Sod Removal to Rock Beds with Brick Edging and Plants

Here's what we were working with - plain grass running right up against the house on all sides. No definition, no character, and a constant maintenance headache. The homeowner wanted something cleaner, something that would actually complement the house rather than just exist next to it.

We started by stripping out all the sod. You can see the bare ground and the spray-painted layout lines showing exactly where the new beds would go. That planning step matters a lot - getting the curves right before a single brick goes in the ground saves a ton of headaches later. We used a skid steer to pull the sod and prep the ground properly.

From there, we set the brick edging along the bed perimeter, matching the colors to the existing stone accents on the house. That detail makes a real difference. It ties everything together instead of looking like an afterthought. Once the edging was locked in, we laid weed barrier across the entire bed area before bringing in the rock.

The rock beds run the full front and both sides of the house. We mixed in a variety of plants - burgundy leafed shrubs, rounded evergreen shrubs, and some flowering perennials - spaced out to give everything room to fill in. The weed barrier underneath means the homeowner isn't out there pulling weeds every other week. That's the whole point of low-maintenance landscaping. It should actually be low maintenance.

What we ended up with is a finished look that works with the house, not against it. The curved edging flows naturally, the rock color complements the gray siding, and the plants add just enough texture and color to keep it interesting. It's the kind of upgrade that changes how a whole property feels from the street.