The yard is often the first thing people notice about a home. This could be why so many people tend to their landscape design with the same amount of enthusiasm as their interior design. Whether you hire a full service landscaping company or do it all yourself, there is no getting around how much value a nice garden and yard add to a home.
Tips for Creating the Perfect Outdoor Area
- Plan ahead. Before you run out to the nearest garden store or stop by a full service landscaping firm, make a plan for what you want your yard to look like. in a similar way that you should not go food shopping when you are hungry, jumping into a landscaping project without proper planning can be a sure fire recipe for disaster. This plan should include a timeline. If you know you will need to run heavy equipment on the yard, putting any sod down first is not the best idea.
- Learn about your climate. You need to know what plants do well and what will die in your particular climate. There are a lot of reasons to stick to what is found naturally in your area. For one, you avoid introducing new and possibly invasive species into your area but if it naturally grows in the region where you live, it will take a lot less work. Visit local garden centers to see what grows well in your area.
- Think about the sun. Professional landscapers will tell you that flowers and other plants are great enhancements for your home (and mental health, studies show having them in your garden prevents depression) but only of they are alive. Look at how much sun your yard gets and factor that into your water usage. This can help you determine what flowers and plants will work best.
- Accentuate the positive and downplay the negative. Do you live near a busy street whose noise you want to muffle? Are there features of your area you want to draw attention to? Water fountains and falls can add soothing sounds while masking some that are less appealing. You can also use fences or walls, even bamboo. Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on the planet and can make for a nice and natural barrier.
- Add color and texture. This can be done with different plants, shrubs and trees but also with accessories and walkways. Experienced landscape designers day you should try to keep it a style that compliments your home but does not have to match it perfectly. There are a number of options in this area. You can use stone, brick and other materials to add accent points to your space.
Whether you are comfortable enough to design it all yourself or if you prefer to have people from a full service landscaping company do it all for you, you can create a fantastic living space from your yard and garden. Gardening can also replace your gym and working there can be a very good way to get your exercise! When you work out this way, you end up enhancing your home and burning calories!
