A little {yard} love can go along way with a few tools like an edger, a hose reel cart and some mulch. Find three simple and easy ways to spruce up your yard.
Wow, this post has taken me about four months to get up on the blog. Either it was bad weather, crazy schedules or being out of town, I just couldn’t seem to take pictures at the right time, or motivate Coach to do the work when I was available to take pictures of his handiwork. 🙂 But we finally – halfway through the summer – have made some simple updates to the outside of our home.
When we bought the house, the yard and “landscaping” looked like this. Tons of big overgrown bushes and lots of weeds. It was a foreclosure, so the house had sat empty for a while before we took ownership. Disaster city!
I’ve shared before in my State of the Yard Address about how we improved the outside of the house just by ripping out some of the larger vegetation, mulching the front beds and trimming up the bushes we left in place.
So, each year we try to give a little more attention to the outside of our home. And eventually I’d even like to paint the shutters and door a different color.
All the while, Coach has been wanting an edger because we both agree that an edged yard looks 100 times better than all of this overgrowth on the driveway and sidewalks.
We chose an inexpensive, electric edger to get the job done. Coach said it was easy to use and I can vouch that it didn’t take him long to set it up and get everything edged. {It doesn’t hurt that he cut the clover in the after picture, too. Next year’s goal: kill the weeds in the yard so that it looks nicer and the HOA will quit bothering us. Ha!}
I just love coming down the driveway now and seeing that crisp line along the edge of the drive. It’s the little things, you know. 🙂
I should have taken a before and after pic of the driveway, because it was pretty rough! I’m loving the clean-up look.
We also picked out an awesome hose reel cart and resin wicker hose hideaway to straighten up the hose situation around the house.
I know this is probably the least glamorous shot to ever grace my blog, but we just left the hoses lying on the ground outside, pretty much year-round. It wasn’t cute. And Coach had to move the hoses anytime he wanted to mow. This makes things much easier!
We chose the resin wicker hose hideaway for the backyard since it will stay put and not need to be moved. But I picked out the hose cart for the side of the house, so that we could easily move it to the front of the house when needed.
And then lastly, we put down some mulch in the front beds. What are flower beds called when they don’t have flowers in them? Just beds? Sure, we’ll go with it.
We needed to cover up the old, faded mulch from last year {a generic brand} and cover up the dead {and living} weeds. I am hoping that this Scott’s Enhanced Mulch will keep it’s nice rich color a little better than what we used last year.
Coach did all of the work. I can’t take any credit for it. 🙂 And I think the yard and beds look great now!
Well … it may be time to pull out the hedge trimmer again and clean up those bushes. I guess a man’s work is never done. I’ll be sure to add that to the honey-do list.
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Disclosure: Thanks to Ace Hardware for providing these much-needed tools and compensating me for my time and this blog post. All opinions and positions expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of Ace Hardware. This post contains affiliate links.
Elena
I need some mulch and edging as well as a spreader to spread crabgrass killer. But I would love some pretty flowers and pots.
Thanks for the nudge.;)
iamalighthouse
Who won? 🙂
[email protected]
Your yard looks great, Laura! Thank you bunches for linking up and partying with us this week!
Laura
Thanks so much for featuring my post, Kristi!
Thomas Murphy
I need to paint the fence.
Jennifer @ My Sweet Sanity
Goodness! What don’t I need to spruce up my yard? I’m pretty sure we have more weed like things than grass. I need to tear stuff out of a few areas and put mulch there and those are only the beginning.
Leidy
My husband takes really good care of our yard and it looks nice as it is but I would like to add more flowers
Laura J
Oh I LOVE the difference the mulch and the edger made! I would love to do both of those to my home. I also have a few overgrown bushes!
girlfromwva
WE need an edger, a weed-eater, a hose & hose cart, flower pots, and some perennials to plant!
Debi M
I would buy some flowers and a new hose.
susan morello
I have so much outside work to be done outside, I’m heading over to Ace Hardware on Pinterest right now to get some more ideas where to begin!
Amanda Sakovitz
I need some more flowers
Michelle J.
We need a lawn mower so we don’t have to keep borrowing the parents’!
Amy M. C.
We need to get rid of our moles. They are really tearing our yard up!
[email protected] Like Mother Like Daughter Blog
It would be much easier to say what my yard DOESN’T need at this point! haha. I need more bushes, flowers, more color in general. Some weed killer, a new edger and I would LOVE a pergola. Like I said, my yard needs a little work! This gift card would be a great start!
Robin A
Get rid of weeds!
Mary Karas
I am in serious need of some perennials and potted plants by the front door. It looks so unloved.
Lisa Aliperti
We need to add a raised herb garden.
Linda
I’d really like to add more flowers and color to the front of my house.
Katie Muse
We def need a hose cart!
Linda
My yard is in desperate help could use lots of help.
GB
I need to get and plant more flowers because all the beautiful ones I planted in spring have been eaten by the deer in the neighborhood. 🙁
Laura
Evidently there is such a thing as deer spray – another reader informed me. Who knew? I need some, though, because the like to kill my baby tress by rubbing off the bark.
A Gupta
Would buy some patio chairs, umbrella and table.
Natasha S
Need some grass and flower pots.
Benn Sequeira
We need some flower pots.
Janice Cooper
We need more color (flowers) in the yard. trim up the bushes and paint our picket fence.
Sandra VanHoey
I just moved with my son to help our with my grandchildren and this home needs everything done. There is no landscaping and just needs so much. It is over 100 years old and the yard looks it as well as the home.
sandra
flowers
bianca roman
I need to lay down new mulch in our front yard beds
Jessica To
I need to mulch around my house and use some weed killer!
Angela Y
I need to plant some flowers in my yard!
Dedra Rodriquez
We just closed on our FIRST home and this would help us out tremendously as first time home buyers! WE have so many ideas for the yard and ways to get more curb appeal. some that you mentioned, like the water hose cart, some items to make our flower bed better and our grass healthier.
[email protected] used rafflecopter, followed you and ace hardware on pinterest and instagram and will share on facebook
Jenna
I need to do some major weed pulling to begin with and then remulch some areas too.
Gina M (Wild Orchid)
We really need to mulch and edge our front islands.
Entered the rafflecopter form as “Wild Orchid”
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 at gmail dot com
Sarah
We JUST moved and this would bless us to no end! Thanks!
lori clark
weed killer and Japanese beetle killer for sure!
livivua
I need a new decor plan
Cindy Trobaugh
Some New Patio Chairs, Pots and Mulch..Thanks for the Chance ~
Courtnie
We need to do more gardening!
Heather B
I need to trim the hedges and replace my borders.
Kim
Looks Great!
Elizabeth
We just bought a house in May, and need so much! Outdoor lights, bushes in the backyard, a new fence, mulch for the front yard, a new hose and storage unit, patio furniture, and a deck box for the furniture cushions. Phew!
[email protected] Sew Can Do
Ours has been overgrown for years so trimming back, removing old shrubs and lots of edging replacement so it looks neat again.
Shirley
We need mulch and deer spray so they won’t eat the flowers. We need fertilizer to kill weeds growning between the brick walk way.
Laura
Ohhh, deer spray! I didn’t know they made that! I need some since last year a deer killed one of my baby dogwoods by rubbing all of the bark off of it. 🙁
Elizabeth
We need to redo our front beds – new mulch, bushes and color!
Chelsea
I need some weedkiller and fertilizer for the grass seed!
Jo @ Let's Face the Music
We desperately need the area around the house to be seeded and then we’d like to add some foundations plants. $$$$ Jo @ Let’s Face the Music
chelsea alexander
At this point it needs to just have a thorough cleaning and putting away of tools.
Lisa Rodgers
I need an edger so bad! And to get rid of weeds and get some mulch. Tore out tons of bushes two years ago and planted flowers, but there is still so much more to be done.
Elena
I need to paint the backyard fence
Amanda
Oh the list…we need to replace a dead shrub, make a bed in the backyard, and paint our trim.!
Michelle Milinski
We need some grub killer and grass seed a new edger and lawn mower would be helpful, too!
Jenna
Awesome ideas, Laura! I need that edger!
Brandi Bryant
I need to cut the weeds around the fence and replace some shrubs. Edge the walkway. Hall off a trailer full of stuff that we are throwing out. The list could go on and on. Thanks for the giveaway. Good luck everyone.
melisa moser
i have more weeds than lawn.
Carrie
I too LOVE an edged yard 🙂
LinhC
I’d love to get some lights for the walkway.
Sharon
That edger is the bomb! I need to do the same thing where my yard meets the road. Your yard looks great!
Sharon
That edger is the bomb! Your yard looks great!
Laura
Thanks SW! 🙂
Ellen Casper
I need to put weedblocker down and then pine straw down.
Kristy Z
We just bought our own place where I finally have my own yard. I’ve gotten a few plants started but the sides of the yard still look plain!
Mary
Trim bushes and edge, for sure!
Teresa S
We need to finish building the house (48 more days)! Then it will be some landscaping, fertilizer, and mulch to get it going.
Ellen V
I need some color in my backyard like colorful chairs. I also need some new tools. Pick me!
Nicole Dz
We need to spruce up the side of the house and our flower beds in the backyard. Would love to plant a lot more flowers.
Shelley
Weeds and pruning are at the top of the list 🙂
Beth D
Weed! Seriously, gardening is a constant yet rewarding task-love those perenials that come back year after year.
Lisa
I really need to plant some flowers to spruce up my yard and make it come to life
Kim R
We have a new cabin in the mountains and there is SO MUCH to do! We have banks that are eroding that need plantings and mulch, weeds growing in the driveway (gravel) and I want to plant hydrangeas, azaleas and other plants that I love.
Jeanine
I need to feed my lawn and get rid of clover and moss!
Tawnya Marney
We need lots of help. I mean LOTS of help.. but some just like your yard some mulch and a nice hose holder would be a huge first step.
Sue S
I need to repaint my garage & deck.
Alina
Some fertilizer for the bushes in the back and some mulch would help.
Sean C
A trimmer to help me trim edges of the lawn would help!
tabitha
we need a weedeater.
that is what i’d get!
HS
I need to take care of the weeds first.
Elle
I’d love to fix up the back patio and fill in the cracks that have occurred over time.
Tara
I need a little garden shed!
Diane W
Much needed mulch and plants!! A trimmer would be great toooo!!
Lisa Cooper
We are trying to establish grass at our new custom built house. The HOA keeps calling and asking questions! Unfortunately, we spent all our money on the house and have little left for landscaping. This gift card would help a lot!
andrea
we sooo need to trim our lilac bushes!
MARTHA
Need mulch & plants also flower pots !!!!!!!!!!!! TY
Karen
I need to edge our walk & would love to win the Ace Hardware gift card!
Lauren @ Bless'er House
We are in dire need of mulch too. We have pine straw right now, and I HATE that stuff! I blows all over the place and looks a mess. It’s amazing how much edging makes a difference too! Yours looks so much better.
Nickie Moseley
My front entry needs some TLC BAD!!!
Lindsay Eidahl
Weeds! Weeds! Weeds! We would also like to get some more ground cover in areas. We love making our yard pretty!
Marlene
My shrubs need pruning, I need some flowers and a stone walkway would be nice.
Ashley C
Our whole backyard needs sprucing up
Demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com
Jenni T
Our front “weed” bed could certainly use some grooming. I’m sure the neighbors would appreciate it!! 🙂
Kim
Mulch my flower beds….they are looking pretty bad!!
Kathleen
I could really use a hedge trimmer and some weed killer with that gift card. Little things like the mulch make a difference, it looks nice and neat now. Good job.
Cindy A.
I would love to edge around our carport and sidewalk!
Sandy A
We need to either sod or reseed out our back yard and then add some new comfy chairs…
Cindy Baker
Oh, I could totally use this gift card to spruce up my yard…front and back! (but the back needs it the most!) Been wanting a hose reel forever….on a super-tight budget…so to win would be awesome!
iamalighthouse
I can trim the plants!
Kelly D
I need to get rid of the weeds and add some nice looking plants.