When you landscape, you need to understand the different species of plants to ensure that things are grown in the appropriate soil and at the appropriate times. You must also remember your seasons when landscaping as well. It is imperative that you think about these things before planting so that your landscape is successful.
Are your neighbors atwitter about your landscaping? Maybe your yard stands out for all the wrong reasons? Look through this article and learn how to change your yard once and for all, don’t be the laughing stock of the neighborhood any longer. Keeping reading for some tips that will help you turn around the situation with your yard.
Save on materials by buying them at the right times. Wait until the winter months to buy your lumber, and buy trees, shrubs or mulch late in the season if you can. When a store gets new plants, wait about three years for their price to go down before buying them.
When you landscape, it is wise to utilize native plants. Be sure to use shrubs, trees, and flowers native to your region when landscaping. These varieties will thrive in your soil and temperature conditions, resulting in the need for less work from you to keep them beautiful.
When mowing your lawn, leave some grass clippings where they fall. This will give your lawn vital nutrients it will need when the grass begins to decompose and you won’t need to apply as much fertilizer.
If you include an outdoor kitchen in your backyard design, consider using granite for counters and other surfaces. There are many cheaper materials available, but they can be damaged by water, temperature fluctuations or having hot items placed upon them.
Try to do landscaping that will continue to look great throughout the entire year. Use plants that are showy at different times of year, such as spring bulbs, summer flowers, and trees with fall and winter color. The key to a year-round landscape is to research plants.
Choose quality over price. It is easy to find products in many home improvement stores that are reduced cost but low quality. A specialty store will offer you quality products and helpful advice from qualified professionals. This is worth the extra expense, because the products you purchase will be of a higher quality and you will receive proper advice.
Consider using mulch with your flowerbeds. Mulch provides a protective layer that retains moisture and can provide nutrients. A key function of mulch is its ability to distribute water to plants as needed.
Time your purchases in such a way that you save money. Purchase your lumber during the winter, and purchase mulch, shrubs and trees in the late part of the planting season, if possible. When new plants are introduced to the market, wait a year or two for their prices to fall before purchasing them.
Keep in mind the possible impact that some landscaping could have on certain areas of your property. Certain trees’ root systems can damage your underground pipes. In addition, putting plants in some areas can affect the line of site for traffic or your driveway, creating a safety hazard. Think about this stuff carefully before beginning to landscape.
Before heading to your local garden store for plants and materials, take down exact measurements for your entire work area. This will allow you to know exactly how much of any item you need. This way, you don’t overbuy or run out of anything.
Don’t forget to consider your climate when choosing plants for landscaping. Some plants require a frost to get them started, and if your weather does not cooperate, they may not sprout. You also have to think about wind, sunlight, and precipitation such as rain or snow before you decide on plants.
Yard Looking
Learn as much as possible about various landscaping design techniques. For example, use a certain species of plant throughout your landscape to develop continuity. Use plants in various shades of color, textures and shapes for visual impact. There are plenty of landscaping-themed books and websites that describe these techniques.
When choosing plants, select options which look good in every season. You should have lots of plants that will bloom in the summer and spring and then some trees that will have your yard looking green in the winter. Keeping your yard looking good all year is achieved by carefully choosing the right plants.
Choose a quality fertilizer for use in your yard. Using only one fertilizer for your whole yard is better since it reduces the risk of a harmful chemical reaction happening between two different products. Go to a user review site and see what others are saying about each popular fertilizer option. You should fertilize your whole yard before getting started with your project.
Instead of sticking with the traditional straight edging, add some curved borders to your landscape. These rounded borders are more visually appealing than straight ones. When your property is viewed from the street, the curved lines of the borders in your landscaping will help to soften the straight lines of the hardscape elements, like your house and driveway.
Many times incorporating multi-level elements into your landscape design will add dimension. You can add beauty and elegance to your yard with fountains, birdbaths and benches. Though a backhoe can be beneficial for heavy digging, it is not necessary in every yard. Gentle slopes can be accomplished with some heavy duty shovels and little bit of elbow grease.
Prior to hiring a landscape designer, always ask for up to date references. Price is a very important consideration; however, you must also look of the work of the landscaper you are considering to make a final decision. Ask for photos, or even better, addresses of the jobs the landscaper has completed.
Prior to landscaping your yard, be sure you know where your property ends and where your neighbor’s begins. This is key if you don’t have a fence as a border between properties. The last thing you want is to be sued by your neighbors for planting trees and shrubs on their land. Visit the county courthouse or view a plat book to determine your property lines.
Remember, your landscape project does not have to be completed all at once. There’s nothing wrong in breaking your project into steps and seasons. Doing so is much easier to handle financially. Make a list of the different stages in your landscaping plan and that way you can prioritize which ones you want to take care of first.
A landscape designer might be helpful to you. But, prior to hiring one of these professionals, ask to look at some of their previous work, how much they charge, and when the work will be completed. Make sure that you get customer references before hiring a designer. These references should be of both the professional and personal varieties. The number one thing you want to check up on when contacting these references is if work was actually completed on a timely manner.
Native Plants
When you think about how to renovate your home, look at a blueprint or sketch first. Look at a good map of your property to see how much room you have and where you can put things.
To create a landscaping design that is visually appealing and easy to take care of, be sure to use native plants. Native plants are adapted to your climate and are much easier grow. Native plants will need far less additional water, which results in cost savings for you.
Landscaping is not just the domain of professionals! You can transform your yard and make it look wonderful, so long as you put in the time and effort to learn how to do it properly. Soon your yard will be the envy of all of your neighbors and you’ll be the resident landscaping expert on your street. This is what you should strive for!