The front entrance of the home or business makes an important first impression on visitors. If you’ve driven the streets of Davidsonville recently, you may have noticed the front of Killarney House, a delightful Irish restaurant on West Central Avenue. It is beautifully decorated in natural green colors – perfect for drawing hungry guests inside to sample the restaurant’s Irish fare.
Building a welcome mat using natural flowers and plants like the one on display at Killarney House isn’t difficult. The staff at Homestead Gardens has the following three tips to help you achieve a beautiful entrance at your home or business:
1. Look for Layers
The eye is naturally drawn to gardens that have varying heights. If you have steps, place containers on each of the steps to help draw the eye upward. You could also create platforms for containers to sit on, or hang baskets from an overhang to frame the entrance.
2. Choose Colors and Patterns
If you want to promote a specific color like Killarney House did with green leafy plants, choose blooming plants to add decoration to the front. Many plants that do well in containers will bloom all season long if properly tended, but if you choose plants that might have early flowers, consider replacing them halfway through the season with new plants that bloom later. Also, keep in mind many plants have decorative leaves that can add a stunning accent to your containers.
3. Think in Threes
Group your containers in clusters of three on the stairs, the ground or on three platforms of different heights. In the pots, group together three different plant types. If you have a large amount of space to fill and three plants won’t cover it adequately, feel free to add others. Always try to do so in groups of odd numbers.
If you’ve seen the decorative entrance at Killarney House, the plants that are in the tree boxes are dwarf crape myrtles with sweet potato vines. The hanging baskets also have sweet potato vines in purple and chartreuse green, accented with dragon lady begonias and angelonia.
With these tips and some tender loving care, your front door garden will warmly welcome guests to your home or business.