Projects to Get Your Yard Ready for Summer in The Pacific Northwest

It is that time of year! Summer is just around the corner and soon you’ll be itching to spend time outdoors enjoying the warm temperatures in your own backyard. Our yards are something we take great pride in because, let’s face it, our yards make a huge first impression. A neat, tidy yard adds curb appeal to your home and gives you a sense of pride. There are plenty of little extras you can do around the yard to make it even more appealing. You can head to Greenwood Hardware to find everything you need to take your yard from gorgeous to spectacular with these projects.

Garden Fence

Protect your vegetable garden from being trampled on with a pretty fence. You can add a little personality to the typical white picket fence by painting the wood a vibrant shade of blue, green, red or whatever color suits your fancy. The green plants will provide a stark contrast for the bright colors. The fence doesn’t need to be very high. In fact, a small 24-inch high fence will alert animals, kids and guests that your garden area is not to be walked through. This is also a great idea to protect a flower garden as well.

Sprucing up the Front Door

Your front entryway is the second phase of the first impression a guest will get when they visit your home. You can do a couple of things to add life and personality to your front door area.

• Buy and hang new house numbers. Shiny brass numbers in a fancy scroll look beautiful and add elegance to your front door.
• Put a few pots filled with blooming flowers around the entry way. If you have an overhang, install a hanging pot filled with blooms that trail down. You can also buy hanging devices that mount to the side of your house.
• Add a pretty doormat that delivers a nice message, like “home” or “welcome.”
• If you have a mailbox mounted to the house, spruce it up with a new coat of paint or buy a new one that matches the numbers on your house.
• Install lighting leading up to the front door. Solar lights are super easy to install and are available in a variety of styles.
• Update the porch light to create a more modern look.

Raised Garden Beds

Raised beds look so nice and are much easier to control weeds that tend to take over our vegetable gardens. You can make a raised bed with just a few supplies and a little work. Fill your bed with flowers or vegetables.

• 4 pieces of lumber (treated is best) 2x2s or 2x4s are perfect. The length will depend on how big you want the bed. You can make rectangles or squares.
• Nails or screws to hold the sides together
• Potting soil to fill your new raised bed
• Wood stain to treat the wood or paint to add a little extra life to the bed
• Seeds or plants to fill your bed

Paint or stain the wood and let dry before building your box. Secure the lumber together with screws or nails in the desired shape. Place the box on level ground and fill with soil.

Trellis

You can add a beautiful trellis to the side of your home or to a fence to break up the monotony. Plant jasmine or honeysuckle at the base of the trellis and watch it grow and bloom to add gorgeous color to the side of your home. Place the trellis next to a window to take advantage of the natural scent of the blooms when you open your windows in the evening.

You can buy a trellis already completed or choose to make your own with treated 1×2 lumber. For an easy project, you can make a square trellis, resembling a tic-tac-toe board.

• 5 1x2s 6-foot in length
• Screws
• Drill
• Wood stain if desired

Construct the trellis following the grid plan of a tic-tac-toe board. Place 2 of the pieces of wood vertically with about 3 feet of space between.  Lay one of the pieces across the lower portion of the 2 vertical pieces about 12 inches high. Place the next piece 24-inches above the first and the top piece would be 12-inches from the top. Use brackets to mount the trellis to your fence or house.

These are just a few things you can do to add a little something extra to your yard. These are great weekend projects that take very little time. You can find everything you need at Greenwood Hardware. And if you have questions, we are here for you. Come on in, or contact us online. Get started on your next yard project today!