How to Add Curb Appeal With Colorful Walkway Plantings
Plant an inviting entry to make your house the envy of the whole neighborhood. A mixture of evergreens and annuals will mean an easy-to-maintain walkway that looks great year-round.
Gary Payne
Tools and Materials
- evergreen bushes (we used winter gem boxwoods)
- annual plants (we used primroses)
- garden soil
- shovel
- rake
- hand trowel
- kneeling pad
- gloves
- mulch
Skill Level: Beginner
Estimated Time: 1 day
Estimated Cost: $500
Lay Out Your Design
Designate the areas for the new garden bed. The areas nearest the ends of the walkway should be the widest. The lines of plants and bushes will draw guests into the house and accentuate the walkway. When choosing your plants, consider the amount of sunlight the walkway gets; one end may get more light than the other.
Plan for Proper Spacing
Gary Payne
Anchor your space with the moderate-growing evergreen bushes like boxwoods. Before you dig any holes, follow the instructions on the plants for the correct spacing and lay out the plants in their appropriate locations. Plants should have enough room to expand roots and mature.
Sprinkle In Flowering Plants
Gary Payne
Place the flowers in alternating groups around the evergreens to add pops of color throughout.
Plant Evergreens
Gary Payne
Gary Payne
Dig the holes for the evergreens, adding a bit of nutrient-rich garden soil at the bottom of each hole and breaking up the root balls before putting the plants in their places. Use the disposable pot as a guide for how deep and wide to dig the hole. A good rule of thumb is to dig the hole roughly 2x the width and the exact depth of the container. Plants should have enough room to expand roots and the crown of the plant should sit right at the top of the soil line.
Add Annuals
Gary Payne
Fill in around the evergreens with additional garden soil and start planting the flowers. The same rules apply for adding a nutrient-rich garden soil in the hole and around the plant.
Provide TLC
Gary Payne
Water the plants to ensure they take root and mulch around them to help deter weed growth.
