Landscaping Ideas for the Front of a House With a Large Porch

Entrance Frame

• Create a natural frame for the entrance to your front porch with trees or shrubs. For elevated porches, plant two tall, narrow trees, like cyprus, on either side of the stairs. If you have a ground-level porch, use shorter shrubs or bushes to frame the entrance to the home. Choose a tree height that is proportionate to the height of the porch roof. Trees that are too tall will overwhelm the space; too short, and they will get lost next to the size of the porch.

Plant Border

• Highlight the architectural details of a large porch by using a plant border in your landscape design. Measure a space that is about 3 feet wide along the front edge of the porch and select plants that complement the design of the home. For a modern, clean design, go with one or two types of flowers: tulips, for example, have clean lines that will add color and texture without clashing with the architecture. If you have a front porch with traditional details, complement them with a more flowery, organic plant -- flowering rose bushes, for example, or tall ferns.

Privacy Trees

• If you want to turn your porch into a living space without exposing your activities to neighbors and passersby, incorporate trees into the landscaping to increase privacy. Plant trees far enough from the house so the roots will not affect the foundation; consult with a professional landscape designer to determine the right distance for the species you want to use. Choose trees with hanging branches that will provide privacy without completely blocking the light, like oak or aspen.

English Garden

• Highlight the size of a large porch by creating an English-style garden in your front yard; this is particularly effective if you have a yard that is smaller in proportion to the size of the porch. Choose a variety of shrubs and plants and plant them close together in a slightly disorderly pattern for a wild look. Allow the garden to extend from the edge of the porch to the front of the sidewalk or driveway; by eliminating a grass border, you can make your home look as though it is nestled in the middle of a wild garden. The scale of the garden will complement the size of the porch and soften the edges.