Many people seem to design the exterior of their homes as if they are expecting a TV camera crew to come by at any minute and feature them on a reality show...
or as if they want the cameras of the HGTV network to do a feature on them.
They have the money to spend to make their lawns and gardens as ornate as possible, and they do so.
There's certainly nothing wrong with that.
If you have a beautiful home you want to have it in a beautiful setting as well.
But there's no reason why people with small budgets cannot have a beautiful setting for their home as well.
With a proper design, even the sparsest of additions to your front or back lawns can make your home stand out as an attractive addition to the neighborhood.
The easiest way of making your home look nice is simply to keep the lawns mowed.
Once the grass grows above 3 or 4 inches it begins to look unkempt, and is unattractive to the eye.
There are many lawnmowers on the market, from power mowers that can be pushed almost with a finger, to electrical mowers that are nice and quiet.
There are even remote control mowers - although for right now their cost is such that it is only the big homes that can afford to have them.
Are there spots in your lawn where the grass has died? Dig those spots up and plant a tree - always making sure that the tree is the proper kind for your lawn.
Evergreens are usually the best kind of tree to plant, as they won't shed leaves all over your yard and increase your workload in summer.
Flowerbeds require weeding, so if you don't have a lot of time to spend on your yard you might not want to add these colorful and attractive plants.
But there's no reason why you can't add a bed of white rock all the way around the house to set it off from the lawn.
A slow-growing shrub or two flanking the main door always looks nice, as well.
There are so many kinds of flowers - from perennials to annuals - that you are bound to find something you like and that will not take a lot of maintenance effort.
If you buy perennials you will save money in the long run, as they'll bloom every year.
Rather than plant flowers in flower beds, keep them in pots that you can move around the house from spot to spot as the spirit moves you.
A few bird houses and bird feeders also can improve the appearance of your yard, if not to your neighbors than at least to you! Place them outside your kitchen window, put in the appropriate food to attract the kind of birds you'd like to see, and then let nature take its course.
With these simple additions, you can add to the beauty of your home.