We did it. Over the course of two long naps (and with a little help from a friend), we opened up our front yard in what we jokingly call “Phase Two of Ten Million” in our slow-motion front yard transformation. Why so many phases? The space needed incremental changes to get the look and function we want, so this step focused on clearing heavy visual clutter to create a “you can actually see the house now” effect. Phase One was about limbing up the magnolia and making room for bigger-picture edits.
We dug up, transplanted, and removed a lot of overgrown bushes. A friend took home several healthy boxwoods in exchange for helping us remove them, which made the whole operation essentially free except for some friendly barter—foliage for labor. The result is a much more open front yard that lets the architecture breathe and improves curb appeal.
Below is a curated set of before-and-after photos taken from matching perspectives to highlight the change. We kept the shots in sequence so you can see how the yard opens up when dense plantings are thinned and relocated.
From the original driveway perspective — BEFORE:
Same viewpoint — AFTER:
Closer shot — BEFORE:
Closer shot — AFTER:
Side-angle view — BEFORE:
Same angle — AFTER:
Facing the street — BEFORE:
Facing the street — AFTER:
Other side — BEFORE (the dense shrubs used to visually shrink the yard):
Other side — AFTER:
Additional before —
And after clearing and opening the view:
View from the front porch — BEFORE:
View from the front porch — AFTER:
Only downside: I ended up with a blister, so in that way it echoed Phase One. Still totally worth it—no pain, no gain.
We transplanted many of the healthy shrubs into the more naturalized areas of our side and back yard, and our friend took the rest. A few plants, unfortunately, were dead and had to be removed entirely. For the larger stump work we used a reciprocating saw, which turned out to be oddly satisfying—our first time using one, and we took turns grinning like fools the whole time.
Looking ahead, we’re only at the beginning of our front yard plans. The coming phases will include targeted lawn work, low-maintenance plantings, and softer edges to the perimeter so the house reads better from the street. Current priorities in our landscaping plan include:
- removing invasive ivy and excess monkey grass in select areas;
- laying grass seed where needed to fill in sparse sections;
- introducing low-maintenance native plants and other softer, less fence-like plantings along the perimeter;
- landscaping around the porch where there are currently very few plants and a lot of exposed soil;
- tackling larger projects down the road, like converting the carport into a garage and other structural upgrades.
This step was mainly about clearing and simplifying so our future choices have room to shine. Opening sightlines makes the yard feel larger and gives the house a chance to be noticed. The neighbors have noticed and have been incredibly sweet about the change, which always feels nice. Has anyone else done exterior tweaks in bite-sized phases like this—tucked between naps or busy days—so you can jump inside at a moment’s notice? We do, and we hold our breath until the neighbors approve.
Note: we also shared a fun Halloween discovery on another parenting site recently—our kiddo loved it—but we’ll keep the focus here on the front yard work and landscaping progress.