Tips For Landscaping In A Colder Climate

Posted on September 6, 2012 in landscaping

TIP! Consider re-edging flower beds with subtle curves for a new look. Curved beds create a contemporary vibe compared to sharp, rigid corners.

Do you feel that your home looks boring? If you are unhappy with the how your home looks, a little bit of landscaping may help. You can do quite a bit for a home with just a bit of landscaping and make it a winner. Read on to learn some great ideas for your landscaping plans.

TIP! Incorporate a water feature into your landscape design. Fountains and small pools can be easy to install and maintain.

Plants, trees and foliage can give your landscape project a feeling of continuity. Many plants only bloom for a short time each year so choosing a variety of plants to bloom throughout the year is important. Foliage plants and evergreens can help fill in this gap, keeping your yard looking fresh and green year-round.

TIP! You’ll save cash with timed purchases. Purchase your lumber during the winter, and purchase mulch, shrubs and trees in the late part of the planting season, if possible.

Ground covering plants can make your landscape look nice while filling in space. Ivy, juniper, vinca and creeping phlox all creep and spread along the ground, preventing weed growth and reducing the amount of green lawn that you have to mow. They also add dimension, depth and color to your landscape.

TIP! Native plants are your best friend if you want a landscape that’s easier to maintain. Foreign plants find it harder to adapt to your home’s environment, yet native plants have already adapted to this environment, so they’ll fit in with ease.

When planting seeds, cover as much ground as possible. The amount of effort and time you put in doesn’t change much between a small area or a larger one, as it’s the preparation that takes the most time, so working on the whole area at once will allow you to get done more quickly.

TIP! Don’t let yourself avoid landscaping because you don’t think you can afford everything you need at one time. You can break down a big project into smaller pieces that you can afford.

While looking at what plants to add to your do-it-yourself landscape project, consider using a few plants that have a unique leaf texture. Using some of these in your beds helps provide much-needed visual contrast. Just make sure to give each of these plants enough space for them to really spread and grow to their full potential.

TIP! It is not necessary to make sure you get every grass clipping off your lawn after mowing. The decomposition of the grass will help add necessary nutrients your lawn needs which in turn will mean that you will decrease how much fertilizer you have to use.

It’s hard to landscape your entire property at once. Instead, try to divide the job into smaller projects, which will be easier for you and a bit less expensive as well. Dividing the project into phases also helps you edit your design as you go along. You can make changes to your landscape whenever needed if you use this type of plan.

TIP! When it comes to buying materials, going with what’s cheapest isn’t always the most cost-effective policy. For instance, it may be worthwhile to pay a bit more if the vendor offers outstanding customer service or a generous return policy.

Do not rush to redo the landscaping if you purchase a home. Oftentimes people will remove all landscaping items from their yard after they purchase a home. Before you do this, wait for a season and see what you would like to change. Plants look different in different seasons and what may have been unappealing in the winter, might look beautiful come summertime.

TIP! Before you actually break ground, remember any structures in the area, and try not to harm anything. Know where all pipes and other hardware are located so that you can landscape around them.

Try and create a landscape that looks beautiful year round. Choose plants that blossom in spring and summer, and think about planting some conifers for a touch of green in winter. The key to a year-round landscape is to research plants.

TIP! If you’re planning a large DIY landscaping project, it’s a good idea to pay for an initial consultation with an experienced landscaper. A professional offers you beneficial advice, saves you some time, and helps to greatly lower your costs in the end.

Landscape professionals, like architects and designers, can be a great help to you when you are in the planning phases of a big project. Before hiring landscape designers, ask for examples pertaining to their work, projected completion dates and estimated costs. A professional designer will be able to provide references, so be sure to get them. Both professional and personal references are important. Don’t check just one or the other. When looking at references, ask if the project was finished on schedule and if they were able to stick to the budget.

TIP! Always measure out how much room you have to work with before going out to buy plants. This makes it easier to know how much of every item you will need.

When you landscape, it is wise to utilize native plants. Make sure the flowers, shrubs or trees you use are indigenous to the area. This is because plants that are native will thrive as they are used to the environment of your home, they’ll also require less upkeep as well.

TIP! Maximize your landscaping work by designing a year-round outdoor space. Select certain plants that will bloom in different seasons according to your location and its accompanying weather.

For an attractive addition to a yard, you might consider a water feature, like ponds or fountains. You may find these additions to attract wildlife while making your garden more personable. Just make sure to be careful when choosing a fountain as you will have to deal with an electrical source.

TIP! Landscape your yard in stages, focusing on one region of the yard at a time. If you divide your whole yard into segments and work through them one at a time, you might find this easier to budget in the plants you want without killing your wallet.

Add variety in your yard by planting different sizes and shapes of plants as well as ones with unique textures. Large specimens should be the centerpieces of the space, and the more diminutive ones can serve as accents. Always place shorter growth in front of the larger growth so the area fills up properly. This technique can be visually striking if texture and color are used correctly.

TIP! Pick quality products and avoid the cheaper ones. You can find many inexpensive items in a home-improvement store.

Your landscape project should create a product which both pleases the eye as well as works well functionally. As an example, make sure that your family and guests will always have a space to park their cars and walk through your yard. Don’t plant items very close to your house or spiders and bees may be able to get inside during the summer.

TIP! Stagger your trips to buy supplies. If you buy all at once, you will blow your budget quickly, not have the things you need as your plans will change as you go and find that items you thought were right no longer are.

Now, after reading the helpful landscaping tips in the above article, your yard can really look beautiful. Now you can achieve a look for your home that is picture perfect. Just be certain to use everything you have learned from this article, and you can breathe brand new life into any piece of property.