Transforming Our Front Garden: A DIY Journey to Enhanced Curb Appeal

The journey of homeownership is often a mosaic of endless projects, each contributing a small piece to the larger picture of our dream home. While some transformations are instant “ta-da!” moments, many are long-term endeavors, requiring patience, persistent effort, and a willingness to get our hands dirty. Our arms might be a little sore from all the digging, but the satisfaction of seeing progress, even in small increments, is incredibly rewarding. To avoid feeling overwhelmed by the sheer scale of outdoor tasks—last year we tackled everything from limbing up the magnolia and transplanting numerous bushes to painting the front door—we’ve adopted a strategy of focusing on one manageable area at a time. For this latest installment of our home improvement adventures, we set our sights on the neglected garden bed to the right of our front porch, envisioning a complete overhaul that would dramatically enhance our home’s curb appeal.

The Initial Challenge: A Forgotten Garden Bed

Stepping up to our front porch, the garden bed on the right side presented a clear aesthetic and functional dilemma. Instead of lush greenery, the space was dominated by what appeared to be a rectangular brick patio, consuming a significant portion of the bed. This unsightly feature not only prevented us from cultivating plants in that area but also disrupted the visual balance of our home’s entrance. Its presence was a hindrance to our landscaping aspirations, creating an unwelcoming and disjointed look that significantly detracted from our desired curb appeal, making its removal a top priority.

Upon closer inspection, this brick expanse was clearly not designed for planting or harmonious integration with the surrounding landscape. It contributed to poor drainage and offered little in terms of visual appeal. Our ultimate goal was to reclaim this space, transforming it into a vibrant, plant-filled area that would complement our home’s exterior and create a more inviting pathway to our front door. This transformation promised to breathe new life into an often-overlooked corner of our property.

The Demolition Phase: Reclaiming the Space

Removing the Unwanted Brick Patio

With a clear vision in mind, it was time to get to work. Sherry, affectionately dubbed “$herdog” for her digging prowess, wasted no time grabbing her shovel. This part of the project involved the strenuous but satisfying task of removing the approximately 100 bricks that formed the unwanted patio. Fortunately, the bricks weren’t mortared together, which significantly simplified the removal process. We could lift them out one by one, gradually freeing up the garden bed from its restrictive brick confines. While certainly not quick or light work – the sheer weight of carrying and stacking about 100 bricks next to the carport was a workout in itself – the physical effort was invigorating, and the visible progress was a powerful motivator.

Each brick lifted represented a step closer to our dream garden. As for their future, we have a couple of practical options: these reclaimed bricks could be repurposed for another landscaping project down the line, perhaps as decorative edging for a new flower bed, a charming garden pathway, or even a small, rustic fire pit. Alternatively, we might offer them up on Craigslist for someone else to put to good use, giving them a second life. We’ll certainly keep you updated on their ultimate fate!

Tackling the Stubborn Liriope

Simultaneously, John took on another formidable opponent: the dense liriope growing along the side of the garden bed, right next to the porch. Liriope, while sometimes used for ground cover, can become incredibly invasive with its intricate, sod-like root system, making it a challenging plant to remove once established. As John wrestled with the stubborn clumps, our daughter Clara found her own unique source of entertainment nearby. She wasn’t playing with imaginary friends, but rather with real, wriggly worms!

Clara has a peculiar and utterly adorable fascination with worms. She loves to talk to them, wave at them, and crouch down to observe their movements. It’s a delightful quirk that brings a lot of laughter to our outdoor projects. Whenever John or I unearthed a worm during our digging, we’d gently place it in front of Clara, allowing her to marvel at its slow, deliberate inching. (Rest assured, we were both wearing gloves; Sherry is a committed gardener but draws the line at palming worms!). This sweet family interaction made the hard work feel lighter and added a memorable layer to our gardening efforts.

The liriope proved to be quite a beast, living up to its reputation. The tangled mass of roots he dug up in strips truly resembled thick sod, highlighting the difficulty of its removal. This experience served as a good reminder of the importance of researching plants thoroughly before introducing them to your garden, especially those with aggressive spreading habits or invasive root systems. Effective liriope removal often requires persistence and careful extraction to prevent regrowth.

An Unexpected Encounter: The Garden Snake

Just when we thought the biggest discovery would be an exceptionally large worm, we encountered something entirely different – a tiny garden snake! It was a moment of surprise, and perhaps a slight jump for John. For those with a fear of snakes, consider yourself warned before scrolling down to see John’s perfectly comical expression. Thankfully, this little guy was very small and completely harmless, a common and often beneficial sight in healthy garden ecosystems, as they help control pest populations.

I asked John to “look scared” for the photo, and he delivered this wonderfully exaggerated expression, perfectly capturing the moment of unexpected wildlife interaction. It’s these small, spontaneous moments that add character and humor to the often-demanding work of home renovation and landscaping, reminding us that nature is always full of surprises.

Preparing the Canvas: A Clean Slate

After approximately four hours of intense digging, hauling, and a little bit of snake-spotting, our 13 by 7-foot garden bed was completely stripped down. It was a blank canvas, finally ready for some actual plant life. It’s always interesting how photos can sometimes distort the true scale of a space; what often looks narrower in pictures is, in reality, quite spacious. Being only 5’2″ myself, getting those perfect aerial shots is definitely a challenge, but rest assured, this bed offers ample room for our new botanical additions to flourish.

With the clearing complete, the next crucial step was preparing the soil. While not extensively detailed in the original notes, ensuring good drainage and enriching the soil with compost and organic matter is vital for the success of any new planting. This foundational work sets the stage for healthy plant growth and ensures our efforts aren’t in vain. We want our new plants to thrive for years to come, and proper soil preparation is the cornerstone of that longevity. Testing soil pH and amending as needed can also significantly impact plant vigor.

The Search for the Perfect Plants: Thoughtful Selection for Part-Shade

Navigating the Nursery World

The quest for the ideal plants took us on a delightful, albeit extensive, tour of various nurseries and garden centers, including big box stores like Home Depot. We already had some beautiful otto luyken laurels established in another area, and our goal for this specific part-shade garden bed was to find plants that would complement them while adding unique texture and seasonal interest. Typically, gardening wisdom often suggests planting groups of the same variety in odd numbers for a cohesive look. However, we often find ourselves drawn to individual plants that truly capture our hearts, and this project was no exception. We fell in love with the idea of a delicate, feathery maple and a charming shrub adorned with sweet white flowers, reminiscent of one we’d planted around our first house. Sometimes, it’s best to trust your instinct and choose plants you genuinely adore, especially when designing a small, personal garden.

Introducing Our Chosen Stars: The Viridis Laceleaf Maple and Dwarf Pieris Japonica

Our search for a maple led us away from the popular red varieties, which we felt might blend too much with our red brick exterior and potentially grow too large for the space. Instead, our hearts were captured by a stunning green, dwarf variety: the **Viridis Laceleaf Maple**. This exquisite specimen is perfect for our 7-foot deep bed, as it’s a slow-growing dwarf variety that will only reach about 6 feet tall. Its small root base makes it an excellent choice for planting near a house’s perimeter, as it’s less likely to cause foundation issues and can be easily trimmed to maintain its shape and size. We strategically placed it almost 4 feet from the house, ensuring ample room for it to fill out and thrive without becoming overcrowded, even if the initial photos make it appear a bit more compact. This selection perfectly combines aesthetic appeal with practical considerations for foundation planting.

Complementing the maple, we selected a charming, small, flower-covered bush for the middle of the bed: the **Dwarf Pieris Japonica ‘Variagated’**. This delightful shrub is known for its compact growth, reaching a modest 2 feet in height and 2 feet in width. In spring, it bursts forth with a profusion of delicate white flowers, offering a breathtaking display. For the rest of the year, its variegated foliage provides continuous visual interest, adding texture even when not in bloom. Crucially, both the Viridis Laceleaf Maple and the Dwarf Pieris Japonica thrive in part-shade conditions, making them ideal companions for this specific garden bed. Their synergy felt destined, and with a one-year warranty on both, we have high hopes for their long-term survival and beauty, making them excellent choices for any part-shade garden design.

Gardening Rules vs. Personal Preference: A Balanced Approach

The world of gardening is rife with established rules and guidelines, often recommending practices like grouping plants of the same type in odd numbers (threes or fives) for aesthetic harmony or sticking to specific color palettes. While these principles hold significant merit and can lead to beautiful, cohesive designs, our personal gardening philosophy has evolved to prioritize two key rules. First, we believe wholeheartedly in selecting plants we genuinely love—no placeholders or temporary solutions allowed. We’ve learned that investing in plants you truly adore makes the entire gardening process more enjoyable and the end result far more satisfying. Second, and equally important, is ensuring that the chosen plants are absolutely right for their designated spot. This means meticulous consideration of factors like light requirements, mature size, and necessary spacing. Neglecting these practical aspects can lead to disheartening outcomes: struggling plants, premature deaths, or the laborious task of having to dig them up and replant them more thoughtfully later, wasting both time and money.

Learning from Past Projects: The Value of Thoughtful Choices

Our current approach is deeply rooted in past experiences. During our early years in our first house, we often succumbed to the temptation of buying whatever was cheapest or offered a quick fix for our backyard. We bypassed the crucial step of thoughtful planning and patiently waiting for plants we truly loved and that were suitable for our specific climate and soil. The consequences were clear: many plants either perished because they weren’t suited to their environment, or we later regretted the investment, wishing we had put our time and money towards something more aligned with our aesthetic and practical needs. This valuable lesson prompted a significant course correction, just in time for us to redo the front yard there with a much more deliberate and successful approach, resulting in a landscape we truly loved. Applying this hard-earned wisdom to our current home, we’re committed to making well-informed choices that will bring lasting joy and beauty to our garden for years to come.

The Planting Process: Nurturing New Life

Following the Instructions: A Gardener’s Best Friend

With our carefully selected tree and bush, the actual planting commenced. A crucial, yet often overlooked, step in this process is diligently reading the plant tags. These small labels are a gardener’s best friend, packed with invaluable information that can make or break a plant’s success. They guide you on everything from the recommended spacing between plants, the ideal depth and width of the planting hole, how to gently break up compacted roots to encourage outward growth, and what soil amendments (like compost or slow-release fertilizer) might be beneficial. Furthermore, they provide essential watering instructions for the establishment period, ensuring your new additions receive the proper hydration they need to settle into their new home and begin thriving.

We followed these directions precisely for our Viridis Laceleaf Maple and Dwarf Pieris Japonica, ensuring they had the best possible start. Proper spacing, in particular, is paramount. While our garden might look a bit sparse initially, we’ve meticulously accounted for the mature size of each plant. They will grow a foot or two over time, but thanks to thoughtful placement, the bed won’t become overcrowded or chaotic, preventing future headaches of plants competing for resources or needing to be relocated. This strategic planning is key to a low-maintenance and beautiful garden in the long run.

Introducing Perennials for Long-Term Beauty: Garden Variagated Dead Nettle

Initially, we considered temporary annuals to fill in the front of the bed while our main plants matured. However, during our nursery visits, we stumbled upon an excellent perennial alternative: **Garden Variagated Dead Nettle** (Lamium maculatum ‘Variegatum’). These inexpensive yet charming plants caught our eye for several reasons. They remain compact, reaching only 6-8 inches in both width and height, ensuring they won’t overwhelm our burgeoning garden. The truly great advantage of perennials, like these lovely purple-flowering dead nettles, is their longevity. Unlike annuals, which complete their life cycle in a single growing season, perennials return year after year, offering consistent beauty from spring through summer. They also thrive in part-shade conditions, perfectly suiting our garden bed. And, should our garden become denser over time, their shallow root systems make them incredibly easy to dig up and relocate elsewhere, offering flexible solutions for future landscaping adjustments. Holla for smart, sustainable choices!

The Finishing Touch: Mulching for Health and Beauty

With all our new plants nestled into their homes, the final step was to apply a generous layer of mulch. Mulching is far more than just an aesthetic enhancement; it’s a critical practice for garden health and long-term success. Firstly, it acts as a highly effective barrier against weeds, suppressing their growth and significantly reducing the need for constant, laborious weeding. Secondly, mulch helps the soil retain vital moisture, reducing the frequency of watering, especially during dry spells or hot summer months. This is crucial for the establishment of new plants and overall plant vigor. Thirdly, it helps regulate soil temperature, keeping roots cooler in summer and warmer in winter, providing a more stable environment for growth. As organic mulches decompose, they also gradually release valuable nutrients back into the soil, enriching it over time and fostering a healthier ecosystem. Once the mulch was evenly spread, our small side garden truly began to look like a cohesive, well-cared-for, and thriving space, greatly enhancing its visual appeal.

The Reveal and a Vision for the Future

And now, for some plant-tastic detail shots, no allergy meds required! We’re absolutely thrilled with the transformation. The delicate textures of the Viridis Laceleaf Maple, the promise of white blooms from the Dwarf Pieris Japonica, and the vibrant ground cover of the Dead Nettle combine to create a dynamic and appealing landscape. Each plant brings its own unique charm, contributing to a harmonious whole that is already making a significant impact on our home’s entrance, vastly improving its curb appeal and inviting ambiance.

All told, this complete garden transformation, from a neglected patch to a thoughtfully designed landscape, required approximately seven hours of dedicated work. These hours were sometimes shared with Clara and her beloved worm friends, adding a touch of childhood wonder to our labor, and other times completed during her naps. The transition from the raw, bare, and rather uninspiring state…

…to this vastly improved, albeit not-yet-fully-grown-in, result is incredibly gratifying. We hold high hopes that these carefully selected plants will fill out beautifully over the coming seasons, becoming established residents of our garden for decades to come. A little upfront work, particularly in the realm of thoughtful planning, proper plant selection, and precise planting techniques, truly promises long-term payoffs in terms of beauty, enjoyment, and increased property value. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on their growth and the evolving beauty of our new front garden!

Expert Tip: Strategic Planting for Foundation Health

It’s worth reiterating a valuable tip we learned from a master gardener at our previous home, especially concerning foundation planting. When positioning plants, particularly larger shrubs or trees, it’s always wise to place them a bit further out from your home’s roof overhang. This strategic spacing serves multiple crucial purposes that benefit both your plants and your home’s integrity: it prevents roots from potentially interfering with and damaging your foundation over time, ensures that excessive runoff during heavy rains doesn’t flood and damage your new plants, and most importantly, allows them to receive adequate sunlight rather than being perpetually shaded by the awning, which is vital for their healthy growth. This simple practice can significantly contribute to both the health and longevity of your plants and the structural integrity of your home, making it an essential consideration for any landscaping project near your house.

What’s Next on the DIY Horizon?

With this garden bed beautifully transformed, our DIY spirit is already buzzing with anticipation for the next project. Our immediate plan is to tackle the garden bed on the other side of the porch, likely accompanied by Clara’s endearing whispers of “wooooorms? where the worms go?” The outdoor projects don’t stop there! We’re also diving into the extensive planning for our big deck project. We’ve already called in Miss Utility to ensure there are no dangerous underground lines before we start digging, and obtaining the necessary permits is next on the list—an important step for any major home renovation. These significant undertakings are on the docket alongside finishing our bathroom renovation and, of course, a myriad of other “Dude Get On That Already” projects that always seem to accumulate, keeping our hands full and our creativity flowing.

Ah, spring! It truly never fails to ignite our enthusiasm, compelling us to leap from one exciting project to the next, much like an Easter bunny hopping through the garden. Speaking of which, what wonderful endeavors filled your past weekend? We were fortunate enough to spend quality time with a good portion of our family, including meeting Clara’s youngest cousin, six-month-old Ben. It was a grand old time, filled with laughter and precious moments, reminding us of how much we have to be thankful for. We’ll be sharing more about our family adventures in a Young House Life post very soon. We sincerely hope your weekend was a perfect blend of family warmth, delicious food, and invigorating DIY fun!