I just moved into a rental house and the flower beds are pretty bad. I need a cheap solution which preferably does not involved plants or flowers, as I don’t want to have to maintain them, to make the front of my house presentable. Any ideas?
-Mike

The easiest way to make your flower beds look nice and neat, without even needing plants, is with mulch. First pull out any weeds, grass, or brush. Then put down some landscape fabric or plastic, to keep weeds from sprouting. Finally, put down a thick layer of the mulch of your choice. You’ll be amazed how it makes an area look “tended.”

For a little color with minimal maintenance, you might want to tuck a few containers into the area, planted with either flowering annuals or small shrubs. But Mike, don’t overestimate the amount of maintenance needed for some plants. Rather than the fabric and mulch, you can toss out a packet of zinnia, cosmos, or other seeds in the spring for a lush, colorful summer garden that needs nothing more than a little water.