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How to improve my front yard?

Sharath2507

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some ideas to revamp my front yard as it doesn’t look appealing at the moment. I’d love to improve its overall look and street appeal, but I’m not sure where to start.

I’d really appreciate any suggestions, or inspiration for me to get started. If you have any tips on the best order to tackle the project or any step-by-step guidance, that would be great too.

I’ll attach a few photos of the current front yard. Thanks in advance!

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Planting and Growing

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JacobZ

Hi @Sharath2507,

Thank you for reaching out for assistance with your front yard.

A good place to start is by sketching a rough plan of how you would like the front yard to look. Think about the main elements first, such as lawn, garden beds, paths, screening, feature plants and any areas that need to remain clear for access. Make sure you add some basic measurements so you can assess the scale of things and look at what will fit. I'd encourage you to do this then upload your drawing, we can then look at ways to tweak it and offer up ideas.

Check out https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/garden/landscaping/how-to-design-a-landscaping-plan for some guidance on this step and our Top 10 most popular front yard projects for some inspiration. There's also lots of ideas and guidance to be found in the https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/garden/landscaping section of our D.I.Y. advice pages.

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/180505/top-10-most-popular-front-yard-projects

Once you have a general plan, the next step is usually to clear out anything you no longer want and bring the area back to a clean slate. From there, tackle the structural work first, including edging, paths, drainage, soil improvement and irrigation, before moving on to planting, mulch and decorative finishes. It is also worth considering how much sun the yard receives, how water moves through the area and how much ongoing maintenance you are comfortable with.

You do not need to complete everything at once. Breaking the project into stages makes it much easier to manage and gives you a chance to adjust the design as it develops.

I'd encourage you to start with a basic drawing, add some measurements and upload a photo of it. We can then discuss the best way to make it a reality.

Allow me to tag some helpful members to see if they can assist with inspiration or ideas - @Noelle, @Dave-1, @Noyade, @redbournreno, @projectmumdanni.

We look forward to assisting you as the plans progress.

Jacob

Jason

Hi @Sharath2507,

Just thought I'd add to Jacob's reply that I always recommend members check out How to plan a garden makeover by @Adam_W. It emphasises the importance of having a think about your goals for the project first and then coming up with a plan.

You should also get great assistance from How to improve your home's street appeal by @Nailbag if you'd like to think beyond simply landscaping.

We look forward to assisting further as you transform your front yard.

All the best,

Jason

Dave-1

Good Afternoon @Sharath2507

You have a blank slate :) Well almost blank as there are some things still in the garden. I cant zoom in on your pics tho :/ Which make it a little hard to asses whether to keep some of the plants that are established.

Whichever way, @JacobZ's sketch suggestion is how I have started out when I do my yard (Its about to get a revamp as we speak) So Sketching it and marking out the things you will keep (those green shrubs) water tap/meter, edging could all come into it.

I like the edging for the footpath so id keep that, The path to the left looks a little out of the place so that area could be included in the makeover. The edging that goes up the side could then be filled all the way across the front yard.
You will need a path for the bins and to get to that left hand side. A straight path is efficient but the eyes and mind like a bit of a curved path. We also take the easiest path across a yard (something to keep in mind)
Maitenance of what ever you plant. I have liquid ambers, crepe myrtles and bottle brushes in my front yard. I top the liquid ambers every two years and the crepe myrtles get a hard prune every few years (currently they are all being pruned) The bottle brush has become large so thats also getting a hard prune (should be doing that now lol but am being lazy)
Also find the storm water drain in your street gutter and follow a straight line back to wear your first downpipe is. This will probably be the route it takes. Dont plant trees over this path.
I like deciduous trees for their colours and also their cooling of the yard with the seasons. They work extremely well.
Letter box placement, think where your slightly curved path will end up. Plus you should also have a path to the front door.
Think of next to the driveway, do you want that shrub to stay (and it takes awhile for a shrub like that to be established so may be worth while keeping it)

Will have a think about some more ideas. If you can upload a large picture of the yard and the things you want to stay we may be able to come up something more specific. Id better go and prune the last branches of the bottle brush now :)

Dave

Sharath2507

Thanks @JacobZ @Jason @Dave-1 for sharing your thoughts and the links to the articles. After giving it some thought, I've come up with the design below. My goal is to keep it as a low-cost, low-maintenance DIY project.

Quick summary

I'd like to keep the existing edging. I'm wondering if there's an way to make it look bit better (seems to be bit old ?)

I plan to remove the current overgrown plants at the front, then level the ground, as the soil is currently uneven and bumpy in the middle.

Screenshot 2026-07-19 at 10.02.42 am.png

In the centre of the yard, I'm thinking of laying artificial turf with a feature plant to keep it simple while still making it look appealing.
Around the borders, I'd like to add some plants, cover the soil with pebbles, and install a few garden lights for a clean finish.
For the shrubs on the right-hand side, I'm planning to leave them as they are for now. However, I'm also having second thoughts whether removing them and laying stone pavers to create a path to the main entrance. I'm not sure if that's a realistic DIY project or whether there are challenges I should consider, such as drainage, slope etc. I'd really appreciate any thoughts

Screenshot 2026-07-19 at 10.08.33 am.png

I'd also love to hear any other suggestions or things I should consider before finalising the design. I've also got ChatGPT to turn my brain dump into a rough concept image, and this is what it came up with :)

WhatsApp Image 2026-07-19 at 10.14.11.jpeg

Dave-1

Afternoon @Sharath2507

Thats a nice large space to play with. Your idea and the Chat GPT dump looks like it could be a very doable landscape design.

I would forsake the artificial grass (Personal choice as I really dont like the idea of small plastic segments breaking off and ending up in the garden bed. I would switch this out for a deep layer of mulch instead. I do like keeping the hedge next to the driveway as it keeps the yard nicely framed.

The lumpiness of the yard, I wonder if a tree has been removed in the past? or if you will find an old stump partially buried? Maybe have a look at those spots before you level the yard (or slope it nicely)

Drainage dosnt look like it should be a problem.

The stone blocks at the front could be freshened up with a water blast and if still not happy redo the mortar between them? Change up the colour, maybe go for a white?

It will make you place look a lot nicer. Whoops, factor in your tap and any reticulated watering system, drip irrigation would be a bonus :)

Dave

Sharath2507

Thanks @Dave-1 for sharing your thoughts. Appreciate that

I've managed to get rid of the plants at the front over the weekend, and this is what my yard looks like now.

WhatsApp Image 2026-07-20 at 12.53.28.jpeg

WhatsApp Image 2026-07-20 at 12.53.29.jpeg

You were right—I found a few (4) old tree stumps left by the previous owner, which is probably what's causing the uneven ground. I'm thinking of removing all the stumps first and then levelling the area. I've never done anything like this before, so would appreciate if you recommend the tools I'll need and the process I should follow to remove them?

WhatsApp Image 2026-07-20 at 12.53.28 (1).jpeg

WhatsApp Image 2026-07-20 at 12.53.28 (2).jpeg

WhatsApp Image 2026-07-20 at 12.53.28 (5).jpeg

WhatsApp Image 2026-07-20 at 12.53.28 (3).jpeg

I also discovered a few irrigation pipes, so I'm wondering if I should remove them before levelling the ground and then reinstall them later based on my new planting layout. I hope that's the right approach ?

WhatsApp Image 2026-07-20 at 12.53.28 (4).jpeg

WhatsApp Image 2026-07-20 at 12.53.29 (3).jpeg

Dave-1

Good Afternoon @Sharath2507

You have a blank slate :) They re always fun.
Yes I would remove the old irrigation pipes (I would dig them up or pull them up gently just so you dont pull up anything else by chance)

With the stumps, they are a pain to remove. I would get a price from a stump grinder to remove all of them. Clearing away the debris to start with so you can get a quote or to dig them out so you wont be wasting effort. Id strongly suggest to go the route of a stump grinder as it will save your back/muscles and loads of time. (If you know a local Arborist then the stump grinders are usually associated with them.)

You could plan to leave them in the ground and use them for things like birdbaths, plants in pots type deal. You can bury them even or cover them in mulch. It just depends on how much they will impact your design. Money verse what you want :)

That sewer pipe concrete cap must stay tho. When you mulch you could cut the base off a large pot to go over the cap so it can still be found easily enough.

Nice work getting the old plants out :) Cant wait to see it unfold!

And you may have a path already there? Next to the hedge there seems to be a run of stones about teh width of a path?

Dave

MitchellMc

Hi @Sharath2507 ,

You're making some great progress already, and it's good to see you found the cause of the uneven ground. Removing the stumps before levelling the area is definitely the right approach.

For smaller stumps like these, I'd start with a mattock to break up the soil around the roots and expose as much of the root system as possible. From there, use a pruning saw or reciprocating saw with a pruning blade to cut through the larger roots. Once enough roots have been severed, you can usually work the stump loose with a digging bar or lever it out with the mattock. It's a bit of physical work, but certainly achievable as a DIY project. However, as @Dave-1 mentioned, having them professionally ground down would be the easiest option.

As for the irrigation, I'd be inclined to remove and reinstall it once you've finalised your new garden layout. There's little point trying to work around the existing pipework if it's no longer going to suit where your plants will be. Since you're planning new garden beds, it's the perfect opportunity to redesign the irrigation at the same time, and I'd recommend using drip irrigation for the new planting.

One thing I'd suggest while the area is cleared is to take the opportunity to level the ground with the finished landscape in mind. Don't aim for perfectly flat if it means creating areas where water can pond. Instead, maintain a gentle fall away from the house to ensure water continues to drain properly.

Your concept is really starting to come together, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops.

Mitchell