My husband has a green thumb and prides himself in keeping our yard in tip top shape. We have an agreement. I work on the inside of the house, he takes care of the outside. We constantly get compliments from friends and neighbors about our yard and so I thought I would share some photos and tips on how to beautify your yard and keep it that way!
1. Take care of your lawn: We have the greenest and most lush lawn on the block. My husband makes sure it stays this way by fertilizing, mowing regularly but keeping the blade high so that the grass does not burn, and pulling weeds often. If you are not able to do this, then hire a lawn service. So many of my neighbors use one and they are awesome.
2. Plant Trees: Trees are a great investment in a yard. They add dimension, shade and decorative features that really pull a yard together. They also do not have to be super expensive. The two trees you see here we planted about 4 years ago, they have tripled in size and we paid about $120.00 for them total. In addition, all they really need is water and occasionally a tree spike to nourish them.
3. Plant a garden: When we first moved in together 10 years ago, at our tiny apartment, we dreamed of the day we would have a garden. It was the first part of the landscaping that we had planned out. Gardens not only bring in food, but they are truly beautiful and luscious. Building a raised garden can also add to the landscaping. We used landscaping timbers and some inexpensive fencing to tie our garden into our yard. The flowers that bloom before the fruit and veggies form bring in color and it only takes a couple bags of quality top soil and a drip system to keep our garden growing from April-November.
4. Plant Perennials and Bulbs: I love flowers, I love the colors, I love the beauty that they bring to a space, what I do not love is replanting flowers year after year. So anytime the husband and I go looking for new plants, we always look for perennials and bulbs so we do not have to replant all the time. These are flowers that come back every single year like lilies and tulips and roses. If you want to have your yard be sustainable and pretty with minimal effort, perennials and bulbs are the way to go. As with the garden, good soil, a drip system and some weeding will keep these areas looking great!
5. Add outdoor decor: Your yard changes with the seasons and it is not always green and beautiful. To keep our yard looking presentable even when our plants go dormant for the year, we have different outdoor decor elements. Some are homemade like the bowling ball covered in those glass rocks on a plant stand that my kids and mom gave me last year for mothers year and others are purchased or even free. You can find a lot of great deals on outdoor decor at the end of the summer and spring seasons and also all over those buy sell trade sites. Make something old new again! Outdoor decor brings a touch of personalization into your yard and makes it welcoming and takes little to no maintenance.
