A Garden of Arrival

Custom Front Garden Design for a New Home in Madison, New Hampshire

Garden Design Maine was brought in to design a custom front garden for a newly built home in Madison, New Hampshire, with the goal of adding color, seasonal interest, and cohesion across the entire length of the home’s façade.

While the homeowners had already planted a few shrubs, the scale of the house called for a more intentional landscape design — one that would visually anchor the structure and create a welcoming sense of arrival.

Newly constructed home, before garden design or installation

Site Observations & Planning

During our site visit, we noted that the front entrance, though beautifully designed, was not yet connected to the driveway by a formal walkway. We recommended the installation of a gently curved walkway to establish a clear sense of arrival. The garden beds were then designed to extend from the edge of that walkway and flow outward — proportionately — along the full frontage of the house.

Although the lot initially appeared to be full sun, the home’s siting and architectural elements cast significant shadows across much of the proposed planting area. As a result, plant selections needed to perform well in part sun to shade, while still delivering visual impact at scale.

Design Concepts

Garden Design Maine developed two design options, each incorporating the homeowners’ existing azaleas and hollies (relocated to improve spacing, balance, and visual rhythm), along with a layered mix of dwarf shrubs and herbaceous perennials.

Both concepts focused on:

Repetition and flow across the full length of the house
Layered planting for depth and visibility from a distance
Extended seasonal interest through staggered bloom times
A welcoming approach that leads the eye — and the visitor — toward the front door

The homeowners expressed a particular fondness for black-eyed Susans and daisy-like flowers, so rudbeckia and echinacea were woven throughout the design to reinforce continuity and familiarity.

Rendering 2 (Left-Side View): A continuous foundation planting spans the full frontage of the home, creating rhythm, balance, and a welcoming approach from driveway to front door.

Rendering 1 (Closer / Right-Side View): Layered plantings bring color, texture, and seasonal interest to the front entry while softening the home’s architecture.

Plant Palette

The selected design includes a diverse mix of shrubs and perennials chosen for performance, texture, and seasonal progression, including: Azalea (existing, relocated), Holly (existing, relocated), Rudbeckia, Echinacea, Aralia, Astilbe (three varieties for extended bloom), Brunnera, Daylily, Diervilla, Lady Fern, Foxglove (three varieties), Hardy Geranium, Heuchera (two foliage colors), Dwarf Panicle Hydrangea, Oakleaf Hydrangea, Itea, Monarda, and Pulmonaria

Final Design & Installation

While both design concepts were well received, the homeowners ultimately selected the plan featured here. The result is a continuous, full-facade garden that softens the architecture, unifies the length of the home, and creates a strong sense of arrival from driveway to front door.

Installation is scheduled for late spring 2026, following completion of the new walkway.