Simple tips for landscaping will make your property stand out and can even increase its value. Also, properly placed plants have a direct effect on everything from temperature regulation and sound levels to protecting you from outside influences.
Consider your landscape like rooms in a house; various “rooms” should feature openings to guide people through your space.
- Think about your climate
One of the key factors affecting the health and beauty of your landscape is climate. Rainfall amounts, drainage methods, water collection in your yard and drainage can all have an effect on what types of plants thrive there.
Weather plays an integral role in how often you need to water your landscaping, and the WaterSense Plant Selection Tool can help you select plants suitable for your climate and gardening zone.
As with any space you create in your home, landscaping should reflect both your lifestyle and maintenance style. When considering your design options for landscaping, think of each room in your house like another space – create pathways so you can move easily through it all; perhaps include seating area in front garden for guests, or add eye-catching greenery in entryway for instance.
- Keep it simple
Although flowers and grass are excellent additions to landscaping designs, don’t overlook the value of trees as elements in a garden. Not only can trees add visual interest and shade in the future as they grow, they also boast various foliage characteristics such as branching patterns or textures that add dimension.
In order to reduce yard maintenance, consider creating pathways with gravel or stepping stones, eliminating the need for weekly mowing, or choosing drought-tolerant plants that need little water and minimal care.
Wearing gloves when working with brick can help protect your fingers from being scraped or cut, yet restrict dexterity. Instead, wrap a piece of athletic tape around each fingertips – this will provide better grip while also helping reduce hand fatigue – this tip comes courtesy of landscape designer Matt Lipanovich!
- Don’t be afraid to experiment
Sometimes it takes several attempts before finding exactly the look you desire in your landscape design. If the results don’t meet expectations, try something different to see if that works better; Lipanovich suggests adding texture-rich plants such as fuzzy ones for depth and interest in your garden, as well as adding contrast-making flowers in different hues that give it an overall cohesive appearance.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help
If you are planning a major landscape overhaul, be sure to involve all members of your household in its design. It would be unfortunate if all that time and money were wasted only to discover that spouse or children dislike what you have created!
Hiring a professional landscaper early can also be helpful, not only in designing but also offering maintenance services when necessary. They will have extensive knowledge about your local environment that they can draw upon to assist with this endeavor.
Tip #2 is to choose natural edges when landscaping rather than plastic or other products to reduce costs while creating an organic appearance. This tip is especially important when edging around your lawn which can easily get missed!
Green landscaping involves employing environmentally friendly techniques to design and maintain your yard, which can reduce chemical usage as well as save energy and water resources.
Mulch can reduce watering needs and weed control needs while planting native grasses, flowers, and ground covers that suit your local climate.
Compost and Mulch
Organic mulch (such as compost or grass clippings) is essential to creating eco-friendly landscaping, both by helping retain moisture and blocking weed growth – both of which reduce chemical weed killer use – insulate soil from evaporation while simultaneously adding vital nutrients back into the soil.
Compost can be added directly into soil as an amendment, or spread on the ground and left to decompose as mulch. Other types of organic mulches like leaves, wood shavings and grass clippings may also make for useful layers in your garden beds – although non-organic options such as gravel and rubber mulch might not provide as many advantages to soil structure or nutrition as compost does.
Rain Gardens
Rain gardens are basins constructed in the landscape to collect and hold stormwater runoff from lawns, roofs and driveways. Planted with native trees, shrubs and perennials that thrive under wet conditions while providing wildlife habitat, rain gardens are designed to capture and store rainwater runoff from lawns, roofs and driveways.
Evaporation and infiltration techniques help accelerate soil drying between rainfalls by taking advantage of natural processes of evaporation and infiltration, and are thus instrumental in reducing runoff pollutants that gather in stormdrains and enter local rivers, lakes, and streams.
An effective rain garden can be cost-effective and easy to maintain, especially if designed and constructed correctly. When building one yourself, involve everyone in the family in order to minimize labor costs. Before beginning any digging activity always call Dig Safe 811 first in order to locate underground utility lines before performing soil and infiltration tests to ascertain its drainage capabilities.concrete pavers outdoor
Recycled Concrete
Maintenance of home landscapes costs both money and time, but there are ways to create greener landscaping that reduce costs while lessening environmental impact.best paving
One way is through recycling concrete. Contractors can repurpose this non-biodegradable waste by crushing it up into aggregate, rather than sending it directly to landfills.
RCA can be utilized in various construction and landscaping applications. It can serve as paving materials and serve as base courses beneath roads and driveways. Furthermore, decorative gravels or drainage solutions may be sized down into decorative shapes for decorative uses or drainage solutions.
Recycled concrete can be used to create permeable pavement for walkways and parking lots, which allows rainwater to filter through, thus decreasing storm sewer loads while replenishing groundwater supplies.
Native Plants
