Our yards can be our pride and joy, yet many people find that they fall behind or aren’t happy with them. Although it’s impossible to add more land to it if there’s none available, there are some steps you can take to create the front yard of your dreams!
Here are the top ways to make your front lawn more attractive and increase your curb appeal and property value.
Use Hardscaping to Your Advantage
Hardscaping, the use of bricks or stone to delineate different parts of a lawn, isn’t just for backyards. Instead, consider adding hardscaping to your front yard. It can be used to contrast flower and garden patches or to make an impressive walkway.
You could even use it to make a fence around your lawn to give it the feeling of a private garden. Although this is less common, it can create an effect anyone would want for their property.
Don’t Be Afraid to Be Unconventional
Many people think their only option for their lawn is to stick to what everyone else is doing. Plain green grass, nothing else. It’s okay to be different! Check with your HOA first, if applicable, and then don’t be afraid to push the envelope.
There’s been a recent movement of homeowners towards reverting their lawns to natural grass and local species of plant life. As long as you’re not allowing mint or kudzu to envelop your yard, you can create a natural-looking and beautiful yard that anyone would be impressed by.
The Landscape for Where You Live
Not every yard is in an area where green grass is possible. For some areas, such as desert cities like Tucson, it’s far more reasonable to have a stone or sand lawn.
If you want grass in these areas, it will take constant watering, which is highly expensive and not very good for the environment. Instead, try to focus on what’s feasible for your area and what would be the best for your budget and time. For example, if you want to make the most out of a stone lawn, choose beautiful stones that will make your yard look like a piece of art!
Powerwash Away Grime and Age
Power washing is the best friend of anyone in a humid environment. Whether they’re in Boston or Bellevue, houses for sale should be powerwashed. Power washing your home’s façade increases its aesthetics by clearing away any grime that accumulates through the year, getting rid of pollen and debris while also showing how beautiful the surface beneath is.
Whether you have siding or brick, consider renting a power washer and using it on almost every inch of your home!
Care For Your Lawn Beyond Water
Lawn care isn’t just watering your grass. Homeowners should also spend time feeding their grass, aerating the soil and ensuring that the yard is well maintained. This can be some extra work for those who mow their lawn every other week, but it keeps the grass green, helps the lawn to grow healthy and evenly and increases your home’s value.
Before the warm weather comes, it’s also a great idea to fertilize your lawn with an organic fertilizer and hand-pick weeds like dandelions and crabgrass. Visit Keeping Your Plants Cool When the Mercury Climbs to find out more about caring for what you’ve planted when it gets hot and humid.
Flowers and Ground Cover
When you’re planning your yard upgrades, don’t forget the flowers. Adding bright flowers for a pop of color and some leafy green ground cover plants over your garden mulch will make your front yard look beautiful.
Hydrangeas are great for adding height to the back of your front garden and ground cover like “hens and chicks” succulents are great for ground cover and adding some greenery. Aim for native flowers that add height and pops of color without requiring a ton of water.
If you don’t already have one, installing a rain catchment system will cut down on your water use while you keep flowers and ground cover green.
Add Lighting
Solar lights are perfect for lining along walkways and sidewalks and look cozy and welcoming when they turn on in the evenings. Go for a mid-century modern look with black or gold lights, or choose a more traditional look. They stay right in the ground and are a no-hassle accessory for your front lawn.
For something a bit bigger, add a lamp post or two lanterns on both sides of your front door. There are timers available so you can set them to turn on and off at certain times.
Feature image: Maria Orlova; Image 1: Sean Benesh
