Need Landscaping Advice? These Tips Can Help!

Posted on August 7, 2012 in landscaping

TIP! Create a design that will be pleasant, as well as functional. For example, it is important to leave enough room for walkways and other things.

In order to increase the resale value of your home or simply boost its attractiveness quotient, good landscaping may be all you need. You may feel like this is a project you can handle, or you may hire a professional. Either way, use the information here to get a handle on your wants and needs.

TIP! Ground-cover plants are a great way to fill up your landscape and make it a little more attractive. You can cut down on lawn mowing by using plants such as juniper, ivy and creeping plants.

Learn how to use the available spaces of your home with your landscape design and keep a few things in mind. You can solve problems with your landscaping choices, like reducing noise from a road thanks to shrubbery. If you have children, make a fun area for them to play in. If you like to entertain, include a patio or outdoor kitchen, or even a pizza oven!

TIP! Apply a few basic design elements to your landscaping design plan. Carefully located anchor plants provide a focal point and add continuity in design.

A solid plan created before you begin can save you money. Figure out exactly what items you require by making a landscaping sketch. It may be fun to buy things on a whim, but that can really make you run out of money quick.

TIP! Evergreens and foliage plants will lend an air of continuity and consistency to your landscaping. Choosing plants that only bloom in the spring or summer will leave your yard looking dead in fall and winter.

When you plant seeds to kick-start your landscaping, plant the largest area that you can at once. Doing so, will save you a lot of time and effort in the long run.

TIP! Designing a garden that will look beautiful in all seasons will ensure that your hard work is enjoyed year round. You should mix in plants which bloom or have color in all seasons, so that you can enjoy the garden year-round.

Stop thinking that you should try and spend less on every item. While you can find fairly inexpensive supplies to do your project, the quality is probably not going to be what you are looking for. Specialty stores might be able to offer you useful advice if you are a novice.

TIP! Ponds and fountains are great additions to your landscape design. Water features attract more wildlife and add flair to any garden.

When planning on making some changes to your landscape, you need to pay attention to existing structures before breaking ground. Always know the location of utility lines, buried cables and similar things so that your plants won’t interfere with them. Notify the county or city you live in before digging so you can be sure not to destroy underground lines.

TIP! Always go for quality over cheap products. In many home improvement stores you will normally find low-quality products.

Using plants to create a privacy screen that is natural for your yard is a good idea. Bamboo, evergreens, ornamental grass and other plants that grow tall can crate nice-looking barriers for yard privacy. These screens can also hide a neighbor’s eyesores or keep pets or children from leaving your yard.

TIP! Consult with a landscaper before embarking on a large project so you can learn from their expertise. An experienced landscape professional can give advice to help you save time and money over the long run.

Consider everything from climate to water demands when you are planning a new landscaping project. There are water restrictions in place in the summer in many locations, meaning that plants which need lots of water won’t get it and therefore won’t thrive, so choose native plants which need little to no watering instead.

TIP! Remember that a landscape plan should address the paths and walks that cut through the growing environment. Do not use concrete sidewalks in your yard because they are ugly.

Focus on accomplishing your landscaping projects in phases. If you plan on doing your whole yard, you might want to break up your yard and work on it section by section. This can make it more affordable. You can just do one section at a time, or vary the types of plants in each section.

TIP! Thoroughly research the plants you want to use in your landscaping so that you will know the proper places to plant them. Make plans for each plant or flower bed to reside in the best area for their individual needs.

You should allow professional landscape designers to help you plan your yard. Before deciding on a professional, get several references from them, along with their cost and timeline estimates. Remember to have the designer give you references as well. References should be both professional and personal. When you are checking into these references, make sure you ask if the job was done as stated and according to schedule and if it stuck to the budget that was quoted.

Smaller Plants

TIP! Those of you who are designing your own landscape would be wise to use mulch in your flowerbeds. Mulch provides a protective layer that retains moisture and can provide nutrients.

Use plants that have different sizes, textures, and shapes. Arrange smaller plants around larger anchor plants. Put smaller plants ahead of bigger ones to best fill up the area. Go ahead and use a theme if you have the proper amount of contrast to keep things interesting.

TIP! Consider your region’s different seasons when you choose landscaping and include trees, plants and shrubs that change in appearance during different seasons of the year. Many people are only concerned with summer or spring colors, but fall can often be the most pretty season of the year.

Get a good quality fertilizer to put in your yard. Avoid possible chemical reactions between different products by using just one good fertilizer on your whole yard. Test different products and read reviews to find out which fertilizers are the most efficient. You should use fertilizer before starting your project.

TIP! Before you take on your next landscaping idea, think about sketching out just how you envision the final product. When you make a sketch, you get a visual of your ideas and you will get a more realistic idea of what tools will be needed to finish the job.

Avoid having your yard appear unkempt by keeping your plants trimmed. There are a ton of plants that can grow uncontrollably, like azaleas. You can prune them down to mere stumps, and they will grow back and their leaves will fill out before you know it.

TIP! Always choose native plants to include in your landscape if possible. This will make the landscape easier to maintain while allowing it to be different than other people’s landscapes.

A lot of people fail to consider buying landscaping plants online. Not only will it be simple and convenient, you can find a variety of rare plants which you may never find locally or in one of those large retail stores.

TIP! Educate yourself on the techniques involved in landscaping design. For example, the consistent use of a specific plant can create continuity.

You’ll save cash with timed purchases. Purchase your lumber during the winter time and buy mulch, shrubs and trees as late in the year as possible. Try to wait a couple of years to purchase a plant if it is something that is new to the market.

TIP! Even if your yard is small, you can still create an attractive landscape design. Create areas of concentrated interest to effectively use your space.

You can find various ways to liven up your landscape, whether with rocks, trees or flowers. If you do a good job landscaping your yard, people in the neighborhood are going to notice. The information you have read in this article will get you off to a fantastic start.