Southern Gardening Guide

Spruce up your garden with fresh ideas and simple how-tos

Your Yard Calendar

Follow our calendar guide to turn your common yard into an uncommon delight. Rebecca Bull Reed shares a day-by-day account of this remarkable front-yard transformation.

Photography Joseph De Sciose, William Dickey / Styling Leigh Anne Montgomery

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April 30

Everything is ready. Jason and I pick up trees and shrubs and head to homeowners' to lay them out. Plan is really close, so we change it very little. When homeowners get home, they can start planting.

Like they don't have enough to do, we also ask them to take down their old shutters and make new ones (cost about $150). Assistant home editor Kiki Titterud suggests a moss color for the shutters and a soft red for the door. The difference is HUGE.