Designing the front yard of a brand-new home always feels like framing a beautiful painting—you want to complement the architecture, highlight key features, and create a sense of welcome. For this project, my client wanted exactly that: a garden that felt refined and thoughtful, without being fussy or high-maintenance.

She also asked for a touch of year-round greenery, which gave us a wonderful starting point. We began by anchoring both sides of the home with strong verticals—Sky Pencil Holly and Skyrocket Junipers—to frame the facade with elegance and structure. Their evergreen foliage offers a clean, narrow silhouette that keeps the design grounded throughout the seasons.

The client’s preference for simplicity guided the rest of the layout. To soften the lines and bring in gentle movement, I chose Panicle Hydrangeas for their loose, cloudlike blooms and graceful habit. Their creamy whites and pale pinks work beautifully against the home’s exterior and offer a soft contrast to the stronger verticals.

For texture and long-lasting interest, we added swaying clumps of Amsonia, with their airy blue flowers in spring and golden foliage in fall. At the edges of the beds, a ribbon of Creeping Thyme was tucked in—low, fragrant, and just enough to soften the hardscape while inviting pollinators to linger.

To create a welcoming vignette at the front door, I planted a high-graft Frosted Juniper. Its silvery-blue foliage lifts the eye and adds a bit of architectural drama right where you want the focus. Around the borders, I scattered low Artemisia, chosen for its soft texture and silvery glow—an easygoing plant that plays well with others while subtly lighting up the edges.

The end result is a landscape that’s modern, minimal, and deeply welcoming—easy to care for, but full of quiet beauty all year long.

Plantings Include:Sky Pencil Holly (Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’), Skyrocket Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum ‘Skyrocket’), Panicle Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata), Amsonia (Amsonia hubrichtii), Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum), Frosted Juniper High Graft (Juniperus x media ‘Daub’s Frosted’), and Artemisia (Artemisia schmidtiana).