If your tired old yard is making you feel bored and depressed, it’s time to liven things up a bit.

1. Try These Five Tips for Making
Your Yard Beautiful

2. If your tired old yard is making you feel bored and depressed, it’s
time to liven things up a bit. There are many amazing ideas in
the world of landscaping, and a huge array of materials available,
so now is the time to be creative in your yard. Try one of these
five tips to get you started.
Consider replacing your grass lawn. If lack of irrigation water is a
concern for your area, do your part to conserve by replacing your
lawn with pebbles or sand. Choose two or three different sizes
and colors of pebbles, and create an artful display in your front
yard. Use sand to fill in small areas and add visual interest. If you
find that you miss mowing your lawn, you can take a rake to your
rocks and do some large-scale Zen therapy.
If your yard is multi-leveled, build a retaining wall from natural
stone.

3. Rock walls have a history that spans the ages, and they add
beauty and interest to your yard by creating a visual break that
divides two areas. Walls can vary in size, but are commonly 18 to
36 inches tall and 18 to 24 inches wide.
Get in touch with your inner caveman by adding a fire pit.
Humans may have changed a bit over the eons, but people
everywhere still love sitting around an outdoor fire, cooking and
telling stories. Thanks to the Internet, you can check out
hundreds of ideas for creating a fire pit that will help you tune in
to the universe.
Everyone loves the sight and sound of moving water. If you’ve
always wanted a water feature in your yard,

4. now is the time to make your dream come true. Create a small
fish pond with a gurgling fountain in the middle, a miniature
brook that babbles over real stone, or a funky, new-age rusted-
metal shower fountain. Be sure to use a pump system that reuses
the water, so that waste and conservation won’t become an issue.
Don’t forget food and fragrance when beautifying your yard.
Tuck drought-tolerant herbs and flowers such as rosemary and
nasturtiums into small beds around your porch and patio. Grow
mixed salad greens in containers near the kitchen door, and
hang flower baskets by the front entry. These small spots of color
and greenery will liven up your yard considerably.

5. There are many ways to add beauty to your yard. For more ideas,
browse the Internet and create a bulletin board of your favorites.
Available materials may vary by area, so visit this website to learn
more about landscaping materials in Santa Cruz.