Do you wave proudly as people pass by your yard, or do you hide in shame? A lot of people believe they don’t have time or money to make their yards look great. But in reality, there are some easy steps that can be utilized to make a significant improvement. The tips in this article can help tremendously.
Native Plants
Use local plants for your yard. Native plants are easier to care for because they are already comfortable in your climate and soil. For low-maintenance, native plants are an excellent choice. Your local gardening store will be able to provide you with all the information you need about native plants.
Use marble or granite in your outdoor kitchen design. 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.
Make your yard look beautiful all year by creating a garden that incorporates all seasons. Select plants that offer visual appeal in summer, autumn, springtime and winter. You can use trees with cool foliage or evergreens which keep your garden looking nice all year.
Select good products instead of inexpensive ones. Low quality items can be found in many home improvement stores. A specialty store will offer you quality products and helpful advice from qualified professionals. This is worth the extra expense, because the products you purchase will be of a higher quality and you will receive proper advice.
Many people don’t think about getting products for landscaping online. There are several factors that make shopping for plants online a good idea, though. Besides its ease and convenience, shopping online gives you access to a wider variety of plants than you could find at a home improvement store or a local nursery.
Measure and get a rough estimate of the square footage of your yard before you buy plants and materials at a landscaping center. Knowing your measurements will help you understand how many plants you need, rather than guessing incorrectly at the store. This way, you don’t overbuy or run out of anything.
If the scope of your landscaping project is large enough, an hour or two with a professional landscaper or architect may be worth it, as they can give you expert guidance on choosing your plants and help you refine your design. Their knowledge can save you a lot of time and money when all is said and done. Professional landscapers and architects both charge about $75/hour, which can easily pay for itself if you put their advice to use.
When choosing plants, select options which look good in every season. You should choose plants and trees that will bloom at different times. For example, some plants may bloom in spring or summer, while pine trees or other evergreen trees can help add color to your yard in winter. A thorough knowledge of plant varieties is the best way to accomplish a landscape design that is impressive at any time of the year.
If you have a large shade tree in your yard, planting flowers underneath it can be difficult. Use a ground cover as a great alternative to flowers in such areas. This is easy to maintain and adds a nice look to the yard. Sweet woodruff and hosta are ideal ground covers.
Ask any landscaper you’re considering for your project for a long list of references. Cost is also important, but examples of their work will tell you right off the bat whether or not they can accomplish your project.
If you want a nice yard but don’t have a lot of cash, consider completing your project in stages. There is nothing wrong with breaking your project down into steps and seasons. This actually can make it more financially feasible. Just write down each step in your process, and then choose the ones that are most important to finish first.
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. The contrast these plants will add throughout your yard, will help you create a breathtaking landscape. For maximum beauty, disperse them evenly.
Now you have and idea of what you can do to make some significant improvements right now. A yard which makes you smile, as you step out the door, can change your mood for the entire day. When you check out the yard after working hard on it, you will enjoy what you have done. It is most definitely worth it!