Over the 4th of July weekend, we spent a little time cleaning up our front yard. Flower beds needed weeding, bushes needed trimming, and one area in particular HAD to be addressed. That area was this bed around our little tree by our front door.
To give you a quick reminder of how our house is situated, here’s a shot of Heardmont the day we bought it in 2008. The path along the side of the garage leads to this little nook by the front door.
When we bought our house, we loved the quirkiness this tree added to our curb appeal, but lately the bed surrounding it had become very unappealing indeed. Over the years, the mulch wore out and rocks were collected and placed around the base of the tree to serve as a “rock garden” of sorts. Sadly the look wasn’t working.
On a trip to Lowe’s, we stopped by the rock section and came across these white river rocks. Stephen thought they’d make a great alternative to mulch because they would last forever and give a really clean look to this little bed. I couldn’t have agreed more!
A thorough weeding, a layer of plastic, $8 and 2 bags of rock later – and here is our new and improved bed!
The only rock that survived from our rock garden was this crystal Stephen’s dad brought up for us one weekend. The others were relocated to our rock wall lining the other side of our yard.
After a layer of pebbles and a good run with the leaf blower, I can’t get over how clean and polished this area looks! Stephen has been wanting to get a bench for the corner of our patio you see below, so I’ll be on the lookout for a good one the next time I’m out thrifting. A few colorful potted plants, and this patio will be officially revived!
Simple changes sometimes make all the difference. Here’s a quick before and after to show how 8 bucks and an hour of time can really change the way you feel about your yard.
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting a bit addicted to quick yard fixes. What are your favorite ways to spruce up dingy landscaping?
P.S. Looking at the photos above is really making me want to get rid of our nasty old screen door. That might just be the next item on our list of quick fixes!
