A Simple, Welcoming Dooryard Garden: Four-Season Entry Design with Soil Prep and Plant List

Shown just after planting, this easy entry garden will be full and lush within a year. Designed by landscape designer Kristopher Dabner, this perennial entry garden uses common, easy-growing varieties for a low-maintenance display that looks good in all four seasons. Long-blooming perennials like coreopsis, daylily, and pincushion flower provide color from spring through fall, while maidengrass and yew add winter interest.

Fix Bad Soil Before Planting

Clay soil: Add ample organic matter—compost, composted manure, peat moss, or humus. Do not add sand alone; mix sand with organic matter first. Add organic matter annually.

Sandy or high-silt soil: Blend topsoil with compost or peat moss and incorporate.

Alkaline soil: Mix peat moss or oak leaf mold to lower pH, or use soil sulfur for faster results. Acid-loving plants (azaleas, rhododendrons, blueberries) need acidic conditions.

Test Garden Tip: Add organic matter before planting. Locally sourced compost is ideal. Create your own compost and screen the bin attractively.

The Planting Plan

Designed for Zone 5 (Kansas City area), most plants thrive across the U.S. Plant in full sun for best results; many tolerate partial shade. Adjust plant selections for your zone using local nursery recommendations. The main bed measures approximately 28 feet wide by 20 feet deep, but can be scaled by adjusting plant quantities. See planting diagram and plant list below.

Plant List: A. 'Winter Gem' boxwood, B. Dwarf Alberta spruce, C. 'Crimson Pygmy' barberry, D. 'Hicks' yew, E. Korean lilac standards, F. 'Powis Castle' artemisia, G. 'Golden Fleece' goldenrod, H. 'Becky' Shasta daisy, I. 'Butterfly Blue' pincushion flower, J. Butterfly bush, K. Coreopsis, L. 'Little Spire' Russian sage, M. Stoke's aster, N. 'Goldsturm' black-eyed Susan, O. 'May Night' salvia, P. 'Happy Returns' daylily, Q. 'Blue River II' hibiscus, R. 'Purple Smoke' baptisia, S. 'Gracillimus' maidengrass, T. Assorted annuals.

More Garden Tips

Be maintenance-minded. Choose plants that don't demand daily attention. Shrubs need minimal pruning; perennials require deadheading and seasonal cutback.

Stage the seasons. Plant bulbs in fall for spring blooms. Use evergreens and structural objects (urns, benches) for winter interest.

Measure up. Consider space size and maintenance access.

Shop smart. Phase your front-yard makeover. Make a plant list and stick to it. Buy fresh-off-the-truck plants. Share divisions with neighbors for local advice and friendship. Every garden needs a focal point—choose durable materials like stone or treated iron.