1.Conceal unpleasant views such as the AC units on the neighbor's house with green plants. Don't use pampas grass or roses to hide something ugly--it's counterproductive, drawing attention to the thing you're trying to hide.

2. Reveal the best features of the home by choosing plants that mature below window heights or trees that canopy above gutter height. Add color, pots and columns near the door to draw your eye. Your eye follows the lawn so make sure your bedlines emphasize the front door as the star of the home!

3. Simplify your designs--don't compete with the home by using too many colors and textures. Your job as the designer is to make the home look its best, not show off how many plants you can use. If the first thing someone notices about your front yard landscaping is how dramatic it looks, you've missed the mark. The first comment should be "What a lovely home!"

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