Developing the front of our property

Some projects reveal themselves slowly, and then some projects announce themselves with the sudden, physical satisfaction of a good hard day’s work.

Our front yard at GreenHearth Homestead fell into the latter category. Over 48 hours, we put in 20 hours of steady labor to turn an overgrown tangle into a usable, planted front space — and we learned a lot along the way.

What we were up against

The front bed had become a wild patch: willowherb shooting up in thick stands, dandelions everywhere, tall grasses, and a generous patch of comfrey. It looked like a meadow in parts and a monoculture in others. We harvested what we could first — comfrey leaves for mulch and compost activator, dandelion greens for salad, and some young willowherb shoots for experimental herbal uses — before the real work began.

Clearing revealed surprises

Once we started cutting back and pulling up plants, we found that nature had been hiding a man-made underlayer: a bed of gravel covered by old weed barrier fabric. The plant roots had grown into and around the infrastructure, which meant clearing would be more physical than we’d anticipated.

One whole day was devoted to shoveling gravel. We used wheelbarrows and tarps to move it to a new spot where it can be used for future pathways and drainage. After the gravel removal, we cut and pulled up the weed barrier — a satisfying but sweaty job. The fabric had helped suppress weeds for a while, but when plants eventually find a way through, it becomes a mulch trap and a nuisance for planting.

Building raised beds and reimagining the space

With the native plants cleared and the substrate exposed, we built seven raised beds along the front. The beds were placed to define the space and make it productive right away. Raised beds enable us to control soil quality, reduce competition from invasive roots, and achieve a clean, well-maintained appearance that still feels natural.

Around the new beds, we sowed grass seed to reconnect the beds with the lawn and soften the area for the street-facing edge. It’s very hot right now, so establishing the seed won’t be instant — we’re keeping a close eye on it and running sprinklers regularly to maintain surface moisture until germination and root establishment take hold.

Practical takeaways from our 20-hour push

• Harvest what’s useful before clearing. Comfrey, dandelion greens, and many wild plants can be repurposed for food, medicine, mulch, or compost. Salvaging reduces waste and rewards the time spent.

• Expect surprises below the surface. Gravel, old fabric, or buried debris can slow a project and change the tools you need. A day with shovels and wheelbarrows can save time down the line.

• Don’t underestimate the weed barrier. It helps temporarily, but if you’re converting an area to beds or lawn, remove it completely. It interferes with root development and soil biology if left in place. We try to avoid using it as it breaks down and releases microplastics into the soil.

• Reuse what you can. We repurposed the gravel for future hardscape and drainage, which reduces cost and keeps material out of the landfill.

• Watering strategy matters. New grass seed needs consistent surface moisture in hot weather. Short, frequent watering several times a day during the hottest stretch keeps the seedbed moist without washing the seed away. As the sprouts put down roots, transition to deeper, less frequent watering.

  
  

What’s next

We’ll be watching the front bed patiently. The grass should start to show within a couple of weeks, provided the heat doesn’t scorch the surface and our watering routine is maintained. Meanwhile, the raised beds are being prepared for their first plantings to grow some over-winter crops.

This was a project that required sweat, planning, and a few course corrections, but it also gave us a renewed sense of how deliberate choices reshape a place. We cleared space, salvaged value from the wild tangle, and built something more valuable and intentional in its place. We’ll be sharing updates as the grass and plantings settle in — thanks for following along with GreenHearth Homestead. If you’re tackling a similar front-yard transformation and want to know specific tools or measurements we used, ask, and we’ll share the details.