Ask anybody who does not have their own yard and they'll tell you that having a yard is a privilege. That's true - if you spend the time to properly take care of it, that is. On the other hand, if you have let your yard go to pot, it can quickly become a curse. Let's face it: without the proper upkeep and care, having a eyesore of a yard is much worse than having no yard at all.



If you are ready to get back out there and enjoy your yard again the way it was meant to be enjoyed, here are 5 ideas for yards. These are all inexpensive and fun ways to make your yard more beautiful, more livable, and more enjoyable:

1. Make a walk out of stepping stones:

A great way to spruce things up in your yard is to create a nice-looking walk out of stepping stones. This can actually be a very inexpensive idea to improve your yard because you can create your own stepping stones from scratch. All you need is a mold, some concrete, and something with which to decorate your new stepping stones. Done right, you can get the cost down to around $3.00 per stone.

2. Create your own rose garden:

Recall any classic photos of beautiful gardens you have seen over the years and one thing comes to mind more readily than any other: roses. If you think having a rose garden of your own is too costly, think again. To create your own rose garden, start by picking a spot in your yard that you tend to walk by frequently and that is near a spigot. Outline the rose bed with native rock or landscape timbers, and make sure that you expose your roses to the best possible conditions by buying some garden soil.

3. Make a butterfly garden:

Yes, you can create a patch of garden in your yard that actually attracts enough butterflies to call it a butterfly garden. Hint: different species of butterflies prefer different types of nectar, so try planting in an alternating pattern both wild and cultivated plants. Note that groups of the same plants will easier for butterflies to see than singly planted flowers.

4. Aerate your lawn regularly:

Aerating your lawn is a smart way to keep it looking its best all year 'round. Some master gardeners call aeration your secret weapon for keeping your lawn looking healthy. Benefits to aeration include: allowing your lawn to breathe, helping organic fertilizers and nutrients to get more direct access to your lawn's roots, helping break up thatch (that matted layer just above the soil), and allowing more water to get to your lawn's roots. A fun and inexpensive way to aerate your lawn is with special cleats available from your local lawn and garden center: just walk around and aerate as you go!

5. Build your own garden shed:

Finally, one thing you can do for your yard to give it a cleaner, better-organized look in a very short period of time is through having garden shed. With a shed, you can organize your tools, garden supplies, miscellaneous building materials, and just about anything else currently laying around in your yard. The least expensive way to acquire a new garden shed that also affords you the most design options is to build your own. You can find master carpenter-quality plans right on the Internet, download them, and then build the shed yourself with your existing tools.

Take advantage of these ideas and tips for making your yard a much more organized, beautiful, and fun place to spend time for you, your family, and friends.