
Yards
Find creative ideas and practical tips for transforming your yard, with guides on landscaping, maintenance, and do-it-yourself (DIY) projects.
What Is It? | Spinning Wire Cylinder with Red Handle
Landscape contractor Roger Cook asks the crew to guess the function of a red pole with a cage-like cylinder
How To Revive a Lawn With a Slice Seeder
This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shows a quick, easy way to seed and resuscitate a sickly-looking lawn.
What You Need to Know to Restore a Patchy, Weedy Lawn
In this guide, This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shows you how to revamp a struggling lawn and keep it looking pristine.
How to Shovel and Salt Snow and Ice
This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shares tips for clearing a concrete walkway after a snowstorm.
Ingenious Upgrades for Your Outdoor Rooms
Use these creative upgrades to elevate your outdoor rooms, porches, patios, and decks for relaxing and entertaining.
How To Install a Solar-Powered Fountain
Follow along as This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shows how to harness the sun's energy to power a backyard water feature.
A Guide to Cutting Down a Tree Safely: Materials and Steps
This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook and chainsaw safety expert Tim Ard show you how to safely cut down a dead tree.
How to Install a Dry Well for a Sump Pump
This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shares a permanent way to collect and disperse sump-pump water
How to Make a Lily Pond
Creating your own lily pond is not as difficult as you might think. Follow along with the This Old House team to see how it's done.
Best Tools to Pick Up Leaves
From power vacuums to leaf blowers, we share different tools you can use to get rid of fallen leaves in your yard.
How to Install a Dry Well and Divert Rain Run-Off
Controlling rain run-off with This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook
How to Troubleshoot and Repair Weak Drip Irrigation
Watch as This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shows how to increase irrigation water pressure for happier, healthy plants.
How To Choose and Use Birdfeeders
In this guide, This Old House's Roger Cook and Naturalist Tia Pinney show you all you need to know about choosing the best bird feeder.
How to Replace an Outdoor Faucet with a Frost-Proof Sillcock
Installing a cold-weather hose faucet with This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey
How to Maintain Small Engine Gas-Powered Yard Tools
This Old House contractor Roger Cook explains the basics of small engines and how to take care of your gas-powered yard equipment
How To Revive a Brown Lawn in 6 Simple to Follow Steps
This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook breathes new life into a dead spring lawn brought on by a harsh winter.
What Is It? | Green Steel Object with Lever and Teeth
Landscape contractor Roger Cook asks the crew to guess the identity of a green steel object with a lever and clamping teeth
How to Build a Cedar Compost Bench
Use clear cedar boards to assemble a comfortable and productive focal point for your yard.
What Is It? | Blue Curved Object
Landscape contractor Roger Cook questions the crew on the use of a blue, curved plastic item
What Is It? | Electrical Device with Plastic Ball, Tube, and Wires
Landscape contractor Roger Cook asks the crew the purpose of an object with electrical wires, a tube, and a plastic ball
How to Use a Chainsaw Safely
This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook and chainsaw expert Tim Ard show you safe and efficient chainsaw cutting techniques
How to Install a Rainwater Collection System
Learn how to capture rainwater for yard and garden irrigation with This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook.
How To Attach a Trellis to a Concrete Wall in Your Home
This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shows how to attach a trellis to a wall and care for climbing vines.
A Guide to Building a Picnic Table in 4 Simple Steps
In this guide, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shows how to construct a strong and sturdy picnic table for your outdoor space.
How To Install an Outdoor Faucet
Learn how to add a new outdoor hose spigot with This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey.
How to Choose and Plant Ground Cover
This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shares tips for selecting, planting and growing low-maintenance ground cover.
How to Build a Rain Barrel
Collecting rainwater is a no-brainer for gardening. It’s the ugly black barrels we could do without. So here’s a plan you can use to build your own rain barrel, one that’s both eco-friendly and aesthetically pleasing. It’s a simple project, thanks to an off-the-shelf diverter kit that connects to a downspout.
Sensational Backyard Sheds
Create a backyard refuge of your own with inspiration from our favorite outbuildings and sheds
18 Treehouses That Are Nicer Than Your House
Living luxuriously among the leaves has never been so accessible
How to Prep Your Lawn for Winter
The end of summer signals the best time to lay the groundwork for a lush field of grass come spring.
Our Best Yard and Garden Transformations Ever
Use our most stunning back- and front-yard makeovers to help inspire your outdoor rooms
How To Build a Cedar Ice Chest
This Old House contributor Christopher Beidel shows you how to build a beautiful cedar ice chest to cool your drinks.