Lavender is a classic aromatic herb that can transform the curb appeal of any front yard. With its soft purple flowers and silvery foliage lavender makes a gorgeous addition to front porch landscaping. There are many creative ways to incorporate this versatile plant into your front yard design.
Why Choose Lavender for Your Front Yard?
There are several great reasons to add lavender to your front yard landscaping
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Fragrance: Lavender gives off a sweet, flowery smell when it is touched or warmed by the sun. Putting lavender along your front walk fills the air with its strong scent.
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Color – The soft purple hues of lavender flowers add pops of color from early summer into fall They look beautiful paired with roses, salvia, catmint and more
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Low maintenance – Once established, lavender is drought tolerant and needs little watering or care. The aromatic oils act as a natural herbicide.
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Pollinator friendly – Butterflies, bees and hummingbirds love visiting lavender flowers for their nectar.
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Deer resistant – Deer tend to avoid lavender’s strong scent, making it a good choice if deer are an issue.
15 Creative Ways to Use Lavender Up Front
Here are 15 amazing ideas to incorporate lavender into your front yard design:
1. Line your front walkway
Place lavender plants on both sides of your front sidewalk or path to make them smell nice. Symmetry creates a bold welcoming statement.
2. Underplant trees
Spread lavender under your front yard trees to make the area look full and layered. This will also keep weeds away.
3. Accentuate garden walls
Let lavender spill from raised beds or grow next to short garden walls. The contrast with stone is very cottage garden chic.
4. Complement rose beds
Lavender has long been a favorite companion for roses. The cool lavender tones offset the warm hues of roses.
5. Porch pots
Decorate your front porch with pots overflowing with fragrant lavender varieties like ‘Hidcote’ or ‘Munstead’.
6. Frame front steps
Line both sides of front steps with tidy rows of compact lavender like ‘Hidcote’ or Spanish lavender.
7. Poolside punches of color
If you have a front yard pool or water feature, add lavender pots for color and scent.
8. Driveway greeters
Plant groupings of lavender at the top of your front driveway for a beautiful fragrant welcome.
9. Mailbox garden
Create a mini garden around your mailbox with lavender and coral bells.
10. Windowsill pots
Decorative cascading lavender pots on front window sills add charm by your front door.
11. Rock garden fillers
Let lavender flow between rocks, boulders and gravel in a front yard rock garden.
12. Ornamental grass partners
Combine airy grasses like maiden grass with mounds of lavender for texture.
13. Lavender hedges
Use compact lavender to create low trimmed hedges or borders along your home’s facade.
14. Front yard meadow
Plant lavender drifts throughout your front yard meadow garden.
15. Pollinator patches
Create designated pollinator areas with lavender, catmint, hyssop and other bee-friendly plants.
With its versatility and curb appeal, it’s easy to see why lavender is a front yard staple. There are many English and French lavender varieties to choose from, blooming early to late summer. Give them sun, well-drained soil and occasional pruning and your lavender will thrive while beautifying your front yard for years to come. Get creative with fresh ways to make this aromatic plant the star of your front yard design!
FAQ
Is lavender good for the front yard?
Yes, lavender is an excellent choice for front yard landscaping. Its beautiful flowers, silvery foliage and sweet fragrance enhance curb appeal. Lavender is low maintenance, drought tolerant and deer resistant once established.
Where should I not plant lavender?
Avoid planting lavender in very shady areas. Lavender thrives in full sun. It also dislikes wet, poorly draining soil which can cause root rot. Raised beds are recommended for boggy areas.
Is lavender good to plant around a house?
Lavender is very versatile around houses. It can be used in flower beds, as hedging, in pots by doors, lining walkways and more. Lavender’s scent and pollinator-friendly nature are extra benefits.
Where is the best place to put lavender?
The ideal location for lavender is a spot with full sun exposure and very well-draining soil. amending soil with gravel or sand helps improve drainage. Raised beds also provide suitable growing conditions.
How to use lavender in a garden?
Use lavender as edging along paths, in drifts in cottage gardens, as hedging, underplanted with roses and shrubs, in herb gardens, spilling from pots, as ground cover, and as part of pollinator-friendly gardens. It’s endlessly versatile.
With its beauty, fragrance and versatility, incorporating lavender into front yard landscaping can really enhance curb appeal and transform your home’s entrance into a welcoming feature. Get creative with lavender planting ideas that suit your personal style.
Border steps with lavender (Image credit: Getty Images/Clive Nichols)
Framing steps either side with swathes of uniform planting is a really eye-catching design. Another one of our favorite ways to use hydrangeas in landscaping is to make a flower staircase.
There are a lot of different kinds of lavender that can be used to make this look. The hardy, low-growing Hidcote is a good choice for garden edging ideas but the main thing to remember is that all lavender varieties love a sunny position. So give your lavender what it needs by making it feel at home in a sheltered sun trap that offers protection.
Plant lavender next to stone walls (Image credit: Getty Images/© Fanny ROSTAN BETEMPS)
Imagine an old stone garden wall baking in the sunshine with lavender bushes growing next to it. As you might expect, fragrance is an important part of cottage gardens, and this style helps bring in pollinators.
Its easy to transform dull boundaries with the best plants for garden walls, and lavender definitely fits into this category. Although its not the type of plant to cling to walls or settle in crevices, soft cushions of lavender will thrive next to a sunny wall or in raised wall beds, particularly if situated in a sunny spot.