The good weather is here, and that means it’s time to start thinking about sprucing up your yard! Whether you’re looking to add some curb appeal for a future sale or just want to enjoy your outdoor space more, these six easy landscape projects will have your yard looking its best in no time. And the best part? None of them require a professional—you can do them all yourself!

Add Some Color with Flowers

One of the quickest and easiest ways to add life to your landscape is to plant some flowers. You can choose to go with a traditional flower bed or get creative with container gardening. Either way, adding color is a great way to make your yard more inviting. Not sure what type of flowers are best for your area? Talk to your local garden center and inquire about using plants native to New England. Especially when choosing perennials that come back every year and only bloom once per season, vs annuals that bloom all season and die off when a frost comes.

Give Your Lawn Some TLC

If you want your yard to look its best, you need to have a healthy lawn. That means regular mowing, watering, and fertilizing. You’ll also need to pull any weeds that pop up. Don’t have time for all that? No problem! There are plenty of low-maintenance options available these days, like artificial turf or hire a lawn service company that offers monthly maintenance plans that take care of that for you. When your grass is doing well it really makes a difference how your overall property looks from the street. Talk about curb appeal, nothing better than a healthy green lawn. Afterall, it takes up a good amount of the landscape, might as give it some TLC.

Plant Some Trees

Trees provide much-needed shade and can help increase your home’s value. Plus, they’re just really pretty to look at! When selecting trees for your landscape, be sure to choose ones that are appropriate for your climate and space. And really think about what you want from your new tree. Are you looking for a maple tree for shade? Keep in mind that it sheds its leaves in the fall, while adding beautiful fall color to your yard, but you’ll have a lot of leaves to rake up. Or would you rather have an evergreen tree that stays green all year creating privacy and can help block your home from winter winds. Whatever you choose for a new tree, it will make a big difference in your yard and landscaping. Have fun adopting a new tree!

Add Interest with Hardscaping

Hardscaping—or using hard materials like stone or brick—is a great way add dimension and interest to your landscaping without having to do any major digging or planting. Features like decks, patios, pergolas, and walkways can really take things up a notch (not to mention increase your home’s value).

If your yard is set on a hill or has a slight grade to it, you could add a stone retaining wall to create a defined level section of grass close to your house and the lower-level section could be used as a garden bed with a few plantings with mulch. You could also add a water feature to the lower-level and create a waterfall that flows over rocks and water plants and ends into a small river or pond tub. You’ll love the sound and driving up your driveway every day! I think your neighbors would enjoy it too!

Create an Outdoor Living Space

Outdoor living spaces are all the rage these days—and for good reason! They provide a great place to relax, entertain guests, and enjoy the outdoors without having to leave the comfort of your own home. The new “staycation” idea is more popular now than ever. Wouldn’t it be great to walk out your back door onto a covered patio area with lights and a comfortable living or dining area? What better place to add a wood or vinyl pergola, pavilion, or gazebo! Maybe add a ceiling fan with lights above and a nice grilling set up, you’d have everything you need to entertain guests and enjoy some fresh air in your new outdoor living space!

Light Things Up with Landscape Lighting

Nothing makes a landscape come alive like strategically placed lighting! Not only does it serve as a functional way to light up walkways and dark corners, but it can also be used to highlight special features in your yard or create a magical ambiance in the evening hours. Ready to get started? Take a look at your house at twilight with your porch lights on and take notice of what areas of your landscape would you like to see lit up. Maybe some solar lights around a walkway or shrubs near the foundation and some projected lights around a tree base would be a great start. Once you add some lighting around take another look around at dusk and see if you could use anymore around your property. Night lighting looks great, and it adds a feel of security to your home.

Conclusion                                                    

With the nice weather in full swing, there’s no better time than now to tackle those landscaping projects you’ve been putting off all winter long. These six easy ideas are all DIY-friendly and will have your yard looking its best in no time! So, roll up those sleeves, grab some gloves, and get started today!