Taking Your Yard to The Next Level

Your yard looks great—but something’s missing. It just doesn’t have those next-level landscaping touches that turn good yards into great yards. No need to worry—the Bakersfield landscape supply professionals at Kern Turf Supply are here to give you tips on finishing touches for your outdoor space—all of which are inexpensive and DIY-friendly. With minimal investment, you can have a stunning outdoor space!

Clean up around the edges.

A truly amazing yard is about the details—so if you’re going to take your yard to the next level, you need to keep your edges clean. Installing durable edging will keep your plants and grass from growing into your pathways and driveways, creating smooth, clean lines and a professional landscaping look.

For the eager DIYer, installing plastic or polycarbonate edging is as simple as digging a tiny trench and planting your edging—most UV-resistant edging costs about $25 per 40 or 50 feet of edging. But if you’re in need of a more permanent and professional look, hire a custom concrete edging service. The price will be much more expensive than that of plastic edging, but the results will keep your yard’s edge clean for decades to come with little to no maintenance.

Build some flowerbeds.

Raised flagstone or wood flowerbeds create important barriers between lawn and garden spaces, and are an excellent way to create nutrient-rich soil beds for healthy flowers and plants. Plus, they add a layer of landscape dimension that goes beyond lawns and sidewalks.

Use your flowerbeds for flowers (obviously), turn them into garden spaces for your favorite fruits, vegetables, and herbs, or plant your favorite bushes and shrubs. A flagstone wall that’s 10 feet long and one foot high will cost you about $250-$350, and installation is easy—just flatten out the area where you want your wall, line with gravel, place your flagstone slabs, and backfill with gravel for a sturdy and beautiful look.

Blaze a new path.

There’s no easier DIY job than laying down a gravel or flagstone pathway in your yard, and the result is tremendous—everyone loves meandering down a soft gravel pathway en route to a garden, a seating area, or even better, a hot tub!

First, remove any sod in the way of your path, digging three to four inches below ground level; the deeper you dig, the less likely it is for grass to grow back through your path. You can dig your path straight or curved, but we’d recommend curved (it’s harder to make a perfectly straight path than you think). Once your path is dug, lay down your gravel or flagstone, and use tampers to flatten and even out your path.

This DIY project is easy and fairly inexpensive—you should be able create a pathway for $500-750, depending on the size of your pathway and the amount of material you use. Regardless, it’s a big-impact project with a relatively small price tag.

Plant some trees.

We can’t stress this enough—trees might just be the best possible addition to any outdoor space. Whether you’re looking for shade, privacy, improved curb appeal, or all of the above, trees could be your answer. While trees can be expensive, the value they add to your home and outdoor space is tremendous, especially if you have the patience to watch your trees grow over the years.

Planting a tree is a fairly easily DIY task—just dig a hole and plant the bad boy. But to take things to the next level, your tree needs a tree surround. Use flagstone, cinder blocks, or other durable materials to build a small retaining wall around your tree. This project costs about $25-$50, and keeps the area around the base of your tree clean and easy to mow.

Build a berm.

“Build a berm” basically translates to “build a mound”—but adding gently sloping ground to your outdoor space creates an excellent focal point that showcases some of the best plants your space has to offer, and can dampen traffic and atmospheric noises in your neighborhood.

This is an easy DIY project, but only if you have a friend or two to help you out. Just buy the soil you need to raise your ground level (most berms are about 2 feet high), pour it, and mold it into a sturdy, shapely mound of your liking. Finally, plant some dependable berming plants like flowering bushes, evergreens, and tall grasses, and add in a lot of mulch to keep the weeds away. This project will cost anywhere from $300-$700, depending on what soil and plants you use.

Talk to your landscape supply experts!

If you have any questions, or need guidance on your next DIY landscaping project, talk to the Bakersfield landscape supply team at Kern Turf Supply! Our experienced staffers are happy to help you with any of your landscaping projects, whether you need some expert guidance or the right supplies for the job. Stop by and take your yard to the next level!