It’s become an annual tradition that every year I’ll update the backyard, drastically. I’ve already updated the patio area with new lawn chairs and a doghouse. So now it’s time for my least favorite part, yard work.

These flowerbeds were put in place by the previous owners and they were actually done properly, with the proper weed preventative tarps and everything ! So the major grunt work was done and all I really had to do was decorate !

I started off by closing off the perimeter with stones. I didn’t go crazy, I just used these $3 landscaping wall stones and they worked perfectly! The white outline really made these flowerbeds pop!

Next it was time to replace the black rubber pellets, or in this case cover them up. Last year I covered the flowerbeds in black rubber pellets because they would last ‘forever’ and wouldn’t need to be replaced every year like mulch. And now I’m covering them up because I’m over the black and I want to replace it with white marble rocks to really brighten up the space. This was so much cheaper than I thought it would be! I was able to buy bags of marble rocks at Lowe’s and Home Depot for just $5 a bag. I was able to cover this are with 5 bags.

Now, it’s time to add the plants … or fake plants in this case. Last year I tried putting live ferns in these pots and they did okay, they didn’t thrive, but they ended up dying in the winter freeze that hit Texas. So I knew I had to stick to what I’m comfortable with, fake plants!

The trick to buying fake plants is their durability to stay outside. Most of the expensive fake plants you find at Pottery Barn, West Elm, and World Market, are made to stay indoors and can’t stand up against the harsh Texas wind and sun. So finding ones that can stay outside is hard. Luckily, that’s where I come in because I’ve bought a bunch and they have all been outside for over a year! So they have stood the test of time!

Before, all my pottery was white, but these needed to be updated so they will ‘pop’ against the white rocks. Last week, I got an idea to paint terracotta planters with intricate blue and white designs…. then it rained all weekend and I found these awesome plastic planters at Lowe’s for just $8 each!