12 Budget-Friendly Curb Appeal Landscaping Ideas

Spring fever… we all have it. For some, it manifests by sleeping or eating less; for others, it is an urge to clean the house or start exercising. But for garden lovers like you and me, it’s the need to start digging in the dirt. Dreaming up budget-friendly curb appeal landscaping ideas and planning for a great fall harvest is the perfect way to spend the last few weeks of winter.

Last year, tired of the monotone greenery in my front yard, I decided to do a complete makeover of my front yard garden. After all, my husband tells everyone how important curb appeal is to your home (he is a realtor). I dug up my evergreen bushes (they looked horrendous after years and years of improper trimming) and started with a clean slate. I added several flowering plants that are both colorful and fragrant: vibrant blue Lobelia, hot pink Dianthus, a couple of shades of Creeping Phlox, and some roses.

Let me tell you: I LOVE my front yard now, but there’s room for more plants. So, this year, I got a few Alyssum Golden Spring and some Super Trouper Lilac on Purple Dianthus.

1. Add Annual Flowers That Spread Like This Alyssum Golden Spring

The Alyssum will spread around my other plants and diffuse beautiful bright yellow (I call it my happiness color) blooms between my blue and pink beauties. This plant is new to me, and I’m very excited to add it to my garden. It blooms in late winter/early spring, is frost-resistant, and attracts bees, butterflies, and birds. It seems like the perfect addition to any garden, and I can’t wait to enjoy it this spring.

Once its blooming season ends, I’ll still enjoy it: its blue/green or silver/gray foliage goes perfectly with my other plants.

2. Add Perennial Blooms Like This Fragrant Super Trouper Lilac on Purple Dianthus

The Super Trouper Lilac on Purple Dianthus will not only add gorgeous color to my garden, but it will smell heavenly. It’s a pleasure to walk by my little patch of heavenly color! I wish I had room for a small bench to sit by my flowers.

3. Add Some Curves to Your Landscape

Create a curvy garden corner delimited by rocks or brick. Add a few low-growing shrubs and some annual plants in colors that harmonize with each other.

Add a good layer of mulch to keep the weeds down, and take a few minutes weekly to pull whatever weeds grew that week.

4. Create A Romantic Cottage Garden

Who can resist a romantic cottage garden? Featuring a lush and densely planted landscape filled with a diverse mix of flowering plants, herbs, and vegetables, cottage gardens offer a nostalgic retreat that celebrates the beauty of nature in a relaxed and unpretentious manner. It’s a place where flowers spill over onto pathways, fragrant herbs scent the air, and every corner holds a delightful surprise.

Make sure to add some self-seeding plants with vibrant colors that don’t need much attention.

5. Keep Your Lawn Well-Manicured

Keep your lawn well-manicured by mowing, edging, and regularly removing weeds. Maintain it regularly, and it’ll be a lot easier than if weeds take over, shrubs get out of control, and your flower beds get unruly.

Invite the kids to help once a week. Maybe make it a family affair with some fun reward at the end of it.

6. Mulch in the Spring

Apply fresh mulch to flower beds and around trees to improve the overall appearance and help retain moisture. This is an easy way to maintain curb appeal throughout the year without much effort.

7. Trim Hedges and Shrubs

Keep hedges and shrubs neatly trimmed to maintain a tidy appearance and prevent overgrowth.

8. Plant Seasonal Plants

Plant seasonal flowers and plants to add pops of color and interest throughout the year. My little summer garden above requires nothing of me other than keeping it weed-free.

It’s very low maintenance and so pretty! It makes me happy every time I walk by it. Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and yellow finches love it too!

9. Add a Rock Garden to a Corner of the Yard

Create a rock garden with decorative stones and drought-tolerant plants for a low-maintenance yet visually appealing landscape feature.

10. Plant Flowers Along the Driveway

Flank your driveway (or any pathways in your yard) with border plants or low hedges to add structure and guide visitors to your front door.

Here’s just a little section of our long driveway full of color. We planted a deer-resistant wildflower mixture that keeps the driveway in bloom from spring til fall.

In the spring, it starts with sweet alyssum and marigolds, then poppies of every imaginable color steal the show. When the heat of the summer arrives, we have zinnias that stick around until frost.

This is an effortless way to put a smile on your face daily as you drive home after a hard day at work.

11. No Space? Go Vertical!

If you have a small yard, no worries. You can still have gorgeous curb appeal. Install a couple of vertical trellises for climbing plants to add height and visual interest to your landscape.

Two of my favorite climbers are Clematis and black-eyed-Susan Vine. Both come in many colors so that you can choose your favorites.

12. Add a Water Feature

Incorporate a small fountain, pond, or water feature to add tranquility and ambiance to your outdoor space. Get a solar water fountain for a set-it-and-forget-it feature in your garden that can also serve as a gathering place for backyard birds.

I hope I’ve inspired you to get out and do some gardening. Spring is the perfect time to get in touch with nature, spend time with your loved ones beautifying your home, and enjoy the sun and fresh air.

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