While back gardens are for private enjoyment, the front is a place for people; an act of gardening altruism. It gives a little daily injection of joy, not only for us but also to passers-by and wildlife – a small contribution to the environment, and a way to minimise our impact on infrastructure. My own London front garden is tiny, but I love every inch of it, not just as a practical and planted place, but as a shared source of happiness. We make every inch count.
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Lockdown had its ups and downs, but one of the positives for us was how it reset our use of the front garden: folding chairs, a bottle of wine and visits from friends. There can be a gentle sociability to gardening here (and dare I say, it’s a more enjoyable way to catch up on news than the street WhatsApp group).
Front gardens have the power to make us feel good about where we live and can be spaces for happy experimentation, not just functional transitions or an afterthought. After all, this is a garden that’s experienced every day – it deserves to be more than just a place for a bike locker, EV charger, parcel box or salt tub. Reframe it as a small garden in its own right, not just a transition space or bin store. Space is limited, but you can treat it as an expression of good design.
Context and the spirit of place matter just as much in front gardens, and house styles and the surrounding character can offer insight for materials and planting. I always have a walk around the neighbourhood when starting a front garden project. Views count too, from the street and looking out.
Maximising space is critical. In a front garden, where movement is the practical priority, curved paths deliver more than a straight line from A to B. In two of the examples shown left, we’ve used this approach to optimise layout and evoke a sense of spaciousness, despite the limitations. Curves avoid awkward corners that tempt delivery drivers to take shortcuts across planting. Making the most of every inch doesn’t mean neglecting negative space – the spaces between and around plants that allow the garden to breathe and the eye to rest. A gravel path winding through planting or a small open spot surrounded by plants will create this effect.
Making wildlife-welcoming choices is just as important as in the back garden – possibly more so – not only providing a biodiversity pitstop but perhaps also inspiring passers-by to do the same, sending virtuous ripples throughout your neighbourhood. At home, we have a low, wide piece of stone with a shallow dip that collects rainwater for the birds. In a recent project, we used old tree stumps, a third sunk on their sides, which double as extra habitat.
Look up, and think vertically. Consider boundary walls or fences and the house as extensions of the garden. Use climbers such as roses and clematis on frames or wires, or self-clingers such as Hydrangea seemannii, or H. petiolaris. They look glorious, support wildlife, soften façades, create a small insulating layer of air between the plant and the wall, and help cool the garden in summer. At the studio, we tend to match support structures to the property’s style: diamond or square timber trellises, or vine eyes with galvanised wire for traditional homes; stainless-steel rope systems or horizontal timber slats for modern ones.
Proportion is key in any small garden. The secret to avoiding clutter is intentionality and scale – small pots scattered against a large house elevation will feel lost. More can be more: Arthur Parkinson, Claus Dalby, Alexander Hoyle and the entrance porch display at Great Dixter are constant inspirations for me. Group pots in clusters to create impact, vary heights with stands or taller pots, and use thoughtful (but not monotonous) pot styles.
Similarly, material selection must be careful, but that doesn’t mean subtlety is required. If you can’t use bold colours or striking materials in your front garden, then where can you? Our sunflower-yellow front door is a constant source of joy. Our neighbours have just painted theirs pink. I’m hoping for a street of Pantone shades by the end of the year. Path materials should be slip-resistant and durable; this is a garden that is used daily. Consider textured finishes such as riven paving or brick, especially for shady or north-facing areas.
When it comes to planting, good bones are crucial. Consider a higher proportion of evergreens, paired with a simple, restrained palette, including grasses suited to the setting, punctuated by seasonal highlights. I use old galvanised buckets filled with delights such as crocuses, narcissi, Leucojum and small specimens of Corylopsis and Hamamelis we swap in and out.
Privacy is important, but let’s not cocoon ourselves. Creating a balance in boundaries, by giving subtle enclosure without cutting off connection, is possible by planting waist- or chest-height hedges, or swapping out solid fencing for something visually permeable. In my own garden, I’ve planted Osmanthus heterophyllus shrubs as small plants that have grown into a cloud-hedge of about 1m high. It creates a lovely foil for the herbaceous planting, plus fragrant, white flowers in October. Yew is another good option; its fine, small needles are perfect for smaller spaces. Just be mindful of drainage as it can’t handle having wet feet. A mixed hedge of Cornus mas, hawthorn and hazel would add extended seasonal beauty, resilience and wildlife value.
If depth is at a premium, consider panels of evergreen climbers such as jasmine or ivy. Tie in the former carefully and keep your shears nearby for a semi-regular disciplinarian haircut of the latter and opt for smaller-leaved, less baggy cultivars, such as Hedera helix ‘Green Ripple’. If possible, replace a wall or fence with a hedge; or make it work harder. I’ve stacked deadwood against one of my boundary fences and planted Hedera pastuchovii ‘Ann Ala’ and Clematis ‘Bill MacKenzie’ to weave through.
If there’s room for a hero tree, it’ll be worth its weight in gold; in a small space, a deciduous tree with smaller leaves and a lighter canopy will maximise light through windows. Hawthorn and crab apples offer spring blossom, fruit, and autumn colour, all while staying at a manageable size or shaping well. Koelreuteria and Cornus mas are also lovely and climate-resilient choices. Rhus typhina, with a root barrier and attention to suckering, rewards with limey, fern-like foliage followed by spectacular autumn hues. Albizia julibrissin thrives in sheltered, warm gardens, producing showstopper feathery pink flowers on arching branches of delicate, airy leaves.
Our neighbours have a wonderful magnolia tree in their front garden – a legacy from previous owners that will benefit the community for generations to come. They also fit in a mature camellia and ferns, and park their car in a 3m x 4m space, showing it doesn’t have to be either/or between planting and parking.
For parking, porosity is key, starting with the right base. An open-graded sub-base (such as UK Type 3) omits the fine materials of a Type 1, which can block water flow. Once it has been compacted, a gravel system like a hexagonal stabilisation grid – ideally made from recycled plastic – is a good option for on top. Permeable block paving with spacer nibs will let rainwater drain naturally. Concrete driveway grids are durable enough for cars and promote grass growth. Cobblestones are an option we also use, but traditional sharp sand jointing can restrict water flow over time.
A permeable material such as Steintec ensures water passes through while creating a solid, bound surface, but for this, wider joints of 10mm-plus are needed.
Finally, lighting. Excessive artificial light harms wildlife by disturbing feeding, breeding and migration, making urban ecosystems less healthy. No one needs Gatwick in their garden when streetlights already provide plenty of illumination. Opt for soft, downward-facing lights or spike lights with glare guards.
Top tips on designing a front garden
Exploring three different sizes of front gardens of 7m, 5m and 3m depths
- Rain garden depressions planted with suitable plants to assist in water absorption.
- Be mindful of soil levels against the house; avoid these building up without a damp proof treatment.
- Parking ribbon tracks, typically 300-600mm wide and here made of cobbles, are built with a permeable subbase and jointing. Always seek planning advice on hard surfacing as rules differ.
- The gap between tracks can be filled with gravel or planted with low-growing plants such as Ajuga reptans, Mentha requienii or Soleirolia soleirolii in shadier spots, or Thymus spp in sun.
- Water is as important in front gardens as in back; here an open agricultural-style trough is connected to the downpipe system, operating as an open dunking water butt with overflow and drainage.
- Woven split hazel boundaries fixed to the original brick base provide privacy and enclosure, while retaining connection.
- We often use the design device of a scalene triangle – a triangle without equal sides or angles – in our work, and have done so here in the positioning of the circular planters. The irregularity gives a more naturalistic and organic feel (as opposed to formal, geometric layouts) and is a helpful technique to connect garden elements.
- Curved paths optimise the layout opportunities, give more balance and create a sense of space.
- Front gardens are just as suitable for fruit, veg and herbs as the back.
- Low espalier fruit trees can create attractive and productive boundaries.
- There is access to this bin store both from the garden to fill the bin, and from the street to empty it, making the most of a small space.
- A landing pad or step by the door prevents loose gravel from damaging internal surfaces.
- Maximising what you have means looking up, not just out – against the house, on boundary walls and in window boxes.
- In this sunny garden, drought-tolerant plants in a thick gravel mulch reduce watering, and keep the space looking good.
An example of a front garden design
Sydenham Hill front garden
This front garden in London’s Sydenham Hill by designer Jane Brockbank shows how it’s possible to take a gardenesque approach to a front garden and to parking.
Thoughtful positioning of the informal woodland-edge planting combines with practicality to deliver room for parking two cars, without the garden feeling like a driveway.
Multi-stem Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis provide depth, scale and gentle screening , filtering key views from the house without it feeling heavy or enclosed, and thus obscuring the driveway. The dappled canopy, combined with layered underplanting, including Polystichum setiferum, Luzula nivea, Chaerophyllum hirsutum ‘Roseum’ and Rodgersia aesculifolia, creates depth and structure, ensuring privacy while keeping sightlines open. The pathway leads naturally to the front door after passing through a beautiful gate, made of the original roof tiles of the property, which also clad the boundary walls.
The bin and bike store is on a sliding door system – a clever space saver that avoids any clash or difficulty if a car is parked too close to open the door.