The beauty and randomness of the natural grasses and prairie flowers then you get to the yard and there are daisies, peonies, cannas, lillies an apple tree ( I had millions of blossums last year and millions of apples) and shade to pick a spot, any spot, to sit and sip coffee, ice tea. We had 50 degree weather here Feb. 18, '14 and I had my coffee break outside sitting on our picnic table. Granted it wasn't a scene from a lush garden spot but it was my spot, I can watch our horses, the dogs run amuk and squeaking sparrows getting ready for spring. Which reminds me we need more bird seed!

Love the fence...bit of a cottage feel!

Landscaping does it for me. We have spring flowering shrubs on both sides of the front door and have added rose bushes, butterfly bushes & some perennials along the front of the house too. I think shrubs & flowers say "welcome". I love the look of white picket fences.

A beautifully lit entry and landscape gets me every time, always makes me think classy people must live there! :)

I live in Scotland now but was raised in the Desert SouthWest, and spent a lot of my adult life in the US Deep South - for me, nothing makes a 'front yard' more than a deep, wide, wraparound veranda furnished with lovely white ladder-back rockers and high gloss white wicker. Come on, you know I'm right - nothing says 'Welcome' better than the sight of a lovely 'front porch'!

Plants and lighting would add so much to this house. Plants for form and color and lights to show off the plants and house and add security.

Landscape Lighting brings a sense of drama and elegance you just can't beat at any price.

Of course depending on the price point of the home, unique lighting and enhancements truly is a favorite of mine. For homes which may be a bit more modest in overall value, the curb appeal of colors with the aid of flowers and landscaping can make a world of difference.

Every front yard needs a wide welcoming path so there is no question how to get to the front door. Then as you are walking along it you can enjoy the lights, the fence, the wonderful plants and everything else that contributes to a beautiful entry.

For me it'a all about having a visible front door that says " welcome " and gorgeous ,well cared for flowers and lawn that makes one stop and smile.

I like gardens with plenty of ground cover flowers!

Lots of flowering plants especially perennials. It is sparse after this winter but the daffodils are breaking through leaf mulch and soon it will be roses, azaleas herbs and flowers scenting the path to our door.

A beautifully manicured lawn. It's even more appealing when the hedges and gardens are manicured as well. When homeowners take pride in the appearance and health of their lawn, it gives me a good feeling inside. The sound of lawn mowers on a warm spring day and the smell of freshly cut grass in the air makes me feel that all is good and right with the world. It's a patriotic feeling. I could drive around for hours admiring neighborhoods and homes with beautifully manicured lawns.

Christi, on behalf of Thos. Baker

Landscaping that looks nice all year long is what I go for; grooming and spreading new mulch is a must each spring...

Wow, army! Just look at all that glorious green grass! Our yard is still brown, except for the weeds.........

Definitely a hang out spot. It's a great place to hang out and chill with your friends. Having the right place that brings in enough sun.

A path. A path that orchestrates the visitor's experience of the architecture.

Hardscaping. Defines and directs.

M. N.

What is "M. N." ?

I my opinion, what makes a great front yard Is one that has a hangout spot. This is because many family memories can be made there and you can spend your time outside comfortably outside of your home.

I actually voted for lighting but realized you can only appreciate that at night. So I think what would be most important at any time is a hangout spot.

I voted lighting but I must say it is all great ideas and hard to choose.

It's a hard one between lighting and garden - but what ever garden you have in the front yard you are not going to see it with out proper lighting.

I love the tree in front of my home in full bloom it's perfect to sit under on our lawn chairs in change of season it turns the prettiest yellow. Here the leaves are almost gone but still you see nature in its finest :)

Trees! Sprawling oaks or maples if there is room.

3 things make an appealing front yard in my book: Large tree for shade, large porch for relaxing and conversation and abundant plants that are a little wild.

A neighbors escaped pot belly pig eating our fallen crab apples.

Oh forgot my favorite choice,a fence is so enchanting but might have kept the pot belly pig out and all the fun and surprise of looking out the window and seeing this funny sight.

Plantings in an enclosure that makes the front yard usable as a great hang-out spot.

I think a front yard should have proper lighting and also neat flower beds ,am creeped out easily by messy looking flower gardens especially at night.

Lighting -- our neighborhood lacks street lights, but we all have "five over four (windows) and a door" Federal style brick homes -- each one different. Some would call them center hall colonials but that is a stretch -- they are must neo-whatevers. The carriage lights on posts along our sidewalks lead from our side loading garage, across the front of the garage to the front door. These lights all turn on when the sun goes down -- and we also all have two spotlights at the four corners and garages of our houses, and front porch lights, one centered and two side. On holiday evenings -- Hallowe'en, Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, etc. -- some of us light up our houses with all of these choices. My second choice was plants. Plants show pride of ownership and enhance the beauty of the buildings they frame. Energy conservation is an added plus, as well as providing wildlife habitat. I really could live without my lights -- but not my plants.

I picked plants, but it's a combination of plants, lighting, trees, and some hardscaping.

Definitely enjoy watching life go by as I hang out on my front porch and gaze out over the lawn ... I love sitting outside in the fresh air and slowing the pace of life a bit.

I would say that a beautiful lawn with a few trees a proper lighting are the top features in a front yard.

A great hangout spot is a fun way to meet new and old neighbors.

Landscaping really makes the yard.....especially during the summer when flowers are blooming!

Love the picket fence with an open gate..very inviting!

Plants and more plants make the yard look full and add a uniqueness to it!

Although I chose plants and more plants I really also like the hangout area as well

CONGRATULATIONS to Kelsey Ejzak for winning her own pair of Houzz slippers! If you missed out on this poll, you still have a few days to get your comments into our Window Trim poll!
https://www.houzz.com/discussions/poll-whats-your-favorite-window-trim-dsvw-vd~862282

I'd like to have an attractive edible front garden that produces lots of organic food. I'd include fruit and nut trees, perennials, herbs, raised beds for salads, and fruiting climbers on trellises and as bowers, with wood bark paths or old brick paving with mosaic seating. There'd be a strip out front near the footpath that invites the public to help themselves to herbs and edible wild plants (all labeled with their names). If I couldn't look after this productive garden by myself, I'd employ a local organic farmer to plant and maintain it as a pretty urban farm and share the harvest with her/him (as well as with neighbours). Not only would this front garden be much nicer than massive lawns, it would save a lot on lawn-care costs and contribute to the household food budget with super-fresh organic food.

ginger: make sure you live next to me, please...let me know when you plan on moving. :)

We begin on May 1st (we are in the Northeast) and spend the month of May cleaning our property...raking, getting rid of winter debris, etc. We then edge the beds, plant the annuals, mulch, etc. On Memorial Day, we hang our flag...and position the spotlight so that the "sweet spot" of the light focuses on the area of the flag where the blue and stars meets the red and white...it is solemn and beautiful...we have even had town government officials write us a letter to remark how beautiful the flag looks and for flying it so proudly. It is a lot of work, but the rewards are many!!

Curb Appeal. A clean well defined entry with color for every season. Curb Appeal.

A gorgeous entry and beautiful lighting fixtures

Landscaping, welcoming curb appeal, paint that front door a different color!

Knowing we are the yard that make people stop and admire in a neighborhood of dullness!!!

Landscaping is the icing on the cake and really makes a home feel polished.

Front yard hangouts are becoming more popular. Especially in social neighborhoods with young children.