Professional Landscaping Tips For Your Dream Yard

There's nothing quite like the feeling of coming home to a beautiful and peaceful backyard. Have you ever looked at a great yard and wondered how in the world the owners managed to achieve that lush, beautiful yard landscape? It's tough being the only one in the neighborhood with no curb appeal and a shabby back and front yard, well not for long!

It's not as difficult as you might think and you won't need a professional landscaper to get it done so you can forget about those paid commissions! By following some simple landscaping tips, you can make your yard look gorgeous—and save money on professional services at the same time!

Whether you're into gardening, entertaining guests in your yard, or simply want to make your yard more relaxing, attractive, and enjoyable, these professional landscaping tips will help you do just that so get that green thumb ready, and let's boost your curb appeal!

Save Your Grass Clippings

Once you have your clippings, there are plenty of ways to use them. You can keep the grass and leaves in a pile by your yard, where they'll decompose naturally and serve as a natural fertilizer for future mowings'. Or, if you're ready to get rid of that old swing set that's been rusting in your yard since you bought the house, use some of those leaves for mulching around your plants! Grass clippings can be one of the best organic mulches to use, not to mention it's sustainable, helps you maintain your yard painlessly, and requires no financial commitment.

If all goes well (and we think it will!), after about three months of collecting every piece of plant matter from around the house, you'll end up with great soil for both planting new plants and fertilizing existing ones.

Use the Sun to Your Advantage

When you're laying out the landscaping for your yard, think about how the sun will affect it. The sun will be your friend if you can use it to help with your plan.

For example, if you have a spot that gets a lot of sun in the morning, but then goes in the shade during the afternoon, consider putting plants there that like hot days and cooler nights.

On the other hand, if there is an area that only gets full sun from noon until 4 pm every day of the year (which is possible), think about what plants would thrive there.

The sun can also help you determine where your hardscapes should be placed. Deciding whether or not your front porch will need a pergola or even figuring out where you'd like to place your pool or sunbathing lounges. Assessing your sunspots is a great key to figuring out the best way to create an irresistible site.

And if you're not sure where to start with your landscaping plan, then check out Shrubhub's landscaping options!

Climate, Climate & Climate!

To much surprise, one of the most commonly overlooked things when it comes to landscaping is proper climate research. Now we know what you're thinking, how hard can it be to determine the climate of the place I live? I mean I live here! The thing is, the climate goes beyond just whether your area gets more summer months or winter months.

If done properly, proper landscaping done according to your climate can help your property go up curb appeal but also make the maintenance a piece of cake.

The first thing you'll want to identify is what climate zone are you in. This can easily be accessed through the USDA's website. Once you know your climate zone you'll be able to get a better understanding of what plants will survive in your yard versus which will thrive.

Climate zones can also help you out when it comes to hardscaping, if you live in a more rainy area you might want to add another walkway to your front yard, if your landscape is drier you might want to add more crushed stone and gravel to compliment the drought resistant plants. You might even look into a monotonous yard! Planning your yard because 100x easier when you are aware of the basics like your climate zone.

Choose Plants That Are Native to Your Area

Native plants are more in tune with their environment, which means they require less maintenance and help the environment at the same time (Which means perennials are your best friend!). They also tend to be hardier than non-native plants, so they're not as susceptible to pests and diseases.

When it comes to smart landscaping one of the key things people often forget is that using mature plants is a great tool to achieve a fuller garden, quickly. Mature plants are great for that one stubborn surrounding area that can never seem to keep up. Not to mention they help your curb appeal substantially. Using other materials like mulch, grass, stone, bushes, and shrubs while keeping up maintenance with weeds is a fantastic way to keep that yard beautiful year-round.

Native varieties can adapt to your local climate better than non-natives—which means you'll have fewer problems with overwatering or underwatering. One thing to keep in mind is that there are different varieties of grass and grass alternatives so you'll want to check which ones are native to you as well. Trees, shrubs, and bushes are also a great way to add volume to your yard so finding the best ones for your landscape is a great start.

Additionally, native plants are often less expensive than many non-native varieties—and if there's one thing that can put a damper on your dream yard project budget it's having unexpected expenses pop up along the way!

Go With Nature, Not Against It

It's always tempting to try and create a garden that looks like an unnatural paradise, but when you take the time to observe your surroundings and fill your yard with natural materials, you'll find that keeping things simple is actually the best way to go about this.

As we mentioned earlier, using native plants should be a no-brainer! Since these plants have evolved alongside local wildlife over time (like birds), they tend not only to look pretty but also provide food sources for local wildlife creatures such as butterflies or hummingbirds!

Look into hardiness ratings on plants before buying them so that nothing ever dies again because of weather conditions outside its comfort zone; try finding varieties that are drought tolerant as well so there's less need for watering throughout the summer months.

When it comes to your front yard or patios try to focus on keeping things natural and minimal. Look into hanging gardens for your walls or container gardens for your patio and dress up your walkway with more plants and natural to your environment as well as gravel. This gives you a more professional look and allows you to maintain the area better since it already belongs in your climate.

Make a Splash With Water

You may not realize it, but water is a major part of landscaping. Without proper irrigation and drainage, your plants will not thrive. Adding water features like ponds and waterfalls is also important because they add an extra dimension to your soon-to-be outdoor haven by adding color and sound as well as visual interest.

Water features can be as simple as a bird bath or a fountain. The key is finding the right style for your backyard that complements the rest of your décor and fits into the budget you've allocated for this project.

One of the biggest mistakes homeowners can make when it comes to the addition of a water feature is not taking into consideration the existing landscaping and overall spacing of their grounds. Making sure you choose an ideal area is where you need to start if you're considering a water feature.

Start Small and Build Up With Plants and Greenery

As you begin to plan your back or front yard landscaping, it's important to think about how you want the space to look. Do you want a simple and tidy lawn? Or would it be more appealing for your yard if there were trees and plants that provided shade?

If you like the idea of having an outdoor space with lots of green plants and flowers, consider putting in some trees or shrubs along the perimeter. You can also plant flowering bushes around your house if they're large enough not to obstruct views from inside.

These can be great additions because they provide shade during hot summers while still maintaining color throughout fall months when other flowers are dormant or gone altogether (e.g., tulips).

Instead of having a full-blown garden or flower beds around each side of your property, you can simply include some paving stones.

Just keep in mind that paving stones are usually made out of concrete so they may not work well on soft ground surfaces as grasses do; however, this does mean no maintenance is required once installed!

Choose Practical Hardscaping Materials

Using a practical hardscaping material like concrete will save you a lot of time while designing your back or front yard, paths, walkways, and patio because it is one of the most durable building materials available. It can also withstand harsh weather and other conditions without losing its integrity.

Concrete is also resistant to water damage and mold growth, which makes it ideal for use in areas where there are high levels of precipitation or humidity such as near a pool or spa.

The permanence of concrete guarantees that you won't have to replace any of your hardscaping materials during your lifetime or the lifetimes of generations after yours!

Because concrete isn't affected by insects like termites or carpenter ants, it doesn't need to be treated with chemicals either—a huge benefit when you consider how toxic these treatments can be for both humans and pets alike.

Using secondary hardscaping materials like gravel and stone can help create a more balanced yard look.

Use a Landscaping Plan

A landscaping plan is a blueprint that will help you understand what you want your yard to look like, the time frame in which it should be completed, and how much it will cost.

A good landscaping plan helps guide the project from start to finish and is essential for keeping costs down, avoiding unnecessary delays, and staying on schedule for completion.

A good landscaping plan should include:

• A list of plants and materials needed

• Instructions on how to install them properly

• Any special tools or equipment needed for installation

Shrubhub's advice to you is to be sure that your plan includes a list of plants and materials needed, instructions on how to install them properly, and any special tools or equipment needed for installation.

Know When to Check Your Soil for PH Levels

Soil pH levels can affect the health of your plants and their ability to take up nutrients. It's important to know what your soil's pH level is before planting, so that you can make adjustments accordingly.

There are three ways to measure your soil's pH: with a commercial kit, with litmus paper, or by sending off a sample for testing.

Test Your Soil for Nutrients

Make sure you also get your soil tested so you can determine the nutrients needed for your lawn. You can also test it yourself with a soil test kit. The results of this test will tell you what nutrients are in your soil and how much of them are needed by plants. It will also indicate whether or not fertilizer should be added to the soil to increase nutrient levels and improve plant growth. A soil test can also help you determine if there is any soil erosion in your yard and what type of fertilizer you need for different areas.

The best type of test kit is one that can measure all nutrients at once, such as a total nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) kit.

Consider Adding Some Heat to Your Yard for Winter

While you're planning for the warmer spring and summer months, it's important to think about how you'll make use of your yard during the colder ones.

You can use heaters, water features, and fire pits to keep your outdoor space warm and welcoming even when temperatures plummet below freezing.

The following are some ideas of what you can add:

• Outdoor heaters

• Heated water features

• Heated benches

• Heated fire pits

• Heated outdoor rugs

Lastly,

We hope these landscaping tips have been helpful to you and bring you closer to your dream landscape for both your front and backyards.

Remember to think about your needs, like privacy or space for entertaining, when choosing plants and designing your landscape.

And if you're looking for a way to make your yard more gorgeous, consider contacting the experts at Shrubhub today! They'll help you create a space that's functional and beautiful!

How a Well-Landscaped House Can Increase Its Value

ShrubHub.com