Time spent outside in nature is time well spent. Studies show that just 10 minutes in a natural outdoor setting is enough to reduce stress and improve our outlook on life.
So, spending time beautifying your garden isn’t only an investment in your home’s curb appeal, it’s beneficial to your mental wellbeing too.
A functional landscaped garden is your first step toward creating wonderful outdoor experiences for your family. Check out these landscaping tips to help you turn your yard into the relaxing paradise you envision.
Landscaping Design Tips
Some gardens evolve on their own over time as homeowners add to them over the years. If you don’t have the patience to wait that long, it’s best to start from scratch.
Consider your yard area as a blank slate to work with. Outline its overall shape as well as any major features on a piece of drafting paper. If you’re having difficulty working around things like large trees or paving, you can remove them – at a price.
So if you’re budget-conscious, it’s best to get creative with what you already have.
Once you’ve got an idea of the areas left to work with you can start planning your oasis. Begin by making a list of things you’d like to include.
These are some of the most popular additions to gardens everywhere:
- Fishponds or other water features
- Vegetable patches
- Herb gardens
- Rose gardens
- Hardscaping
- Fruit Trees
- Pathways
- Sculptures and other focal points
Of course, you’ll also want to make space in your plan for flowering specimens as well as shrubs.
Would you like to install a pool down the line? Include it in your plans from the start.
Functional Home Landscaping Tips
Every garden needs some functional space too. You might want a shed for storing your garden tools. What about a compost heap?
Think carefully about placing these operational aspects of your garden out of sight, but within easy reach for daily tasks.
You’ll also need to set aside some space for children and pets to play. Perhaps you’d like to add a patio or outdoor kitchen to the mix.
Be aware of the fact that plants need weeding, watering, pruning, and harvesting too. Make sure you can reach your plants and flower beds easily to carry out these vital functions.
If you aren’t installing an irrigation system, you’ll need to make sure your hosepipe can reach every area of your garden, or consider putting in some extra garden taps.
Don’t forget that garden lighting adds security and beauty to the nighttime landscape, so factor that into your design too.
How to Landscape for Low Maintenance
Unless you choose your plants wisely, gardening can become a full-time job. Consider how much time you have available to care for your garden and keep it maintained.
If you overcommit, you could end up with an unkempt jungle instead of a manicured paradise.
Try to stick to low-maintenance plants and fixtures as much as possible, especially if you don’t have much experience gardening. Some of the easiest, low maintenance plants include:
- Hydrangeas
- Portulacas
- Hibiscus
- Geraniums
- Hosta
There are some garden tasks, like weeding, watering, and mowing that you can’t get away from, so you’ll have enough work to do without having to babysit fussy plants.
Remember, if you live in a low-rainfall area, it’s always best to use as many water-wise plants as possible. They’re far better adapted to dry climates and hardly need any care at all.
Budgeting Tips for Landscaping
If you’re going to revamp your landscaping in one go, it’s important to set up a budget to work with. Gardening gets expensive when you start buying mature or exotic specimens.
That’s one of the reasons many homeowners choose to restyle their gardens one section at a time.
Once you’ve got your plan set up, you can start researching what things are likely to cost. If you can’t afford to do it all at once, adjust your plans, but leave room for the things you want to add later.
Although you can get great pleasure out of DIYing most of your garden, that’s not always the cheapest option with larger projects.
You should look into hiring the best landscape contractor you can afford to handle some of the more complex tasks. For instance, things like tree removal and comprehensive irrigation systems are best left to the experts.
Consider Your Local Conditions
The best way to blow your budget is to plant the wrong plants at the wrong time. Even the best-laid plans can go awry if the first winter frost destroys all your treasured seedlings.
Make sure you consider your local weather conditions when planning your plantings.
If you’re planting seeds, you’ll find plenty of information about when and where to plant your seeds on the packet, or you can research different types of plants online.
Your best bet is to speak to your nurseryman about the best plants for your area when you go shopping. Don’t forget about the local wildlife. Can deer, squirrels, or raccoons access your property and destroy all your hard work?
If so, you should consider fencing or other options to deter them from getting into your greens.
Make Your Garden Glow
With careful planning and a little help where needed, you don’t need green fingers to create the garden you’ve always wanted.
Would you like some more home improvement and landscaping tips? Keep browsing our blog. We’ve got all the best hacks to help you reinvent your home, inside and out.
