20 Easy Landscaping Ideas to Add Instant Curb Appeal to Your Home

Make a great first impression!

It's easier than you think to add some seriously charming landscaping improvements to your front yard. Not only will a few small changes make your house look more inviting, but they'll also boost your home's curb appeal, whether you're looking to sell your home or not. Read on for some easy ideas you can implement that will make your house the prettiest one on the street—in no time.

01 of 20

Get Your Lawn in Shape

Great news: Less is more when it comes to your lawn. Cutting grass too short and too often doesn't allow it to grow properly. Make sure you're using a sharp mower blade and only cut one-third of the grass blade. Also, if your grass is especially dry, avoid watering your lawn during the intense afternoon heat—the water will evaporate before it can be absorbed!

02 of 20

Add Planters to Your Entryway

A pop of color from flowers or grasses is the best way to welcome guests to your home. Make sure you're aware of the amount of sun these plants need to keep them thriving all summer long. To keep large outdoor planters from getting too heavy, pad the bottom of the planter with plastic or even the overturned plastic containers the seedlings came in.

03 of 20

Choose Plants That are Proportionate

Keep future growth in mind, but when you're planting bushes in front of your house, think about scale. Nothing looks sillier than small, separated bushes that look too small up against a house. Think about what will grow and complement the front of your home over time. A mix of heights and a variation of small trees and bushes always looks good. Here are a few small tree, bush, and plan ideas to look into for your front yard landscaping:

  • Crepe Myrtle
  • Hydrangeas
  • Boxwood bushes
  • Chaste tree
  • Viburnum
  • Roses
  • Hostas
  • Azaleas
04 of 20

Add Fresh Mulch to Your Garden Beds

Not only does mulch keep weeds at bay, but it also gives your garden beds a neat and orderly appearance. A darker color like black or brown also makes flowers, plants, and walkways pop. However, be careful not to purchase a mulch with manure incorporated, unless the beds are far enough away from your house. It smells terrible!

05 of 20

Keep Your Walkway Weed-Free and Welcoming

A one-to-one mixture of white vinegar and boiling water will give weeds on your walkway the boot. To keep them at bay, try adding smaller gravel or sand, or apply a thin layer of polymeric sand between the cracks. Follow the package instructions and don't skimp on the prep to ensure the best, most weed-resistant results.

06 of 20

Plant Perennials

Sure, they might need a little more maintenance than annuals, but they'll save you money in the long run. Plus, you'll know what to expect year after year. These investment plants and flowers add tons of color and texture to your landscaping that only builds on itself over time. You'll be glad you put in the work. Here are a few perennials to consider to add color to your flower beds:

  • Black-Eyed Susan
  • Gardenias
  • Chrysanthemums (Great perennials for the fall!)
  • Coneflower
  • Lantanas
  • Peonies
  • Hydrangeas
07 of 20

Make Sure It's Well-Lit

Nothing is more welcoming than warm, bright lighting at night. Use small lanterns or pathway lights to highlight a walkway, or larger spotlights to make a certain landscaping item the star of your yard. Either way, a house always looks more welcoming when you can easily see it—even at night!

08 of 20

Paint Your Front Door a New Color

Painting your front door a new color is not only fun but should only take a few hours of your time and can completely transform your home's exterior. In fact, there are even colors recommended by experts on which front door colors will give you the most bang for your buck, and which colors you should avoid.

09 of 20

Install A New Mailbox

Curb appeal is all in the details, including the vessel in which you receive your mail. If you have a mailbox and it's looking a little rusty, it may be time to switch it out for a new one. Mailboxes are fairly inexpensive, especially when compared to a bigger landscaping project like getting a new roof.

10 of 20

Create an Edging to Your Flower Beds with Bricks

Adding bricks around your flowerbeds as an edge is an easy way to make your yard instantly look more neat and organized. It is fairly inexpensive and doesn't take too many supplies either—you may even have enough bricks lying around to do the project. For extra curb appeal, try creating an edging around your mailbox, and adding a few plants inside of the boundary.

11 of 20

Install Artificial Turf

If you are unable to maintain a lawn or the area you are in makes it hard to stay green, artificial turf may be a good option for you. Installing the turf can be done by you or a professional. However, once it is installed, it does not take much to keep it in tip-top shape, and is a lot less hassle than maintaining a grass lawn.

12 of 20

Pour Some Pebbles Down for Uncomplicated Weed Control

Pebbles make a perfect low-maintenance solution for unwanted weeds in your yard. They look beautiful as pathways, borders, and inside of flower beds. While they won't be able to completely eliminate weeds, they do discourage them heavily. If you continue to have a weed problem, weed killers should do just the trick.

13 of 20

Invest in Window Box Planters

Window boxes will bring a big dose of charm, color, and cheer to your home's exterior. Pick flowers to plant that complement the other colors in your yard. There are plenty of different styles of window boxes to choose from. If your house embraces the cottage lifestyle, you might opt for a more traditional white wooden box. You can also line window boxes along your fence line, creating a stunning visual that people will surely notice when passing by.

14 of 20

Lay Down Some Pavers

Pavers are an easy and affordable way to add some order to your lawn. They can be used to make a pathway, create a room, or as an edge around your garden. Plus, they are super easy to install and come in a huge variety of designs that will suit any style.

15 of 20

Create a Conversation Space

There's no better way to create an inviting home exterior than by offering a place for guests to sit. Delegate a portion of your front yard for some comfy outdoor furniture to make space for conversation. Make sure the area is properly lit, so you can catch up with friends late into the evening.

16 of 20

Power Wash Your Driveway

Yes, your lawn has to look nice, but your driveway may take up a huge part of your front yard, so it needs some love too! You can buy your own or rent one from most home improvement stores. Start at the top (the part near your garage) and work your way down. Make sure to be careful around the edges so you don't harm your nearby grass and plants.

17 of 20

Plant Groundcover

Traditional lawns are beautiful, but if you're looking to do something a little different, trade blades for ground covers, which are low-lying plants that tend to spread out fast. Some well known herbs fit the bill, like thyme and rosemary. Here are a few other great options.

  • Creeping myrtle
  • Hens and chicks
  • Creeping juniper
  • Ice plant
  • Creeping phlox
18 of 20

Upgrade Your House Numbers

Just like painting your front door and hanging a pretty mailbox can drastically improve your home's worth, so can picking out a new set of house numbers. You can go with traditional oil rubbed bronze serif sets or something mid-century and colorful, whatever feels right to you. For good visibility, choose ones that are 6" or larger. This is especially important if your home is far from the street.

19 of 20

Add Fragrant Flowers

Pretty petals are important, but lovely smelling flowers have an alluring appeal that will stop neighbors in their tracks. Plant some of classic fragrant blooms like roses and lavender, or look for other sweet-smelling specimens like gardenia, hyacinth, lilac, heliotrope, and moonflowers.

20 of 20

Plant Vertically

Adding a trellis, garden wall, or hanging containers is an unexpected way to add height and color to the front of your home. Planting vertically also allows you to to get the most out of your garden's square footage. When choosing plants for these pieces, look for trailing ones that will cascade dramatically, like pathos, string of pearls, and philodendron.

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