By Sarah Gleim

Picture this: You're driving through the neighborhood admiring the beautifully manicured lawns when suddenly, your scenic drive is jarred by an overgrown, unkempt front yard. You immediately cringe in disgust-but not just at the sight of the yard. You're most appalled knowing that this eyesore is your yard.

Plants add color and definition to this bed.

So, what's a busy homeowner like you supposed to do? Simple. Follow these seven steps and in just one weekend, you'll be sitting pretty in a yard you can be proud to call your own.

Step 1: Mow the Lawn Regularly
Mowing may seem like a routine chore, but cutting your grass properly can help you avoid many lawn problems. First, it's important to know what height is ideal for your grass variety. As a rule, don't cut off more than a third of the blade at one time. If the lawn is especially overgrown, cut off just the top third of the grass, wait a few days and cut it again. Most importantly, make sure your mower blade is extremely sharp. A dull blade will simply tear the grass rather than cut it.

Step 2: Edge the Sidewalks and Driveway
Keeping the grass neatly edged can dramatically improve your yard's appearance-and it's easy to do. After you cut the grass, use a gas-powered or electric edger to cut away any grass growing over the driveway, walkway and curb. If you don't have an edger, a string trimmer turned on its side will do the job.

Step 3: Trim Overgrown Bushes and Hedges
Clipping back unwanted growth on your bushes improves their appearance, and (in some instances) help promote their health. Removing diseased, pest-ridden or damage branches can encourage new growth, and making sure bushes and hedges are properly pruned will also ensure they receive proper sunlight. If you're not sure how or when to trim back certain shrubs and bushes, call your local nursery or county extension for professional advice.

With only a few shrubs between the trees, this bed doesn't draw the eye.

Step 4: Clean Up and Prepare Flowerbeds
Before planting new flowers and shrubs, it's important to clean out the beds. Using a sturdy rake or shovel, remove any dead leaves, old and rotting mulch, sticks, pine cones or any other dead growth, and either bag it or add it to your compost pile. Next, pull or dig up any visible grasses or weeds and remove as much of their roots as possible. Keep in mind that many will reappear, so pull them as soon as they return. Finally, turn the soil with a shovel and give it a good soaking to loosen it for planting. To give the bed extra definition and a sharp edge, dig out a small border around it with a flat shovel.

Step 5: Start Planting
Once you've purchased your plants, place them around the flowerbed in their containers to create a design you like-then start planting. First, dig the holes about twice as wide, but no deeper than the plant's root ball, and make sure the soil is loose. Next, add a small amount of compost or fertilizer to the soil and thoroughly mix it in. Then, knock the plant out of the pot by turning it upside down and slightly tapping on the bottom. If you notice the roots of the plant are thick, matted or growing around the pot, loosen them carefully before planting it. Finally, set the plant in the hole so the top is even with the soil's surface, and fill the hole with soil.

Step 6: Mulch Flowerbeds
There are several benefits to using mulch: it helps control weeds, keeps soil moist, keeps ground temperature cool in summer and warm in winter, and it makes your plantings more attractive. There are several varieties of mulch available, so choose the one that will work well in your lawn.

Step 7: Water, Water, Water
To make sure your hard work isn't in vain, give your new plants a good soaking after you lay down your mulch, and water them regularly. Exactly how much you need to water depends on the type of plants, type of soil and your region's weather. However, a good rule of thumb is to water deep enough to nourish the roots. Soaker hoses and drip-irrigation systems are good tools for watering deeply. But an easy way to ensure your plants are getting enough water is to put a tuna fish can among the plants and water until the can fills up completely.