Whether you are looking for ways to increase your property values, or simply want to change up your front yard, there are a variety of different things you can do to go from drab to fab on your property.

Adding Decorative Mulch

Mulch is a versatile way to dress up your front yard. It’s a suitable material to place around tree trunks, the edges of flower beds, or as an accent along fence and property lines.

You can find mulch in several different wood types, with the most commonly found types being pine, cedar, cypress, and hardwood mixtures.

Hardwood mixtures normally include oak and maple. It is a very dark colored option that can be used in place of lava rocks. It’s great for insulating root balls of trees, and can also help with drainage. One thing to keep in mind with hardwood mulch is that it is prone to compacting so may need annual raking to help with soil aeration below.

Cypress mulch comes in two grades, with one being much higher quality than the other. This type of mulch is somewhat costly, but is highly sought after by many landscapers due to the unique reddish hue. Cypress is also highly resistant to insects and decay which makes it much longer lasting than other mulch options.

Pine mulch can be found in a wide range of brown and golden colors, and comes in a huge variety of different sizes from larger bark chips to fine wood shavings. The most common landscaping mulch with pine is made from the bark. It is very difficult to compact which makes it great for covering soil that still needs aeration and moisture such as in gardens or crop plots.

Cedar mulch is very aromatic and comes in a unique combination of red and gold colors. This mulch is affordable and found throughout North America from a variety of sources. It’s perfect for erosion control and does very well on sloped land. Cedar is also highly resistant to insect infestations and blocks weeds better than other mulch options.

Laying Lush Sod

Sod can be a somewhat time consuming way to freshen up your front yard, but can be very worthwhile especially if your natural lawn is thin or full of brown spots from pet damage or drought.

Laying sod takes some preparation in advance, but can create a lush and dense lawn. This lawn can instantly increase your property values while also helping to prevent soil erosion. In addition, established sod does not require as much watering as natural grass which makes it a suitable option for some drought prone areas.

Cleaning Your Hardscapes

Staying on top of your power washing may seem daunting, but can be a practical way to spice up your front yard. From a brick patio to retaining walls or garden markers, power washing your hardscapes can remove dirt, grime, and mildew from the bricks and stone to instantly brighten up the area.

Don’t Neglect Your Driveway

Your driveway is a big part of your front yard. While they’re generally built more for function than style, that doesn’t mean you should neglect it entirely. 

There are a lot of ways to refresh an old driveway, from pressure washing to resurfacing, depending on its current condition. But in many cases, all it takes is renting a pressure washer for a couple of hours to make your driveway look 100% better.