We’ve been tackling some front-yard work: planning planting beds, carving crisp edges, and spreading a big load of mulch to boost our curb appeal. With Clara’s birthday party coming up this weekend, we wanted the landscaping to look cleaner from the porch, so we put in a few afternoons of effort. The yard was already lush thanks to spring growth, but the beds needed attention.
Thinking back to last summer gives you the full contrast: the beds then were a mix of weeds and bare dirt, with only a faint boundary between lawn and planting areas.
Our lawn filled in a lot better this year after overseeding in spring (we’ll probably aerate and reseed in fall), but we hadn’t mulched last season. By spring the grass was thicker and defined the borders more, yet the actual beds still looked rough and needed fresh mulch and shaping.
We checked for free mulch options that some readers mentioned, but came up empty. After talking to neighbors and doing the cost math, we chose a delivered 10 cubic yard load of basic hardwood mulch from a local supplier most people around here use. The delivery was about $280, which turned out to be cheaper and far less work than buying 135 bags from a big-box store and hauling them ourselves.
Switching from bagged mulch to a bulk delivery reduced planning stress, although there was still plenty of physical work. Instead of carrying bags we shoveled wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow. I had a short-lived but enthusiastic helper who preferred a tiny trowel—next time I’ll upgrade her toolset.
It took about 2.5 afternoons to spread everything and tidy the beds. The yard already looks much improved. There’s still work to do—planting more shrubs and filling a few thin grass spots—but we’re closer to that sought-after curb appeal. We’re also debating whether to change the shape of one bed, extending it along the edge of the path so we can plant on both sides of the walk eventually.
Part of the project included defining the bed edges for a neat grass-to-mulch line. I used a garden hose to lay out the shape first, intentionally overlapping slightly into the grass so the border would be dense and clean.
Then I cut the edge with a small edging spade, removing a narrow strip of turf as I followed the hose. After that I dug up the grass inside the planned bed area to keep grass from re-establishing in the mulch and to set the bed slightly lower than the lawn so the mulch would stay contained.
With the turf removed the beds were ready for mulch. I’m not completely sold on the final shapes yet, but adding shrubs, perennials, or seasonal flowers should help define them and balance the overall look.
After spreading the mulch the beds immediately looked cleaner and more finished—aside from one struggling azalea that the deer seem to love a bit too much.
I won’t walk through every bed, but here’s a quick before-and-progress view showing how much the yard has evolved in the last nine months.
That earlier photo is a good reminder of how glad I am that winter is over.
We ordered ten cubic yards based on rough measurements and an online mulch calculator. It turned out to be more than we needed, so next time we’ll likely order seven or eight cubic yards to be more efficient. The extra mulch got used in the backyard and to thicken the large bed near the driveway.
Finishing this task brought our yard up to what I jokingly call “Landscape Zero”: not neglected-looking, but not yet fully planted. There are still bare beds waiting for plants, and a few stubborn weeds in the driveway to tackle, but making this visible progress feels satisfying.
We’re considering hiring the landscaper who worked on our showhouse for a consultation. We liked collaborating with him before and hope a professional opinion will help us choose plants that handle deer pressure and the light conditions better. Getting a pro’s perspective on plant selection and layout could help us move from tidy beds to a fully planted, cohesive landscape.
Anyone else getting their hands dirty this season?
PS – Sherry created a Teddy’s Photo Project page this weekend (and added a new sidebar button), featuring his three-week photo and a few funny outtakes. We’ll keep updating it each week, just like we did with Clara’s photos.