12 Before-and-After Garden Makeovers to Inspire Your Next Project

These clever garden overhaul ideas will help you add more interest group to your landscape — and make it easier to keep , too .

quick to revamp your front or back grounds ? You do n’t always need a sky - high budget , a sprawling space , or unfamiliar materials to make an impact . These clever garden renovation ideas will help you add more interest to your landscape painting — and make it easy to maintain , too !

BEFORE: Overgrown Side Yard

Better Homes & Gardens

Side yardsare a usually overlooked blank space . With a trivial planning and creative thinking , you may make something incredible out of the narrowest of spaces . This tireless householder turned this small side railway yard into a shaded patio , which is full ofDIY garden task ideas .

AFTER: Create a Hidden Patio

The new patio is made from salvaged slate tiles and stress with garage - sale discovery , giving it a one - of - a - sort style . Using salvaged and repurposed itemssuch as erstwhile bowling balls as garden ornamentation and weight plate as stepping stones offers personality in a garden overhaul without getting too pricey .

The farsighted , minute distance can make it tough to create one seating surface area , so the householder created two " mini rooms " with seating option at the front and the back of the blank space .

Test Garden Tip : Usingtall container gardensas a screen can avail freestanding spaces palpate even more like trenchant rooms .

patio umbrella

Credit: Andreas Trauttmansdorf

Mixingpatio paver materialsis an good way to make an impingement . Here , stone chips modulation to pea gravel , which thentransition to flagstone . you’re able to do the same with any material , include brick , gravel , Harlan Fiske Stone , and concrete pavers .

BEFORE: An Unsightly Air Conditioner

Do n’t let anair conditioner take awayfrom the look of your pace . Most units can be covered quick and easily with plantings ; just leave a few metrical unit of space so line can flow freely .

AFTER: A Lush, Low-Care Planting

The new plantings in this box not only hide an eyesore , but they also avail save energy by shading the air conditioner for part of the day . This planting incorporate tough plants such asswitchgrass , blue caryopteris , blue fescue grass , and violet - leafJoe Pye weed , all of which do n’t need much care . They ’re also mostlydeer - resistant plants .

Test Garden Tip : Look fornative plantsto service lower the criminal maintenance of your plantings ; plants from your region usually hold up better top and disease problemsand weather extremes .

A simple people of colour outline make this garden feel plan out and easy on the middle . silver grey and blue foliage fromlamb ’s earand the eatage create a cool note that ’s accentuate by the blue caryopteris and dwarf butterfly bush . Neutralornamental grasseshave a multitude of uses in the landscape painting ; in this case , they bring height to the back of the garden .

side yard brick house

Credit:Better Homes & Gardens

BEFORE: An Average Yard

It ’s not uncommon for homes on small city lots to have an uninspired yard . If you need something more , you cancreate an urban heaven , even if your lot is only 45x120 feet like this one .

AFTER: An Exceptional Backyard

These Midwestern homeowners were n’t afraid of a challenge , and their progress sure prove it ! They filled their yard with character , include asmall water featureand an ask for patio right off the back of the house .

The patio creates an outdoor living blank , which adds resale value to the rest home and makes the backyard more comfortable . Keep convenience in mind whendesigning a terrace ; the closer to your back or side door , the better , specially for think of determination .

evergreen plant cater year - round privacyand bit as shelterbelt . Mixing evergreen plant and admit selections with different needle color ( such as golden or blue varieties ) or plant shapes ( such as columnar or crying ) creates a copious , complex background .

patio black furniture

Credit: Peter Krumhardt

Thesmall pondnext to the patio adds ambiance . The sound of run water makes any place finger more reposeful and helpsattract birds to your garden , whose songs impart another layer of pleasant backdrop sound .

BEFORE: Inconvenient Slope

Thisunfortunate cornerreally make by from the good look of an otherwise attractive house . It was a nightmare to attempt to conserve , so these insightful homeowners come up with a large root using a few canny garden makeover ideas .

AFTER: Beautiful Terrace

A patio offers a expert solution forhandling a unmanageable slope . Although it ’s a more expensive solvent , doing the work over several years makes this garden makeover totally achievable . Plus it add up resale economic value to the domicile , so the project is a well worth the supernumerary feat .

The unexampled bulwark and a wrangle of evergreenarborvitaeat the top of the side create a pretty backdrop for a patio andadds secrecy . A stairway at the end of the wall provides safer and easier access to the patio than trying to pass over a muddy hillside . The same stucco was used on the wall and the house , which help oneself tie everything together .

BEFORE: Empty Bed

This Midwestern homeowner inherit a bare garden quad next to her front door when she bought her home . Without much plant in it , it was a bit of an eyesore .

AFTER: Lush Planting

Thisfront - 1000 gardenmakeover is another instance of what a divergence you’re able to make in just a weekend . The first step was incorporatinglots of compostinto the soil to recharge it , then the fun part : the planting !

The purple - toned plant foliage makes dandy accents to the yellow star sign and gives the planting some warmth and ocular depth . Although purple - folio plants are beautiful on their own , they become a powerfulgarden design toolwhen repeated throughout a planting . shot of silver from thedusty millersurrounding a Co - blue container is a perfect mode to create more interest group .

The bed appear attractive all twelvemonth long , thanks to plants with multi - season sake . Dwarf Albertaspruce , decorative grasses , and vary crimson - twigdogwood , for example , even look good in winter . Spring - flower bulbs start off the gardening time of year , and then a mix of easy - maintenance yearly and perennials take over from there .

Corner Garden

Credit:Better Homes & Gardens

Test Garden Tip : Keep your planting low - maintenance with alayer of mulch to stop weedsand conserve wet .

BEFORE: Overgrown Foundation Shrubs

So many homes have overgrown shrubs that mask the theatre and create an unwelcoming environment . tackle these monsters can be a tough line , but it ’s well deserving it to uncover your home ’s hidden beauty .

AFTER: Plentiful Plantings

The toughest part of this garden renovation was getting disembarrass of the big , old evergreen plant . From there , the chiliad became a fresh slating for a mix of stones , boulders , andeasy - care plant .

The landscape painting feel lighter and more open when fill up with the silver - blue foliage of decorative sens and perennials . A raised berm to the left of the front room access contour the landscape and creates interest , and raising plantings up next to the household can also help decrease street haphazardness .

A new yoke ofredbud treesin the front K will eventually acquire up to furnish more privacy , but the tree diagram ' small-scale stature will keep them from drown the house .

Corner Garden

Credit: Marty Baldwin

Test Garden Tip : When you found Tree , keep a sense of scale in intellect . A gargantuan tree next to a one - story house will make the mansion seem smaller .

BEFORE: An Unused Corner

Many mass do n’t think much about the backside of their garage , but this often sparsely - used space can be a great place for a dramaticbutterfly garden , acutting garden , or even a mini terrace .

AFTER: A Pretty Patio

This charmingflagstone patiocreates a perfect retreat for this Midwestern gardener . In this garden before and after , the garage bulwark adds privacy and shade to the patio . Plus , it ’s now the sodding bit to hang outdoor - friendly artwork , which can buffer the wall . More DIY garden makeover ideas you could try are to paint a mural ( if you ’re artistically inclined ) orplant containerswith tall , just plants or vines to help mask the wall .

A mix of annuals , perennials , and bush make a beautiful planting with season - long appeal . As one season terminate , supplant annuals with a Modern harvest to keep your garden looking fresh . For representative , floweringcabbageandpansiesare a colorful reparation for summer - wornpetunias .

BEFORE: Too Hot for Lingering Outside

This house in Southern California had a diminished terrace that baked in the hot afternoon sun and reflected even more heat off the blank - stucco wall . It solicit for a garden renovation to make it more well-to-do .

AFTER: A Cool Outdoor Retreat

This multistep project created batch of living opportunities — and less mop ! Although it was a big garden makeover , it by all odds paid off ; not only did it make the yard more comfortable , but it also added resale economic value to the home . Moving the patio by from the hot walls instantly made the distance cooler andadding a pergolacreated even more specter and privacy .

Plantings around the patio and pergola help weaken it and create visual interest . Choosefragrant plantsfor extra prayer !

install an outside open fireplace gives your outdoor livelihood post even more versatility . It can help take the chill from cool nights , make a cozy ambiance , and give you more outdoor cookery pick , like roasting marshmallows over an open flame .

Landscape black and white backyard

Credit:Better Homes & Gardens

BEFORE: Plain Patio

Many home , especially New ones , are stuck with a unmixed cement - slab patio . If this is your situation , you could garnish it up without spending a peck of meter or money .

AFTER: Patio Perfect for a Family Dinner

This stylishgarden article of furniture makeovertransformed the backside of this typical suburban theatre into a go - to out-of-door animation space . A bold red color theme get the centre and warms up the cold feel of the cement .

Test Garden Tip : judge usingwarm or hopeful colors , especially if you have a grey , beige , or white-hot house .

An outside carpet hide out the cementum and adds a playful splash of color , grain , and toe - tickling softness to the cement . you may find rugs in just about every color , embodiment , style , and size ; many are made from recycled materials , too . Or DIY your own customize rug design by painting an inexpensive , plain one .

patio umbrella

Credit: Andreas Trauttmansdorf

Aseries of container gardensalong the edge of the terrace make a boundary between the lawn and terrace . This makes the patio experience more familiar without have to raise a construction such as apergola , arbour , or trellis .

BEFORE: Unkempt Corner

Make a statement in your landscape painting by filling in a corner . It ’s a great way to make mowing easier and add another pinch of color to your landscape .

AFTER: Beautiful Backdrop

Out went an sometime mulberry tree whose roots were pushing up against this home ’s foundation . This opened the door for a unexampled , lavish planting .

The curved boundary of the bed yield the 90 - degree angle of the box and creates more visual interest . Unless you ’re calculate for a courtly , geometrical garden , sample to accent with curved beds in your landscape design .

A serial publication of easy , colorful plants includingmums , fagot , Astilbe japonica , and purplesmoke bushmakes this border a smasher . It ’s another great example of how foliage color and grain can be just as pretty as flowers . In winter , red - twigdogwood , a dwarf mugopine , junipers , and ornamental smoke add texture — and a place for birds to hang out .

slope with stairs

Credit:Better Homes & Gardens

Putting the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree - manikin smoke bush in a gravid muckle creates a striking focal full stop .

Test Garden Tip : Use containers in bed and borders . They ’re stark for swop out color in an instant or filling any au naturel spots .

BEFORE: Tough-to-Mow Slope

Sloping front yards can be a lot of workplace to keep ; it ’s not sluttish trudge up and down with a mower , nor is endeavor to keep the slope decently fed and watered . If you ’re facing a situation like this , put in some plantingsto dress up your slope and enjoy a beautiful front one thousand .

AFTER: No-Mow Slope

This is a cock-a-hoop garden renovation , but you’re able to do the same thing without feel overwhelmed by making it a multiyear projection . The result is a lower alimony G — no more weekly misstep up and down with the lawn mower — and a lot more knockout .

This front - yard planting is filled with plants that look good in all seasons to create an ever - changing exhibit . Autumn and winter can be tough time of year to implant for , so look forfall - blossom perennialsandsmall shrub and treeswith majuscule twilight leaf to get through cool weather . Also look for small evergreen plant , grasses , and plants with interesting habit — such as corkscrewwillow — for lasting wintertime face .

This planting also take advantage of color to create supererogatory impact . The contrasting regal - and - pea green colour root word take care with child and personalizes the garden . Look for flower and foliation colour that will accent your house colors .

Patio

Credit: Laurie Black

A thicklayer of mulchmakes alimony easy ; itkeeps weeds at bayand reduces the need for watering .

Test Garden Tip : Another great incline solution is to implant densely ; tight plantings help hold the soil so it does n’t wash down the hill .

Just because you live in the suburbs does n’t mean you have to have a cookie - carver yard . This Midwestern home had just a singlecrabappleand a fewspireaswhen the householder moved in .

AFTER: An Eye-Catching Landscape

It did n’t take long to zest up the one thousand . This homeowner add a wider bed around hiscrabappleand meet it withcolorful perennialsthat stay flashy spring to fall .

The free - flowing bed in the front K wait cracking from all angles , which is specially important because this home is on a corner lot . Do n’t forget the way your garden will look from inside your house . It should look just as good ( if not better ) from your window as it does to the eternal sleep of the world .

A smallretaining wallbreaks up the side , giving the yard a small extra oomph . By adding contour line , such as berms , or bump up a slope with a bulwark like this , you add mickle of extra interest .

Front Yard Landscape

Credit:Better Homes & Gardens

pit edge around the bedmatches the paries and dedicate the planting a ruined flavour . Using edging around your beds will also keep the lawn from creeping in , so you wo n’t have to constantly expend prison term pulling the turf out .

Front Yard Landscape