Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Picea glauca)This small, slow-growing conifer with its pyramidal form is one of the best dwarf trees for the front yard. It's often used as a container plant to imbue the front porch with a formal appearance. It can take dwarf Alberta spruces 30 years to reach their mature height of 12 feet, and they rarely exceed 13 feet. Grown in zones 2 through 6, they are most often used as a specimen or novelty tree in small spaces, where passersby can enjoy their aromatic, soft green needles that are so dense that the trees have a "fuzzy" look. This little spruce can handle cold temperatures, heat and cold, drought, and partial shade, although it prefers full sun.
Best For: Small spaces or containers by the front door.
