Buying a new home is an exciting and busy milestone in life. There are decisions to be made about everything from flooring to lighting, wall colors and new furniture. Often, what gets left until last is the landscaping plan. This usually isn’t due to finances; it is due to lack of knowledge.
Curb appeal and landscaping is the first impression people get about your new home. Making landscaping decisions can be daunting but with some lawn care tips from the pros, you can create a beautiful homescape.
Whether moving into a newly built home or an existing home with little to no landscaping, you can think of your yard as a blank canvas. Even if you have moved into a home that is fully landscaped, it may not fit your needs or likes. For this post, we will be tackling your home’s yard as a creation all your own.
Mapping Out Your Landscape Design
It is always best to start your landscaping project with a plan; never head out to the local box store or nursery before you have drawn out a “map” of your yard and have an idea of where you want to plant. You need to be aware of where the sun hits during the heat of the day, what kind of grass you have, etc. You also need to consider your budget. Some new home buyers will build in 10% of the home’s cost into their mortgage for landscaping. ($200,000 home = $20,000 in landscaping costs)
So, the first tip is to know your yard. Consider the climate of your home, the slope or topography of your front and back yards, if you have a sprinkler system, and where most of the foot traffic will be regarding your landscape. From there, draw out a map of the yard. One suggestion is to map in colors, each color representing a phase of the work to be done. This is especially helpful if you cannot afford to do all of the work at one time.
Keep a Theme in Mind
In planning your new home’s landscaping, think about a theme. This will keep the landscape look cohesive and appealing. You can use the architecture of your home as a starting point or use the climate to set a theme. Drive through neighborhoods to see what you like. After deciding a theme, use a computer to look up pictures of homes with that type of landscaping. Consider colors, shapes, height, and width of the plants you like as good starting points.
Design for Company and Efficiency
Create places for people in your landscape plan, those places where you may have outdoor seating or dining, a porch swing or an outdoor bar. Think of those areas as rooms and landscape according to their usage.
One other consideration is what your plants can do for you. For example, do you want fruit trees? Do you need a fast-growing tree to shade your windows in the heat of the day? While having your morning coffee do you want to gaze out into a flowering garden? These are all ways your landscape can work for you.
When designing your landscape plan, you may want to consider planting some things that will give you instant gratification, like evergreens or flowering-shrubs. You can enjoy these plants while waiting for the others to grow and flourish. Also, planting annuals will give you a quick burst of color while waiting for the perennials to take root and grow. As you plan, consider the seasons and when certain things bloom so that you may enjoy vibrant blooms most of the year. Plan for the future, giving your shrubs, trees, and perennials plenty of room to spread.
Let Executive Lawn Care Help You Perfect the Job
Finally, enlist the help of professionals. This includes talking to the people at your local nursery, and university for tips on what to plant, where to plant and how to care for those. Realize that this is hard work, and sometimes it is best to hire someone to get all that greenery into the ground. And if all of this just seems overwhelming, call your favorite landscaper to sit down with you to formulate a plan and implement it. And, as a final note, call before you dig. Have your lawn checked for underground utilities before you start your project. Contact Executive Lawn Care today!
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