5 Quick Ways to Create Your Own Private Eden

Learn the art of outdoor staging. Potted plants are an easy way to inject color and personality into a yard or porch. But don’t just go wild with geraniums. There’s a method for curating that “prettiest yard on the block” vibe for your property.

Gardening influencer Evelyn Martin — @thefiddleleaflady on TikTok and Instagram — racked up over a million views sharing the “thriller, filler, spiller” strategy. Simply put, you need a tall “thriller” to grab attention, a fluffy “filler” to hide the soil, and a cascading “spiller” (like lime creeping Jenny) that drapes over the edges.

Edible gardens have been trending upward since the pandemic, and it’s easy to see why. Imagine snipping fresh mint from your backyard for an after-work mojito or harvesting veggies straight from your own garden for a quick sheet-pan dinner. A well-tended raised bed or two are smart choices. And with this type of foodscaping, as it’s sometimes known, blueberry bushes can replace boxwood hedges and edible flowers can spill out of planters so it’s like having your own CSA within easy reach.

Beyond the fun factor, growing your own food promotes self-reliance, a perk that many homeowners find irresistible. Says Chino Hills, California realtor and investor Casey TeVault. “We’re seeing a trend toward families cooking more at home and eating out less, and a backyard vegetable patch really lends itself to that lifestyle.”

“Fresh mulch is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to improve your yard’s appeal,” says Vero Beach, Florida realtor Michael Merrill. “It instantly makes landscaping look clean, finished, and well-maintained.” 

Opt for red mulch, says Jeff Lichtenstein, a Palm Beach County, Florida real-estate broker. “It looks the best and lasts the longest,” he says. Who can argue with that?

Native plants can thrive with minimal upkeep, meaning more time for you to enjoy your yard. “In Arizona, desert-appropriate plants hold up better through the summer, need less water, and work well from a maintenance standpoint,” says Lew Jabro, a real-estate agent in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

In other climates, native plants and wildflower-heavy pollinator gardens can bring butterflies, bees, and birds into a yard, adding a fairytale vibe and sustainable gardening (which can enhance property value for 73% of buyers, according to the PwC) in one swoop.

You knew this one was coming, didn’t you? Just as you heard “Clean up your room” when you were a kid, so too will you hear “Clean up your yard” when maintaining a home. 

If your yard is scruffy looking, it won’t be so relaxing to hang out there. Your mind will be too busy critiquing the areas that need some love. That’s why hiring a good landscaper is one of the smartest ways to boost ROI in your yard. Lichtenstein says, “Not only is the yard the first thing you see every time you pull up to your house, but you also view it from inside of the house.” You want it to be a gorgeous green envelope that makes you smile, whether you’re spending time in it or just seeing it out the window.