If planting for height, build up towards your house. Start lower and gradually increase the height of your plants as they get closer to the house so as to direct attention to the entrance. Pay close attention here because garden beds bordering a sidewalk or pathway can draw attention away from your entrance. The best I can explain it is that the beginning of your walkway is a starting point leading your entry as an opening leading you towards the door.

Safety and invitation should both be considered for your entry. Good lighting and visibility ensure safety at night when walking from where you park into your home. If you have a foyer, mudroom, laundry room, summer kitchen, or utility room that abuts your front or rear entry, plan for ease on the eyes as well as functional traffic flow.  

How do you guide and lead folks to your access and entryway areas? Most professional landscaping designers basically follow the same pattern here. Walks, hedges, borders, edging, fences, trellises, screens, and railings are all good ideas. You can add planters to accent entryways to certain places. Raised plant beds, screening, and fencing can also be helpful for hiding places with utilities from sight.

When planting to define and accent access and entry areas, space them with the mature size and spread of the plants in mind. This is often a forgotten consideration in landscaping ideas. Since paths, walkways, and other access areas will usually lead to or near your house, plants should have enough spacing from your foundation so that you can take care of both the plants and home. It’s good practice for plants to be planted far enough from your house, garage, sheds, and other buildings so that you can maintain them once they are mature. Shrubs and hedges given time to grow will create a natural boundary, while a fence offers immediacy.

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