When we get excited about a home project, we tend to jump all in and get started right away. Sometimes that’s a great thing while other times it creates a lot of additional work to get a single project done. A few weeks ago we said we would stop focusing on our landscaping and focus more on interior projects. That all changed when my mom wanted to gift me plants for my birthday. I was so excited about this present that will keep giving year after year. The problem? We had zero plans of creating new flower beds therefore didn’t know where we would want one. That was until we thought about adding a little side yard landscaping where it was an eye sore.
I’ve always wanted to design a side yard garden bed because of how cute they can be. This space wasn’t high on our landscaping priority list but with the flowers being gifted I knew this was the space I wanted to focus on. And you guessed it, we jumped all in. It was also very exciting to know we were about to get rid of weeds, overgrown jasmine, an old satellite, and clean up the area in general. Here’s a before and after look of our side yard and you’ll probably agree it desperately needed our attention.
It went from creating a flower bed to adding a pathway from the garage to the water hose and side yard, rocks to help with drainage, and future plans to disguise the AC unit. I told you, when we start a project, we don’t play around! Between several early mornings before it got too hot (thankfully this area is shaded during the first half of the day) and working during nap times and late evenings, it took about 3 days to complete this side yard project.
So what exactly did we do for our side yard landscaping? We placed river jacks to create the path from the garage to the yard and along the side of the house. This is our favorite rock to use within our landscaping with the various colors among the rocks. By also adding a few stepping stones, it makes it easier to reach the hose and gives the space even more purpose.
The flower bed was placed in front of the gravel pathway with black edging separating the mulch and rocks. This will help keep the two different materials separated and avoid a mess! We also took this as the perfect opportunity to create a butterfly garden. I headed to the local nursery with my Mom and we picked out bulbine and blue my mind for the garden. Both are perennials, attract butterflies, and give a great pop of color against the cream color of our home. Lastly, we placed edging along the front of the garden bed and a row of fresh sod to really give this space a fresh start.
Of course with projects like this we always wonder why we didn’t do this sooner. I was so excited about the results, that I hopped in my car and drove down the street to see what our freshly planted side yard landscaping looked like driving by. We’re loving every second of enjoying our new landscaping and the butterflies are already joining in on the fun! I also can’t tell you how many times Oliver runs up and down the stepping stones on a daily basis.
If you’re wanting to add side yard landscaping to your home, feel free to pin the image below so you can easily find exactly what you need to create this look. I hope this inspires you to turn a house into a home, not only with your interior, but with your landscaping as well.
River Jack Rocks || Brown Mulch || Stepping Stones || Brown Edging || Black Edging||
Bulbine Flowers || Blue My Mind Flowers
Let’s keep in touch!
We have a brand new community over on Facebook, House & Home, where we’ll be chatting, sharing, and helping one another when it comes to home decor and projects. Come join us! Check it out here.
Like on Facebook || Follow on Instagram || Follow on Pinterest
