Easy to Do Projects that Add Charm and Appeal to Outdoor Living Spaces

The outdoor living season means spending more time in your yard and garden and on your deck or patio. Here are some simple, low-cost projects that will complement your surroundings and boost your home's curb appeal.

Mulching is an inexpensive way to breathe new life into your flower beds, gardens, shrubs and trees, Although mulch slows down the growth of weeds, mulch alone will not stop weed growth. Here's an inexpensive trick: put down newsaper before applying the mulch. Yep that's right, the newspaper creates a weed barrier during the growing season and will eventually decompose into the soil. How to Apply Mulch and The Benefits of Mulching
 

Low-voltage outdoor lighting enhances the nighttime ambiance of your home like almost nothing else can. Low-voltage lighting is absolutely a DIY project that's safe, even for beginners. It can be used to illuminate paths, steps and dark zones and adds dramatic illumination to trees, shrubs and landscape features. Here are two how-to videos that should give you some ideas of your own. How to Install Low-Voltage Outdoor Lighting or How to Install Low-Voltage Decorative Outdoor Lighting

An inexpensive way to beautify the appearance of concret patios and walkways is to stain them. Concrete stains come in three versions:  translucent, penetrating and etching. They produce a variety of effects from warm, multi-layered looks to surfaces resembling exotic marble.  Some versions excel at covering blemishes and defects while others actually react with the concrete producing rich tones and unique shading. Concrete Stains Can Make Plain Floors Look Like Colored Stone or Marble. 

Inviting songbirds onto your property promises intriguing sights and uplifting sounds. Birds also perform an important ecological service in reducing insect populations and dispersing the seeds of plants and trees. A simple bit of encouragement from you can increase the number and species of songbirds that dwell in your garden year round or that return each season after migration. How to Attrach Songbirds to Your Yard