You’ve installed new windows and doors to give your home a beautifully modern and sophisticated look and feel. But if your exterior landscaping doesn’t rise up to your home’s newly updated look, the visual impact of your renovation investment may fall short.
Great landscaping can really elevate the curb appeal of your home, but it can be difficult to know whether you should do it yourself or hire a landscaper. Hiring a professional landscaper can be pricey. You may find yourself wondering whether they’re worth the extra cost. It really depends on your situation – you may not have the time, energy or skills to do the job effectively – but if you’re thinking about DIY landscaping, here are some tips!
Decide on Landscaping Features
Don’t think you need to go overboard with landscaping. In fact, an overdone yard can hurt the look of your landscape. Decide on some key areas and focus your energy on those.
Types of Landscaping features to consider:
- Planting beds (such as flowers around the walkway)
- Planters and pots around your front door
- Lawns
- Shrubbery
- Flowering trees
- Foundation plantings (house-hugging planting to accentuate your windows and doors)
- Driveways
- Walkways
- Fences
- Fountains
- Water gardens
Do Your Research and Plan
Once you’ve picked your features do some research on current trends, and consider your own personal style. There are so many options that the real challenge will be prioritizing what you want in your landscape to fit your budget.
Make sure you don’t feel overwhelmed by dividing your yard into segments and conquering them one at a time. Plan this ahead of time and try to stick to a schedule. You may even want to sketch out your desired design in advance.
Next, see where the sun rises and sets. This will impact your plant decisions later.
Choose Low Maintenance Options
If you’re not using a landscaper, you’ll really want to focus on low maintenance landscaping options. Consider the needs of a plant. Some plants need more care and attention than others. Purchase plants from a nursery that knows plants and can answer all of your questions. Picking the right spot and giving plants the space they need is important too.
Choose statement pieces. One feature that makes an impact or fewer plants with big impact is the best way to go for a DIY landscaper. It’s easier to maintain and looks clean.
Mulch is low maintenance. It suppresses weeds, maintains moisture in the soil and only requires annual refreshing.
Avoid Common Landscaping Mistakes
Learn from the mistakes of other landscapers before you. Avoid these common pitfalls:
- Over-ornamentation – Be selective in additions to your garden.
- The wrong plant in the wrong place – As mentioned before, do your research before you begin! This way, your plant will get the sunlight and space it needs to thrive.
- Scattered colour – Be intentional with the design of your yard. Consider colour harmony when you plant and have a colour palette in mind.
- Over-watering – This is a common problem among homeowners. Your lawn only needs about an inch of water each week. A sprinkler with an automatic timer is a great way to reduce waste.
Don’t Forget About Maintenance
Once your features are all in place landscaping still requires regular maintenance. If you’re going the DIY route, make sure to set aside time regularly to prune, water, rake and mow. Investing in the right tools and equipment can make maintenance a lot easier in the long-run too.
Remember that lawn maintenance requires you fertilize, aerate, weed and rake. It’s a cheap way to keep your landscape looking beautiful with a barefoot friendly lawn.
Regular cleaning and maintenance of your windows and doors is another important part of a beautiful landscape. Don’t skip this step!
All of the studies show that an attractive landscape adds value to your home. Show your landscape some TLC and you’ll reap the rewards in elevated curb appeal.
If you’re in need of a new window or door to complement your beautiful landscape, stop by a showroom location or call for a no obligation in-home consultation today!