The Do's and Don'ts of Good Landscaping Design

Creating a lovely yard requires more than a shovel and a few potted plants. It takes a lot of design, planning, and elbow grease - all in that order. Once you’re through with the design, you have to carefully plan how to implement it. However, in every stage, you must know what to do or not to do if you’re to succeed. Let’s look at some of the do’s and don’ts of proper landscaping.

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Do Keep Some Grass

Are you tired of digging deep into your finances to maintain the lawn? Then replacing the grass with a deck or brick paving seems like a good idea. But as far as aesthetic appeal and feet-friendliness are concerned, having a fully-paved yard might not be such a bright idea. So how do you strike a compromise between cost and yard appeal? Simply mix the natural and artificial. By all means, install the paving, but also retain some grass.

Don’t Mix Landscaping Styles

About the styles to use, what’s the secret to effective landscaping? In one word, it’s “consistency.” When you pick a theme, stick to it from one end of the yard to the other. And as tempting as it might be, avoid throwing in any beautiful style that you see on your drive home. Doing so only turns your backyard into a cluttered, embarrassing mess.

Do Create a Centerpiece

Looking out over the yard, do you see any feature that draws your eye? Or, do you see only grass? Now picture the same yard with a small pond, elaborate fountain, or cozy fire pit. Even in your mind, you immediately notice the effect such a centerpiece would have. So, install one, but don’t go overboard. Remember, the idea is to create an affordable, eye-catching focal point, not an overly-fancy, expensive one.

Don’t Plant Non-Native Species

This can’t be repeated enough: Never install a plant that isn’t native to your climate or location, no matter how beautiful it is. But how much harm can it do, anyway? It can do a lot of harm, especially if you start with your pocket. For starters, plants that can’t adapt to the local climate soon wither, leaving you with another landscaping bill on your hands.

And just like weeds, they can turn invasive and spread uncontrollably from your yard and into the neighborhood. So how do you know which species are best suited to your location? You consult a professional, of course.

Do Consult a Professional

So, you have no clue about landscaping? Then know this: there’s no such thing as an accidental masterpiece in either landscaping or anywhere else for that matter. An appealing yard is always the result of detailed planning and extensive know-how, not of shifting things around hoping for the best. So instead of making a mess of things, consult landscaping teams like Architectural Landscape Design, and let them design the yard for you.

Don’t Plant Trees Close to the House

Despite being native to your area, trees have no place near your house. In fact, the farther away from the house you plant them, the better. And here’s why. During winter, snow-laden tree branches often break and fall onto your roof, costing you thousands of dollars in repair bills.

So how far from the house should you plant a tree? For short trees, make that no less than 20 feet. But for tall trees, the minimum distance increases to 50 feet.

As you landscape, remember to compromise between beauty and cost. Install stand out elements that catch the eye but without clashing with each other, damaging the environment, or destroying the house.