Yeah, we’re those neighbors — the ones so busy working on the inside of the house (and wrangling a baby) that the yard gets neglected. Under our mailbox had become a full-blown weed convention:
Peeking out of the overgrowth was a little iron squirrel left by the previous owners. I adore him and sometimes pretend to pet him. His name is Norman.
The first step in the mailbox makeover was obvious: weed. For the first time in about six months, we pulled everything out. Other than a mom-assisted weeding session, we hadn’t touched it since moving in.
I filled a bucket five times over with the plants sprouting around the mailbox post:
Next we laid landscaping fabric to keep weeds from coming back — since regular weeding isn’t really our thing — and bought two inexpensive pots of fast-growing, summer-blooming petunias from Lowe’s. Petunias spread out and get large as the season progresses, so we figured two pots would fill the area without needing a dozen different plants.
We cut little X-shaped holes in the fabric and planted the petunias so their roots could reach through and establish themselves while minimizing weed growth through the openings.
Then we added a thin layer of topsoil to settle everything and topped it with a generous layer of mulch to preserve moisture. I can’t wait for the petunias to grow and spill outward, filling our mulched patch with blooms.
In the photo above you might notice a gray area on the side of the post — that’s where our house numbers are. I blurred them in the image for privacy, and also obscured the alarm sign. We keep our home security details private online for safety, and our alarm company recommended not sharing their name so prospective viewers can’t learn specifics about our system. They take security seriously — think Jack Bauer or Chloe O’Brien level — and we appreciated that caution.
The mailbox had three metal signs cluttering it: an old electric fence notice (the fence is no longer in use) plus two alarm signs that had been hung on either side of the mailbox arm. Typically, one alarm sign would be placed on the post base facing the street, so after some debate, J and I removed the two side signs and the old electric fence sign and re-hung a single alarm sign near the base.
While taking the signs down I found myself adding a little “modesty heart” to my shorts — but the real story is the pink arrow in the photo pointing to something unsettling:
We discovered a wasp or hornet nest tucked behind the removed signs. I kept my distance and the insect kept its distance, thankfully. We planned to remove the nest later, carefully and naturally.
Update: That evening the nest appeared unattended, so I suited up with heavy clothing and closed-toe shoes, used a long yardstick to knock the nest down from a safe distance, and confirmed it was empty — or at least unoccupied at the moment. I stomped on it a few times to be sure. Success. I’ll watch to see if the insect returns, but losing the cover the signs provided should help keep it away.
After relocating the alarm sign to the post base, the mailbox looked much tidier. Someday I might paint the mailbox with an oil-rubbed bronze finish and refresh the post with glossy paint, but for now it’s a noticeable improvement. There’s even a little birdhouse on the back of the post that hosts a family of birds who fly out whenever we get the mail — very charming.
Norman the squirrel stuck around, nestled among fresh mulch and the new blooms, looking pleased with the upgrade:
It’s not a full-blown curb appeal overhaul, but it’s a quick and effective improvement from the embarrassing mess we started with:
Any quick yard updates on your end? Have you used weed-block fabric beyond patios? Found a charming faux woodland creature and fallen for it? Or faced down a bee or hornet’s nest? Share your stories.