People love learning tips from the pros.
And people love easy-to-follow lists, too.
So, we’ve combined the two in this installment of our “From the Pros” series.
Take a look at this list of landscaping secrets the pros think about when they work on their homes – and what you should be thinking about too.
Summer landscaping; year-round appeal
When most homeowners plan a summer landscaping project (like planting new bushes or shrubs), they do so with the approach that it’s going to look great when it’s finished – in the summer.
In fact, that’s the wrong mindset to have.
A deciduous shrub or bush will look beautiful in the summer. But as soon as fall or winter rolls around, those leaves will fall and that interesting-looking planting will just become a dead, empty space.
(Not to mention the extra leaves you’ll have to rake away)
Evergreen shrubs retain their leaves and needles all year long; even in the dead of winter. So you’re always going to have a focal point of colour and cover.
Additionally, evergreen shrubs can also provide a nice vertical contrast to the horizontal lines of your home’s brickwork or siding.
Save your grass by installing a walkway
If there’s no clear-cut path from two natural points of interest in your landscaping (like say, a picnic table and your garden shed), you’ll make one by walking along the grass.
Over time, that grass will become so trampled that it will eventually die. Leaving an ugly brown swath cutting through your otherwise pristine green lawn.
Installing a walkway made from interlocking pavers, paving slabs or other flagstone products will connect the two elements in your home nicely, while preserving your grass too.
Here’s another smart pro tip: When constructing your walkway, use a material that’s similar in colour or texture to the outside of your home. That way, it’ll create a consistent look and feel from pathway to doorway.
Big rocks rock
When pro landscapers want to make a big statement with their own personal outdoor living space, what do you think they do?
- Install a pond or waterfall? Maybe.
- Put in landscape lighting? Sometimes.
- Lay down artificial grass? Not quite.
Nope. They go big and plunk down a giant boulder.
We’re talking the type of big rocks that are way too big to fit in your truck bed.
Why do they do it?
- It’s a great way to break up the monotony of a flat yard
- It certainly commands and attracts attention
- Not everyone in the neighbourhood will have one
Before you get your big rock, make sure you take some measurements of the property (and pictures too), so you can place it in the right spot.
Because once it’s put down, it’s just going to be too hard to move.
Build a natural-looking water feature
Backyard waterfalls and ponds are a lovely way to add a splash of personality and tranquility to your landscaping.
The pros do it all the time. But what they also do is make sure it looks natural; like it’s a part of the surroundings.
How do they do it?
- Use natural stone to build the element up
- If possible, to use the same stone or material found on the house
- Keep it simple by using no more than three elements in the area
Embrace curves
Pro landscapers often add edging around areas like:
- Flower beds
- The foundation of the house
- Sidewalks
- Driveways
What they also do is install the edging in creative and elegant curves instead of perfectly straight lines.
Permanent curved edging adds a subtle feature that’s attractive and will transform your outdoor landscaping from boring to beautiful.
Illuminate focal points
When the sun is up, everyone who walks by will get a great view of your beautiful landscaping work.
It should also be easily seen in the moonlight too.
Attractive landscaping deserves to be seen after hours, which is where landscape lighting comes into play.
In addition to providing illumination, landscape lighting can perform a variety of other tasks, including:
- Providing safe passage along a walkway or steps
- Highlighting specific elements
- Brightly displaying your house number (for those late night pizza deliveries)
Here’s something the pros do with their landscape lighting: When lighting up a pathway, they usually don’t place them in straight lines at set intervals.
Rather, they stagger them on either side of the walkway in order to break up a straight line and create a more unique lighting arrangement.
That’s what the pros do – and now you can too
These are simple – yet effective – landscaping tips are designed to make any ordinary home stand out from its neighbours.
This is what the pros do to add personality to their homes, and to increase its value and add extra curb appeal too.
The best part is that these are simple tricks you can do yourself.
We know – because we’ve done it ourselves.
All you need to do is think about what you want to do, then contact us so we can help make it happen for you.
