How We Reworked the Landscape Around This Ladue Front Entrance
The front yard of this Ladue home no longer had the clear, welcoming appearance the homeowners wanted. Existing planting areas had become dated and less defined, and the entrance lacked a direct walkway connection from the driveway. Rather than treating the landscaping and access to the home as separate improvements, the project created an opportunity to redesign the entire front entrance as one coordinated space.
A new walkway established the main route through the front yard and gave the surrounding landscape a clear structure to work around. Its curved layout connects the driveway with the entrance while creating planting areas on either side instead of leaving the walkway disconnected from the rest of the design.
With that route established, the planting beds could be reshaped around the home and walkway. Fond du Lac natural stone edging was incorporated to create defined boundaries, while Iowa Rainbow decorative stone introduced texture and natural color throughout the planting areas. New shrubs and ornamental landscape plantings helped soften the hardscape and connect the updated beds with the final design.
The grade beside the walkway also needed to become part of the design. A small segmental retaining wall was incorporated there to create a cleaner transition between elevations and help organize the planting area next to the path. Instead of standing apart as a separate hardscape feature, the wall fits into the overall landscape design and helps define the approach to the entrance.
The completed project included:
- New walkway connecting the driveway and front entrance
- Removal of outdated landscape materials
- Reshaped and redefined planting beds
- Fond du Lac natural stone edging
- Iowa Rainbow decorative stone
- New shrubs and ornamental landscape plantings
- Small segmental retaining wall beside the walkway
- Completion in approximately two working days
The strength of the project comes from planning the walkway and surrounding landscape together. The walkway provides the functional connection to the home, but its placement also determines how the adjacent planting beds are shaped and experienced. The edging, decorative stone, plantings, and retaining wall then reinforce that layout rather than feeling like unrelated additions.
The completed front yard now provides a clearer transition from the driveway to the entrance and a more organized landscape around it. Defined beds frame the home, the retaining wall handles the change in elevation beside the walkway, and the mix of stone and plantings gives the entrance more visual structure without overwhelming the architecture.