- 1. Lawn: Weed and Overseed<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Flower Beds: Choose Native Plants<\/a><\/li>
- 3. Trees and Bushes: Add Color and Texture<\/a><\/li>
- 4. Sidewalk: Cracked Concrete to Bricks<\/a><\/li>
- 5. Edging: Add Defined Borders<\/a><\/li>
- 6. Landscape Lighting: Show Your Work<\/a><\/li>
- 7. Front Patio: Make It Comfortable<\/a><\/li>
- 8. Fight Lawn Pests: Moles and Dead Man\u2019s Fingers<\/a><\/li>
- 9. Gutters and Roof: Clean Gutters, Sweep Roof<\/a><\/li>
- 10. Maintenance: Keep Everything Looking Sharp<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
1. Lawn: Weed and Overseed<\/h2>
![\"landscaped](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0912-1.jpg?wsr\")
Landscaped front yard. Photo Credit: Jeff Herman<\/a> \/ LawnStarter<\/figcaption><\/figure> We inherited a yard that had been neglected. The previous homeowner had spent big on a state-of-the-art kitchen that wowed us, so the front yard is where I started on our <\/strong>upgrades. <\/p>
Here\u2019s what I did: <\/strong>I pulled the weeds, and I overseeded to fill in the bare spots. Gainesville\u2019s sandy soil meant that it took a bit longer for the grass seed to fill in the patches than I had been used to with more solid Midwest soil. <\/p>
See Related:<\/strong>
\u2013 Guide to Weed Control in Your Yard
<\/a>\u2013 Clear Signs You Need to Overseed Your Lawn<\/a><\/p>2. Flower Beds: Choose Native Plants<\/h2>
![\"American](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_2131-1.jpg?wsr\")
American beautyberry. Photo Credit: Jeff Herman<\/a> \/ LawnStarter<\/figcaption><\/figure> The flower beds had been invaded by weeds and grass. The big island of a flower bed in the front yard needed new plants that added color so that it would draw butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other winged wildlife to the yard. <\/p>
The flower beds on either side of the sidewalk also needed the old dead plants, weeds, and grass removed. <\/p>
Here\u2019s what I did:<\/strong> For the big island of a flower bed, I purchased native plants, including a couple of firecracker bushes that were like magnets for pollinators. The flower beds along the sidewalk received new colorful flowers to brighten the walkway and make the sidewalk more inviting for visiting neighbors. <\/p>
With all the flower beds, I installed landscape fabric to deter weeds and then 3 inches of red cedar mulch to set off the flower beds from the green of the grass. Mulching your flower beds is one of many cheap landscaping ideas<\/a> that will improve your front yard.<\/p>
Speaking of native plants, the yard included an American beautyberry, which I had never seen before. Now, years later when I discovered beautyberry here in Dallas, I learned those berries are edible and some people make jams and jellies from them. <\/p>
See Related:<\/strong>
\u2013 Benefits of Native Plants in Landscaping
<\/a>\u2013 Florida Native Plants: Flowers, Trees, and Shrubs<\/a><\/p>3. Trees and Bushes: Add Color and Texture<\/h2>
![\"Backyard](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_2129-1.jpg?wsr\")
Mulched bed in backyard. Photo Credit: Jeff Herman<\/a> \/ LawnStarter<\/figcaption><\/figure> The front yard was pretty flat from side to side and from the culvert to the front of the patio. <\/p>
Here\u2019s what I did: <\/strong>We added color and texture by planting two tall trees in the center of the island flower bed and azaleas along the property line with one of our neighbors. Now the flower bed would have added color from the tree\u2019s leaves and a focal point to stand tall above the native plants.<\/p>
We added plants to the side yard, too, to add color and texture, as you can see in the photo above. That green really pops with the red cedar mulch, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>
See Related:<\/strong>
\u2013 Ways to Landscape Around Trees
<\/a>\u2013 Flowering Trees to Transform Your Yard<\/a><\/p>4. Sidewalk: Cracked Concrete to Bricks<\/h2>
![\"Brick](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_1305-1.jpg?wsr\")
Brick path walkway. Photo Credit: Jeff Herman<\/a> \/ LawnStarter<\/figcaption><\/figure> The front yard neglect extended to the sidewalk from the driveway to the front of the house. <\/p>
Here\u2019s what I did:<\/strong> We replaced it with a brick sidewalk. Laying the bricks in the pattern took time and care, but it looked so much better. And just seeing the finished brick sidewalk \u2013 knowing we had done that ourselves \u2013 with the help of a friend visiting from Canada \u2013 gave us such a sense of pride. <\/p>
See Related:<\/strong>
\u2013 Walkway Ideas for Your Yard and Garden<\/a><\/p>5. Edging: Add Defined Borders<\/h2>
![\"nicely](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_1734-1.jpg?wsr\")
Mulched garden bed. Photo Credit: Jeff Herman<\/a> \/ LawnStarter<\/figcaption><\/figure> As mentioned before, the grass was creeping into the big flower bed in the center of the yard and the flower beds along the now brick sidewalk. <\/p>
Here\u2019s what I did: <\/strong>We ordered more bricks to edge the flower beds to keep out the grass and help those flower beds to stand out even more from the lawn.<\/p>
See Related:<\/strong>
\u2013 Garden Edging 101: Ideas and Tips for Installation<\/a><\/p>6. Landscape Lighting: Show Your Work<\/h2>
That central flower bed, the flower beds along the sidewalk, and even the palm trees in front of the house disappeared at night \u2013 until we added landscape lighting. <\/p>
Here\u2019s what I did:<\/strong> We didn\u2019t go the expensive route, but two uplights from the main flower bed highlighted the tree and the palm trees near the front door. Solar lights in the sidewalk flower beds lit the way from the driveway to the front door.<\/p>
See Related:<\/strong>
\u2013 Outdoor Landscape Lighting Ideas for Your Yard<\/a><\/p>7. Front Patio: Make It Comfortable<\/h2>
If you have a beautiful yard with butterflies visiting, you want to enjoy it. <\/p>
Here\u2019s what I did:<\/strong> We bought a cafe table and two chairs for the patio so we could watch the pollinators while sipping coffee in the morning. A couple of hanging plants helped add some greenery to the patio area in front of the house.<\/p>
8. Fight Lawn Pests: Moles and Dead Man\u2019s Fingers<\/h2>
![\"Dead](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1024px-Xylaria_polymorpha_-_Croatia.jpg?wsr\")
Dead man\u2019s fingers fungi. Photo Credit: Woluhar<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Yes, we liked our great-looking yard, but so did moles. The sandy soil made it easy to see their travels. When we had sent them packing, an armadillo liked to visit for a while. But the strangest lawn pest \u2013 actually more in the garden area near the palm trees out front \u2013 was dead man\u2019s fingers. This mushroom-like fungal growth looks like it sounds, and it smells as bad as you can imagine. <\/p>
Here\u2019s what I did:<\/strong> Digging up the dead man\u2019s fingers to get rid of this yard pest required me to pinch my nose.<\/p>
See Related:<\/strong>
\u2013 How to Get Rid of Moles in Your Yard<\/a><\/p>9. Gutters and Roof: Clean Gutters, Sweep Roof<\/h2>
Part of any front yard makeover includes removing leaves when they pile up, as the neighbors on both sides had tall trees. That also means cleaning out gutters and sweeping your roof of branches and any other debris. <\/p>
Why worry about gutters? A front yard makeover isn\u2019t complete if you have sagging or overflowing gutters when it rains. First impressions count when you\u2019re selling your home, and that includes the gutters and roof.<\/p>
Here\u2019s what I did:<\/strong> I climbed a ladder with gloves and a bucket and cleaned out the gutters, and I used a broom to sweep the branches from the neighbors\u2019 trees off the roof.<\/p>
10. Maintenance: Keep Everything Looking Sharp<\/h2>
![\"landscaped](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_1726-1.jpg?wsr\")
Backyard with mulched bed. Photo Credit: Jeff Herman<\/a> \/ LawnStarter<\/figcaption><\/figure> Mowing the lawn \u2013 front yard, backyard, and side yard \u2013 and weeding those flower beds was my therapy. It\u2019s tiring, sweaty work, but nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment of seeing your yard mowed, the flower beds weeded, and everything looking perfect. <\/p>
Here\u2019s what I did: <\/strong>I bought a lawn mower and set my weekend schedule to allow for an hour and a half to mow the front yard, side yard, and backyard. I allotted another hour for pulling weeds and general cleanup. Blocking out the time, setting up a routine, ensures your yard will look great from week to week and season to season. <\/p>
One tip: <\/strong>If you go the DIY route, don\u2019t buy the cheapest lawn mower. I did that and it lasted 3 mows before it died. If you\u2019re spending so much on a front yard makeover, don\u2019t skimp on the mower that will keep everything looking sharp. <\/p>
Create Your Own Front Yard Makeover<\/h2>
Remember, everything I did, you can do too. Instead of butterfly bushes in Gainesville, the front yard of my house in St. Louis had lots of hostas. Choose native and other low-maintenance plants that will create a beautiful front yard wherever you live. <\/p>
Quality lawn care makes all the difference. It boosts your home\u2019s curb appeal. And a great-looking lawn can increase your home\u2019s sale price<\/a> by as much as 20%. <\/p>
Bottom line: <\/strong>Whether you DIY your yard care or hire one of LawnStarter\u2019s local lawn mowing pros<\/a>, make your front yard inviting for visitors and someplace where you enjoy spending time watching pollinators or talking with your neighbors. <\/p>
- 2. Flower Beds: Choose Native Plants<\/a><\/li>