If you have a ranch style house, you know its low, sprawling profile is both a blessing and a challenge. Finding the right landscaping ideas for front of ranch style house is key to creating a welcoming entry and boosting your home’s character.
This guide gives you practical steps to enhance your curb appeal. We’ll focus on framing your home, choosing plants that fit its scale, and adding features that draw the eye. Let’s get started with a plan that works with your home’s unique architecture.
Landscaping Ideas For Front Of Ranch Style House
The goal is to complement the long, horizontal lines of your ranch. Good landscaping should make the house feel grounded and inviting, not hidden or overwhelmed. Think about creating layers and defining the space around your front door.
Start With a Simple Sketch
You don’t need to be an artist. Grab a piece of paper and roughly draw your house’s outline from the street view. Mark where your door, windows, and driveway are. This helps you visualize where to place beds, trees, and paths.
- Note the sunniest and shadiest areas.
- Identify any problem spots, like utility boxes or uneven ground.
- Consider the existing views you want to keep or block.
Define Your Beds with Clean Lines
Ranch homes often benefit from strong, clean bed lines. Instead of small, scattered circles, try long, sweeping beds that run along the foundation. You can also create island beds in the lawn to break up a large expanse of grass.
Use a garden hose to lay out the curves before you dig. This lets you adjust the shape until it looks right from the street. Gentle curves often work better than sharp angles.
Choosing the Right Edging
A defined edge keeps your landscape looking tidy. You can use metal or plastic edging for a crisp line, or natural stone for a softer look. Just make sure its installed properly so it lasts.
Layer Your Plants for Depth
Layering plants adds depth and interest. Place taller plants in the back (closest to the house) and shorter ones in front. This guides the eye and ensures everything is visible.
- Back Layer: Tall shrubs or ornamental grasses.
- Middle Layer: Mid-sized flowering shrubs or broadleaf plants.
- Front Layer: Low-growing perennials, groundcovers, or annuals for color.
Select Plants That Fit the Scale
Avoid tall, narrow trees that will clash with your home’s low profile. Instead, look for plants with a spreading or mounding habit. Dwarf varieties are your friend here.
Evergreens are great for providing year-round structure. Mix them with deciduous plants that offer seasonal color change. Always check the mature size of a plant before you buy it!
Top Plant Picks for Ranch Homes
- Dwarf Japanese Maple (for autumn color)
- Boxwood or Dwarf Yaupon Holly (for structure)
- Ornamental Grasses like Blue Fescue (for texture)
- Creeping Phlox or Sedum (for groundcover)
- Hydrangeas (for summer blooms near the entry)
Frame the Front Door
Your front door is the focal point. Make sure a clear path leads to it, and use plants to frame it beautifully. Symmetry works very well here.
Place two matching large pots or planters on either side of the door. Use identical shrubs or small trees in them, like dwarf boxwoods. This creates a balanced, welcoming entrance that’s easy to maintain.
Incorporate Hardscape Elements
Hardscape adds function and defines spaces. For a ranch home, consider a wider walkway that matches the home’s horizontal feel. A flagstone or paver path that gently curves can be very inviting.
Adding a low stone wall or a grouping of large boulders can help anchor the house to the landscape. It also provides visual weight and interest at ground level.
Lighting for Safety and Beauty
Don’t forget lighting! Path lights along the walkway improve safety. Up-lights placed in front of key trees or architectural features highlight your home’s shape at night. It makes everything look more intentional.
Manage the Lawn Area
A large, flat lawn is common with ranches. Keep it healthy and neatly edged to serve as a clean “carpet” for your home. If maintence is a concern, think about reducing the lawn size with more planting beds or a groundcover like clover.
Regular mowing in different patterns can also add a nice touch. Just make sure your mower blades are sharp for a clean cut.
Add a Focal Point Off-Center
Create visual interest by adding a focal point that isn’t your front door. This could be a small flowering tree, a sculpture, or a beautiful bench placed in an island bed. This draws the eye across the full width of the property.
Place it following the rule of thirds for a natural, pleasing look. Avoid putting it directly in the center of the yard.
Maintenance is Key
The best landscape only stays beautiful if you can care for it. Choose plants suited to your climate and soil. Group plants with similar water needs together to make irrigation easier.
Mulch your beds annually to suppress weeds and retain moisture. A 2-3 inch layer of shredded bark or pine straw looks neat and helps your plants thrive. Remember to keep mulch away from plant stems to prevent rot.
Step-by-Step: A Weekend Foundation Planting Project
- Clear the Area: Remove old mulch, weeds, and any dead plants from the chosen bed along your foundation.
- Amend the Soil: Loosen the soil and mix in some compost to give new plants a good start.
- Set Your Plants: Arrange your potted plants in the bed while they’re still in their pots. Play with spacing until it looks right.
- Plant: Dig holes twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper. Place the plants, backfill, and water deeply.
- Mulch and Edge: Apply your mulch evenly. Then, define the edge between the bed and your lawn with a sharp spade or edging tool.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Planting too close to the foundation. Allow space for plants to grow and for air to circulate against your house.
- Using too many different types of plants. A simple palette of 5-7 varieties repeated looks more cohesive.
- Forgetting about winter interest. Include some plants with interesting bark, berries, or evergreen foliage.
- Blocking windows with overgrown shrubs. Keep them trimmed below the sill.
FAQ
What is the best landscaping for a ranch style home?
The best landscaping uses layered, horizontal planting beds, plants that fit the home’s scale, and hardscape elements like wide paths to complement the long, low profile.
How can I make my ranch house look more modern?
Use a minimalist plant palette with strong structural plants like grasses and evergreens. Incorporate sleek hardscape with geometric lines and use mulch or gravel for a clean look.
What trees look good with a ranch house?
Low-branching, spreading trees like Dogwoods, Redbuds, or Japanese Maples are excellent. Avoid very tall, columnar trees that can make the house look shorter.
How do you add curb appeal to a low house?
Frame the front door prominently, use vertical elements like tall pots or a trellis carefully, and create depth with island beds to break up a flat lawn.
Should you put shutters on a ranch house?
Shutters can work if they are sized correctly to appear functional. Often, clean lines without shutters, accented by good landscaping, is a stronger choice for ranch homes.
Implementing even a few of these ideas can make a significant difference. Start with a plan, choose the right plants, and focus on creating a balanced, welcoming approach to your home. With some effort, your ranch house will have the standout curb appeal it deserves.