It's not always so common to be able to take curb appeal lessons from a sprawling Atlanta mansion, but such is the case with Mariah Carey’s former home. Or, more specifically, her front yard boxwood planting, which, despite its regimented nature, translates to porches and gardens of all sizes.
It's hardly a surprise that the singer's home sold when she put it on the market in 2022. Her common box (buxus), seen on the stairs leading to her front door, is one of the most intricate, ordered examples of planting I've seen over the last few years, upgrading her curb appeal and, consequently, making her home more sellable.
However, you don’t need to have your house on the market to want to enhance its first impression. Mariah’s planting lessons are equally valuable for anyone looking to bring a sense of precision and refined beauty to their porch or yard, even if that means working with just two or three boxwood plants.
Shop the look
Bring timeless elegance to your yard (and channel Mariah Carey’s polished style) with these classic English Boxwoods. One of the most widely grown evergreen landscape shrubs in the world, these versatile plants are perfect for creating refined, structured greenery around your garden.
This artificial boxwood topiary brings timeless greenery to any space, perfect for both indoor and outdoor settings. With natural-style trunks and richly textured leaves that so closely mimic real boxwoods, it can fool even the closest observer and look just as green all year round.
These Wintergreen Boxwood Shrubs are remarkably versatile plants that are ideal for topiary designs (like Mariah's), bonsai art, or decorative pots. Growing only 2 to 3 inches per year and maturing to about 3 feet tall with a 4- to 5-foot spread, they require minimal maintenance while offering year-round beauty.
The common box (buxus) plant in Mariah Carey’s front yard is a fine example of topiary artistry, showing how simple greenery can be pruned into something beautiful, even on a smaller scale (because we can’t all have an Atlanta mansion, after all). Tenielle Jordison, a garden expert and content editor at Homes & Gardens, agrees.
‘Pruned into perfect spheres, these shrubs take on a sculptural, almost regimented quality, giving the landscape a sense of order and elegance,’ she says.
‘Alongside being visually stunning, following her approach can improve curb appeal. Structured greenery like this communicates care and sophistication, and it’s surprisingly versatile, working in formal driveways, like Mariah’s, or a smaller front porch. It’s a reminder that thoughtful pruning can transform ordinary plants into living architecture, no matter the size of your yard.’
If you're looking for the best front yard plants to impress at any point of the calendar, Mariah's boxwood planting is the perfect starting point. You don't need as many trees to get started, just two or three work wonders. This includes those on your porch, if you don't have a large yard to work with. What matters is keeping your trees manicured, the Mariah way.
