One of the nicest things you can do for your home is to landscape it. Whether you would like to create a nice environment to live in, or to increase your property values, your garden is the place to do it. You can add color, brightness and light in big or small ways or you can merely create order by cleaning up what you already have going.
If you are thinking you do not want to create more work for yourself , there are options that are nearly maintenance free. For example rock gardens and using low-maintenance plants like succulents. There are even techniques you can use (without chemicals) to keep weeds at a minimum!
Rock gardens and succulents will also help you to conserve water that would otherwise be 'spent' to maintain a lawn and other thirsty plants, while giving your home a lovely and clean look. As well, planting trees is a good idea to create shade and privacy. They get their water and nutrients directly from the environment. so again, low maintenance.
On the other hand you can use part of your yard space to grow food that is both healthy and low-cost. If necessary just think small - A patch that has the vegetables that you use on a daily basis like lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers. You can always expand the patch if you have room and grow other vegetables and fruits.
If you are a bit of a gourmet, why not grow some herbs like basil, dill and parsley? You can just pop out to the garden and pick enough for each meal - or you can think ahead and dry them out to use later.
You can make your ornamental and/or food garden as simple or as fancy as you like. Just sit down and start brainstorming on what elements you would like to incorporate into your yard or garden. Then just do it!
I love landscaping too and I'm inspired by your pic of the herbs; I'll grow these next!