Front Yard Planting, Mulching, and Cleanup in Washington, DC
Share this project:
Scope of Work
Project Overview
The homeowner in Washington, DC wanted their front yard cleaned up and replanted. The beds were overgrown, there was leaf and debris buildup across the upper and lower areas, and an old garden barrier near the sidewalk needed to come out. The goal was a cleaner, freshly planted and mulched front yard that would hold up through the seasons. The plant choices changed once our landscaping team looked at the actual sun exposure on site, which we walk through below.
This front yard work was part of a larger project we completed at this Washington, DC home during the same visit. We also handled the brick staircase repointing and exterior work in Washington, DC, where we repointed the failing mortar joints, cleaned the gutters, and repainted the worn exterior trim.
Before / AFTER
Site Conditions
The Property and Site Conditions
The front yard had overgrown beds, weeds, leaf buildup, and old landscape debris across both the upper and lower bed areas. There was also a small garden barrier near the sidewalk that the homeowner wanted gone.
The lower bed was a sidewalk tree bed running along the street curb, and it had lost all its curb appeal. It was choked with tall weeds and invasive groundcover wound tight around the base of the street tree. A low scalloped black wire border fence was bent and sagging, and the bare soil was dry and littered with street trash, dead twigs, and fallen debris.
The upper bed was a courtyard planting bed set between a red brick retaining wall and a brick-paver walkway. The soil there was thin and eroded, and the layout was uneven and overgrown. A few hostas had survived alongside a large unruly shrub creeping in from the left, but most of the bed was exposed dirt, leaf buildup, and scattered cardboard.
ASSESsMENT
What We Did
Front Yard Cleanup
We started with a full front yard cleanup. That meant pulling all the weeds out by the root, trimming and pruning the bushes and trees under 15 feet, and clearing out all the leaves, debris, and minor trash. Everything we removed got hauled off and recycled, and we re-edged and re-mulched all the beds.
Sidewalk Garden Bed: Planting and Mulching
We cleared out the sidewalk bed completely, removed the small garden barrier, and added in fresh topsoil. The spot was originally planned for hostas, but it gets too much direct sun for them to hold up. So we went with four flats of variegated liriope along the sidewalk instead. It was the better call here since liriope handles full sun well and gives a clean, low, layered look along the walkway.
Then we finished the sidewalk bed with black-dyed mulch, which gives the property a clean, bold look. It contrasts well against the home and holds its color longer than standard mulch, so the finished look lasts. The mulch is clean, with no weed seeds, termites, or debris, so nothing gets introduced to the bed. It also locks in moisture, limits weed growth, and feeds the soil as it breaks down.
Brick Courtyard Garden Bed: Planting and Mulching
We started by cleaning out the courtyard bed, clearing all the dead twigs, leaf litter, and debris that had built up over time. The large shrub on the left had outgrown its space, so we pruned and thinned it heavily to open the bed back up and bring it back into shape. The existing hostas were healthy, so we kept them in place.
The ground had been left uneven and depleted, with sparse, patchy growth around the central tree. To fill it back in, we planted about four flats of black scallop ajuga throughout the bed. The dark foliage and purple flowers add color low to the ground and gave the space a fuller, more finished look against the brick. Then we blanketed the bed in the same fresh black-dyed mulch, which pops against the red brick and ties the whole space together.
Completed Project
Thinking About a Similar Project?
Whether it’s one tired bed or the whole front yard, we’ll walk the property, tell you what will actually thrive in your space, and lay out a clear plan. Fill out the form and we’ll set up a time to take a look.
Free Project Planning
"*" indicates required fields