Easy Landscaping Ideas For First Time Homebuyers

There are countless things to do after moving into a new house, from cleaning to unpacking. However, turning that house into a home includes adding your own personal touches to the front yard and entryway. Create definition and add character to your home with these easy landscaping ideas and curb appeal tips.

Outline or Create a Path

Is your existing sidewalk well-maintained but otherwise boring? Try outlining the path with small stones, pavers, or plants to increase its appeal. To further enhance your landscape, create a small garden path or stepping stone trail to your side yard or back fence. Outlining and adding paths is a simple and cost-effective way to enhance your home’s look.

Define Your Entryway

Enhancing your home’s curbside appeal includes more than keeping the grass trimmed. Defining your entryway will help give your property an inviting, cohesive feel. Consider painting your door or using colorful planters to add eye-catching accents. Update or add stair railings, and make sure your sidewalk or path clearly leads to the front porch.

Build a Retaining Wall for the Flower Bed

In landscaping, retaining walls are most often used to raise and highlight a flowerbed, but they can also be used to outline paths, surround rosebushes, or add multiple layers to an otherwise flat area. You can purchase interlocking blocks that are simple to install or work with other materials to build your own low wall. In the meantime, be sure to trim unruly brush and pull wayward weeds.

Put Out Planters and Potted Plants

If you do not have much time for gardening, an easy way to spruce up your yard and entryway is to add potted plants. You can pick up oversized planters to showcase in a flowerbed, or style a collection of smaller pots on the edge of your porch. No matter the climate or season, planters make it easy to have fresh flowers or evergreens on display year-round.

Utilize Free or Discounted Materials

A list of curb appeal tips would not be complete without letting you know how to find cost-friendly materials. Ideas include:

• Calling the city’s tree trimming department for free woodchips
• Shopping end-of-season plant sales to get great deals on annuals
• Asking a concrete company to pour leftover concrete into your paving stone molds
• Stopping by construction sites to ask for small pieces of broken concrete

Broken concrete slabs, for example, can be placed flat side up to create a simple stepping-stone path. You can even choose from a variety of colors to stain the concrete. Try implementing a few of these curb appeal tips and easy landscaping ideas, and see for yourself what a difference they make for the style and feel of your home!