A profusion of flowers instead of a barren wasteland

Inviting, decorative, and distinctive – that's what a front garden could be. Together with the driveway and entrance, it forms the calling card of the house. Yet, all too often, front gardens in this country lead a rather neglected existence. Unjustly so, we believe.

When temperatures rise, family life tends to shift to the sheltered space behind the house, namely the garden and patio. And since there's already plenty of work to be done there, the area in front of the house should ideally be low-maintenance. To make matters worse, the front garden is usually on the shady side of the house, facing north or east, meaning the light conditions aren't optimal for many plants.

Consequently, it's not uncommon to find a stone desert of paving stones, clinker bricks, gravel, or concrete in front of German houses. But apart from the fact that stones aren't exactly low-maintenance in the long run, as they (especially on the damp north side)
attract algae or moss, and weeds eventually find their way through the weed barrier, the disadvantages for nature are also significant:

The microclimate changes, and the stone surfaces heat up. They neither store nor evaporate water, produce no oxygen, and do not bind particulate matter. Furthermore, they offer insects and other animals neither food nor shelter. And soil life barely exists under the geotextile fabric. Paved and asphalted
front gardens and driveways become dead, sealed surfaces instead of a flourishing contribution to biodiversity.

Decorative plants for the shade

Even a shady front garden can be beautifully designed, as there is a wide selection of decorative shrubs, perennials, and flowers that thrive even in low light, such as the Japanese maple and the hibiscus.
The mophead hydrangea can also transform a north-facing front garden into a sea of ​​red or white blossoms. The heart-leaved foamflower 'Moorgrün' is a very floriferous perennial with wonderfully fragrant flowers
. The blue monkshood is very decorative, but unfortunately poisonous. Small groups of reed grass add a light touch. With their picturesque leaf textures and subtle colors, hostas, also known as plantain lilies, are a must. Along with the coral bells, they are
among the most beautiful foliage plants. The evergreen wild ginger forms a dense carpet
with its round or heart-shaped, glossy leaves. The robust and winter-hardy barrenwort is suitable as ground cover. Pine bark mulch is ideal for a shady front garden.

At the entrance to the house, you can create a beautiful focal point by placing containers on both sides of the front door. Suitable plants include, for example, foliage plants such as the gold-edged hosta, the white-edged 'Francee', the yellow-leaved hosta 'Sun Power', the gold-scaled fern, and the coral bells
'Red Fury'.