We’re back with the full front-yard landscaping reveal.
Those 50+ year-old shrubs around our home were long overdue for a refresh: they were overgrown, overcrowded, and completely swallowed our short, stout rancher.
We were a little embarrassed, but we knew how to make the most of it. We listed several azaleas and holly bushes for free to anyone willing to dig them up and haul them away, and within a short time the yard was cleared enough to start fresh. Our large shrubs found new homes, and we were left with a cleaner slate.
A handful of persistent liriope (monkey grass) and an odd brick ledge remained — remnants from the previous planting layout, which had shrubs both in front of and behind the ledge.
A little digging and some sledgehammer work took care of the ledge and opened the beds up for proper regrading.
We amended the beds with homemade compost and loosened the soil so new plants would establish easily. Choosing plants that fit the scale of our rancher and spacing them properly to avoid future overcrowding was a key part of the plan. It also finally made mulching practical — previously the plantings were so packed that raking or spreading mulch was nearly impossible.
We kept six azaleas — three on each side of the porch — and added three Japanese andromeda in the back row for texture and seasonal interest. To give the façade a little vertical balance, we planted a dwarf Alberta spruce on each side of the house. We also transplanted several hostas from our backyard, which added lush, low-maintenance groundcover without any cost. In hindsight, adding a simple dry creek bed under the downspout would have been a nice finishing touch, but overall the layout feels balanced and intentional.
On the opposite side of the porch we filled the bed with boxwoods, another dwarf Alberta spruce, and more free hostas. The combination provides year-round structure from the evergreens and seasonal variety from the azaleas and andromeda.
After planting, we topped the beds with mulch and a layer of well-aged compost. The mulch helps retain moisture, suppress weeds, and gives the beds a tidy, finished look. Below is a brief cost breakdown for the project so far: dwarf spruces — $50 for two; boxwoods — $57 for three; Japanese andromeda — $57 for three; mulch — $15; hostas — free (transplanted). Total spent: $179. We aimed to keep the project under $250, so we were very happy with the result and the savings.
We can’t get over the transformation — coming home to this refreshed, smaller-scale version of our house feels like a whole new property.
It’s even more striking when you remember how it looked when we first made an offer three years ago:
What do you think of the makeover? Are you planning a major landscaping project this year, or considering how to scale plantings to suit your home’s proportions?