A front courtyard should provide a warm welcome to visitors.
A front courtyard is very similar to any patio or deck space except for one thing: The emphasis of a front courtyard should be to welcome guests. If the courtyard is enclosed, a welcoming gate should open and close easily and be well maintained. An arch over the entrance can help define and add to the welcoming feel. A clear pathway should be maintained to enhance the feeling of welcome and to guide visitors to the door. Does this Spark an idea?
Front Courtyard Design
Look at books and websites featuring courtyards and glean design ideas that you can incorporate into your front courtyard. You can find ideas for ponds, container plantings, and plants that will do well in your lighting conditions. Pictures of other courtyards and how they are decorated will help you determine your design preferences before you start decorating. Some courtyards are fully paved and all plantings are in containers. Other courtyards may have planting beds available. You will need to determine your lighting, water and soil conditions. There are tools available for this at your local garden center.
Determine Your Layout
Measure your courtyard and draw out the layout on gridded paper. Allow four to six grid lines per foot measured so that you can accurately draw details. Use the graph paper to draw your courtyard furnishings to scale and test for fit. If you just love a 6-foot wide fountain, but your courtyard is only 10-feet wide, you can quickly visualize the problems when you place your scale drawing of the fountain in the center of your scale drawing of the courtyard. Using a scale drawing can help you arrange seating, a water feature and plantings.
Determine Plantings
Seek advice from your local nurseryman for plantings in a front courtyard. You can discover perennials that will grow year after year. Lighting needs for each plant can be discussed and recommendations for small decorative trees can be made. Your nurseryman is a valuable source of information as you make design decisions for your courtyard. Perhaps you want roses to cover a welcoming arbor at the entrance. You will need assistance to determine the kinds of roses, whether they can be planted in pots or in the ground and other factors to make the entrance a success.
Wall Decor
Weatherproof outdoor decor can be hung on walls and above benches to enhance your welcoming entry. There are a large variety of options on the market from cast cement to resin to metal works of art. These pieces can coordinate with your plantings and furnishings to form a cohesive outdoor room in front of your home.
Water Feature
Nothing is quite as calming and welcoming as the splash of water as you enter an outdoor room. You can add a water feature in any size, from a hanging splashing vine that only holds a cup of water, to a tabletop fountain, to a larger pond with live fish. These all provide similar water movement, calming sounds and a welcoming air to your front courtyard. You will want to have a filter for the water or a small amount of water that can be changed frequently to avoid mosquitoes reproducing in the courtyard. A mosquito dunk that will kill larvae or small fish can be added to water feature to consume mosquito larvae if desired.
Use Your Courtyard
Provide space for seating if possible. A cushioned bench or comfortable chair, a wrought iron table or other area to set a drink. Candlelight can be welcoming whether you use battery-powered LED candles or safely enclosed candle lanterns or candle holders. Solar or electric path lighting can also be welcoming and less glaring than a traditional porch light.
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