Garden Design Maine | Perennial Garden Designer in Limerick ME

A Garden of Arrival

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

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

While the homeowners had already installed a few foundation 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.

Garden Design Goals

This front garden design focused on creating a cohesive, full-facade planting that enhances the home’s architecture. Key goals included:

Establish a unified planting across the entire front of the home
Create a welcoming approach from driveway to front door
Incorporate existing shrubs into a more balanced design
Ensure four-season interest with layered plantings
Select plants suited to part sun and shade conditions

New home construction in Madison, NH, before garden installation

Newly constructed home, before garden design or installation

Before the Garden Installation

Although newly constructed, the front landscape lacked cohesion and scale. A few existing shrubs were in place, but spacing and placement did not fully complement the size of the home.

Additionally, the front entry was not yet connected to the driveway by a walkway, limiting the sense of flow and arrival.

Garden design for front of home in Madison, NH

Rendering 1 (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.

Garden Design Concept

The design begins with a gently curved walkway connecting the driveway to the front entrance, establishing a clear and inviting path. From there, garden beds extend outward along the façade, creating a continuous, proportional planting that ties the home together visually.

Two design concepts were developed, both incorporating relocated azaleas and hollies, along with a layered mix of dwarf shrubs and perennials. Emphasis was placed on repetition, rhythm, and staggered bloom times to ensure long-lasting interest.

Garden design in Madison, NH for newly constructed home

Rendering 2 (Closer / Right-Side View): Layered plantings bring color, texture, and seasonal interest to the front entry while softening the home’s architecture.

Seasonal Flowering Perennials

Long-blooming perennials such as rudbeckia and echinacea—favorites of the homeowners—are woven throughout the design, providing continuity and familiar color.

Additional selections including astilbe, foxglove, monarda, and hardy geranium contribute to a sequence of blooms from spring through late summer, supported by foliage plants that add texture in shadier areas.

Garden Features and Planting Highlights

A curved walkway creates a natural, welcoming approach to the front door
Continuous foundation planting unifies the full length of the home
Layered shrubs and perennials provide depth and visibility from a distance
Existing azaleas and hollies were relocated to improve balance and flow
A mix of sun- and shade-tolerant plants ensures strong performance across the site

The selected plant palette includes a diverse range of shrubs and perennials such as hydrangea, itea, diervilla, brunnera, heuchera, pulmonaria, and ferns, chosen for their durability and seasonal progression.

Installation and Outcome

The homeowners selected the featured design, which creates a cohesive, full-facade garden that softens the home’s architecture and guides visitors naturally from driveway to front entry.

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

Plants Featured in This Front Garden Design

The following trees, shrubs, and perennials were selected for their durability, seasonal interest, and ability to thrive in part sun to shade conditions while contributing to a cohesive, large-scale foundation planting.