Your home is your world, and much like the world around us, looks are important. You may take your time to care for your house, but what about your yard? If you’re ready to improve your landscaping, but don’t know where to start, this article will guide you through your project.
If you are planting in a spot that has a very large slope to it you should make sure to grow drought-tolerant plants. This is because they are on an angle and will not hold water very well. Since they are at an angle they will be able to get access to more sunlight.
Choose appropriate plants for your climate zone, and learn which plants are perennial and which only last for a single year. Do not forget to take different seasons into account when landscaping, too. All of these factors combine to determine whether your landscaping efforts will be a success or a failure.
If an outdoor kitchen is in your design plans, granite is the best choice when selecting a material for your prep surfaces. There are many different attractive kinds of stone available, but granite provides the best value in terms of durability and low maintenance requirements. Hot cooking utensils will not damage a granite surface, for instance.
When planning a landscaping project for your house, consider breaking your entire project down into much smaller jobs. This is important if you are not able to afford the entire project at one time. Doing so will let you tackle your project bit by bit, and not have your yard look like a mess in the meantime.
The best way to screw up a landscaping project is to not have a plan. Without a plan before hand, your landscaping project will look like a hodgepodge of mismatched plants and items. Use a simple piece of graph paper and draw out your new plan prior to buying anything for the yard.
Utilize the Internet and mail-order catalogs in order to buy what you need for your landscaping project. Both of these sources are more likely to have rare plants and other products that area stores don’t carry. You may also find a good deal, but be careful to pay attention to shipping costs before you purchase.
Before beginning a landscaping project, go to a home improvement or gardening store first to ensure you have the right equipment. Home Depot and other popular big box retailers not only carry everything you need, but also have knowledgeable staff who can provide advice and recommendations to help you on your next project.
It can be very difficult to guess and plan how much mulch, sand, rock, etc. you might need in order to successfully finish your whole project. In part, you should make sure you do everything in phases. As far as planning the amounts of each of these materials, do your math and pay attention to specifications.
Water is a great idea for landscaping designs. For instance, you could easily add a small pool fountain or install pumps. You can also find professionals that can install into your yard a small waterfall or pond, if that is in your budget. Use water sources as your focal point when planning your landscape.
Do not assume you’re stuck with a boring, dead landscape in the winter. Look for ways to add splashes of color to your lawn. Brightly colored furniture, berry-producing woody shrubs, evergreens, and attractive hard scape designs, like pathways, can all keep your yard interesting when everything else is grey and brown.
Use the Internet for finding money-saving offers. You can utilize the many online stores to find great deals on specialty products and rare plants. Not only is it going to be cheaper, but it is going to be easier and more convenient for you. Be aware of the shipping costs that may apply to your order.
A water garden is a popular special feature to add. Shopping at a store which provides professional quality materials for such a build will help you to do it successfully. You will find the employees much more knowledgeable and helpful.
Do not pay more than is necessary for your landscaping items. When you shop around, you may find that there is very little difference in quality between items at specialty stores, and warehouses. In those cases, it is wise to choose the less expensive items. As long as the things you are purchasing are good quality, or healthy save a little money where you can.
Whether your lawn needs a major overhaul, it is just time to get it growing again in the spring, aeration is a great idea. The aerating process involves punching small holes through the turf to improve soil drainage. If you have a tiny lawn, you can handle aeration with manual tools. For bigger areas, mechanical aerators are available.
Fertilization is important when developing a landscaped area. There are many choices when it comes to fertilization. For example one can use today’s engineered fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro or Jobe’s Plant Sticks. If organic fertilizer is preferred there are many options available such as compost, manure, worm casings and peat.
If you are faced with a brown yard that is difficult to maintain, consider a tip that is used by professional golf courses around the world; add turf paint. Turf paint is simple to apply, and it can give your yard that lush, green appearance year round. It can easily be used on small, brown patches and will not harm the yard.
Plant your yard with vertical layers in mind. Consider that your eye will travel not just across the landscape but up and down the landscaping elements, moving from one layer of vegetation to the other. Even flat yards can have vertical layers if you incorporate trees and shrubs as well as a diverse selection of herbaceous plants ranging from the ground layer all the way up to the tips of the tall rushes.
Now that you’re prepared to tackle your project, you must draft a plan, create a budget and figure out where you’ll get all your materials. Use the tips in this article to make all the right choices. You’ll find that the project takes less work, less money and less time, leading to the perfect landscaping renovation.
