I enjoy being outside in the spring and summer but I'm also a homebody so having a nice backyard that I can hang out with, either alone or with friends, is important to me.

Like many people, I don't have an endless budget to hire people to do all the work for me to create my backyard hangout. I enjoy doing the work myself over time.

Today, I'm sharing part of my backyard that I have worked hard on and the majority of it I have created myself with things that were already here when I moved in or things I've made with thrifted finds.

How to Add Interest to a Boring Backyard

First, let me show you what this backyard looked like when I first moved in.

This was the first thing you saw when you looked out the dining room and kitchen windows. I believe it was for storing wood for the wood stove in the house. The fence was in disrepair and the bottom edge was lined with rocks.

To the left of that, there was a pile of grass clippings, ashes and wood from the wood stove, rocks, and weeds.

And a little bit further to the left, and there was a small, not very healthy apple tree. Along the patio edge, there was some curbing but only weeds were growing in that area.

The first thing I did was clean out the flower beds running along the patio and clean up the patio area.

I used my electric rototiller to till up the area. I have THIS ONE and it's nice because it plugs in and is lightweight and fairly easy to maneuver.

Then I added river rocks. It took about a yard of rock for the entire length of the patio.

I did purchase this rock from a nursery but if you are patient or start looking early, you may find some on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. I even see free landscaping rocks if you load them yourself.

After completing that project, it looked so nice that I was motivated to tackle the other side of the yard.

I planted some arborvitae shrubs along the back to provide some privacy from the neighbor. They are different sizes because I bought what I could afford with one paycheck and then found some at Costco that were larger and cheaper so I got those with my next paycheck.

I decided to take advantage of the mound of grass, fireplace ashes, and rocks to create a mound that I could plant some plants on and add interest.

So I raked and shoveled and pulled out large chunks of burned wood and rocks and huge weeds... and raked and raked some more... and then raked some more...

Once it was free from weeds, I planted some flowers, grasses, and a little bush.

I used the rocks that were either in that pile or other places in the backyard here and there and I bought the plants over time.

TIP: most stores have a discounted section where you can get plants at a fraction of the normal price. Usually, there isn't much wrong with them except they are done blooming or have broken areas. Don't pass those up, it doesn't them long at all to recover.

I found that large piece of metal that is lying in front of the plants in the pile.

To create a little more interest in the mound, I hollowed out the portion where the little daisy-looking topiary is planted and used rocks I found in the pile to create a little wall on one side.

Later, I added weed block and some rock. Ideally, I would have planted the plans after putting down the week block but I was working in stages as time and money allowed.

I used rocks from the yard to make a border.

I liked the curbing that was already installed next to the patio flower bed so I decided to have it installed around the rest of the yard. It is a relatively low cost and offers a big bang for your buck!

I also had the fence replaced. That was a large expense but having replaced a fence at my last house by myself, I remember how exhausting and never-ending that felt and that yard was much smaller than this one. So, I decided to save up and hire someone to get it done here.

Then I added an extension to the mound area.

But then I ran into a problem. When I went to buy more of the rock I used over here, it wasn't the same color!

My solution was to create a dry stream bed to separate the two colors of rocks. I started by building up a ridge with the rocks that used to line the fence.

And adding the weed block and more rocks to create the area where the stream will go.

Finally, I used some river rock to create the stream bed.

I ran the dry stream along the front of the mound where there was a gap between the mound and the new curbing.

This was how the yard looked at this point.

This large bush is between the row of arborvitae and the mound. After some research, I found that it is a Contorted Filbert or Twisted Filbert. The branches grow in a twisted, contorted fashion.

Here is what the one in my yard looked like before I pruned and shaped it.

And after!

If you have one of these, the branches make the most interesting addition to flower arrangements!

I added a Weeping Cherry tree in the corner.

I love adding "art" in the yard. To me, art for the yard can be actual art pieces that you can hang on a wall or fence, gazing balls, garden accents, or interesting objects like the rusty piece of metal I found in the pile that was in the yard (now the mound).

Here I used an old bird bath stand and flipped it upside down to hold a gazing ball. The wheelbarrow was my grandma's and I planted flowers in it. It can move all over the yard wherever I want it!

I made a "Relax" sign from one of the old fence boards and some wooden letters. It's hanging on one of the patio posts.

I made a boardwalk from old pallet pieces. It is directly in front of you as you come out of the dining room door. I made the concrete spheres (I'll share links at the end of this post).

Here is a small water fountain and a terra cotta pot man planter.

This old tree stump was lying in the yard when I bought the house and I found the little concrete deer at a yard sale.

I added solar lighting around the yard. You can see some of them on the fence here.

And I used a solar spot light on the garden totem pole I made (link at the bottom!)

I'm very proud of this accomplishment. I worked on it over a few years' time and now it's a beautiful, private area where I can sit and relax or hang out with friends and family.

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like these:

How to Make Concrete Garden Balls

Landscaping with Boulders and Pallets

6 Ideas to Add Vintage Flair to Outdoor Spaces

How to Make a Terracotta Flower Pot Man

How to Make a Planter Out of an Old Tree Stump

DIY Garden Totem from Repurposed Lamps

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Comments by Blogger

Kim@Snug HarborMay 28, 2015
Thats coming along great and I can't wait to see what you do with the fence. The mound area is super interesting and I like the added height for contrast to the yard.
ANNEMay 28, 2015
Isn't it nice to work in the garden??? My berm is looking really weedy but I am so far away from finishing it!!!!!!!

Your garden is looking beautiful!
NancyMay 28, 2015
It's looking fabulous! A pretty vignette to see when you step out the back door!
UnknownMay 28, 2015
You did a lot of work already! It already looks amazing!! Have you every checked Craigslist for free plants? I have gotten some hostas that way here, and lilly's. Lowe's here also marks down their plants to 50% off when they are older, but you have to keep checking...and lastly see if there are any gardening clubs in your area, you can get great deals on plants that way that they are just dividing up. I love that yellow tree! :) Kimberley
rushMay 29, 2015
There's much to be said about butt-head neighbors...and previous homeowners who couldn't be bothered to put the stuff in the trash! The arborvitae might just do the trick in hiding the fence. They look nice. Have fun with the backyard...you have the whole summer! Enjoy!
Donna WilkesMay 30, 2015
Well, hard work certainly paid off here. I can imagine how it will look when it grows in with the rocks.