Is your yard a failed work in progress? Don't have the time, cash
or energy to move it into the awesome neighbor category? Wish there was
an easy fix? While landscaping is hard work, there are things you can do
to perk up your exterior without spending a lot of time or money. You
might be surprised what a few cheap simple fixes can do to change the
appearance of your landscape.
Dump a load of....
What do you prefer? Much? Gravel? Fillers like these can cut down on
maintenance while beautifying your yard and garden. We have one neighbor
who completely rocked in their entire lawn. They scattered plants here
and there to comply with code requirements. You know what's surprising?
It doesn't look half bad. They told me their investment was less than
$500. That's not bad, considering the cost of most green lawns and
gardens.
What if you're not into that amount of rock?
Simply covering bare areas still makes a visible difference. Keep the good parts. Cover up the bad.
Use containers.
When time is your enemy, low maintenance containers brighten
landscaping. When we moved in, our front lawn was devoid of florals. We
hadn't the time to go all out with a big floral garden. Therefore, we
did a good clean-up, adding floral pots here and there. We used seeds
and bulbs in the pots, rather than buying full grown arrangements.
Keep it clean
Even the worst yards look better when kept neat and tidy. If you don't
have a lot of time or money to invest in your yard, keeping it clean
goes a long way toward your eventual goal. We still have some bare spots
here and there. So do the neighbors. The difference is that we keep
ours raked clean. Believe it or not, just that factor improves the look
of our landscape considerably in comparison.
Trim it up.
Just giving bushes and shrubs a trim makes a world of difference. A
shaggy bush that oversteps it's boundaries makes for an unsightly home,
no matter what else is going on. Bushes are large and draw the eye to
them. Keeping them trimmed is free if you have a few good tools. Why not
get out there and take advantage of the fact?
Hose off your home.
Power wash your house. Use the garden hose if that's all you have.
It'll cut down the insect population too. Paint the front door red.
Clean up the walks. Add an accent or two, here and there. Small changes
can really perk up your front yard. Even if you don't have house
beautiful, you can have a home that reflects your loving, caring spirit.
