7 Tips for Avoiding the Common Pitfalls in Landscaping

Everyone makes mistakes, but it can be disheartening to experience them anyway. It’s especially true for large projects like landscaping, where the mistakes could be a little more noticeable. When you DIY your landscaping, you are at greater risk for these design and lawn maintenance mistakes. Avoid causing yourself distress by planning for them before they happen; here are some tips to help you with your project.

Have All the Details Down

The fun part of a landscaping project is looking for things that spark your imagination. Browsing through gardening magazines and strolling through the local nursery might be exciting, but refrain from ending up buying plants you don’t know where to put. Everything will look good in photos or established gardens, but you have to do a little research before recreating it at home.

Plants have unique requirements and different rates of growth. You have to figure out how each plant’s development fits in with the rest of your landscaping design—don’t sacrifice balance, sustainability, and harmony to accommodate a plant you think looks great on its own. Hiring a landscaping company ensures that your landscaping is both beautiful and functional.

Plan for the Front Yard

Most homeowners spend the majority of their time in the backyard. However, the front yard is just as crucial to the overall look of a home. Besides improving your view from the indoor living area, front yard landscaping lets you improve your home’s curb appeal. It adds a little more colour to your house’s façade and prevents it from looking too flat from the front.

Develop Good Pruning Habits

Designing a beautiful yard is not a one-and-done deal; it needs maintenance. Pruning is a crucial element of lawn maintenance—if you do it right, you can encourage and control your plants’ growth. However, if you don’t do it correctly, it can cause your landscaping to appear unhealthy and damaged.

Cut the Grass at the Right Height

Some homeowners cut the grass short because it means they won’t have to mow as often. Others like having that "golf course look," especially for their front yard. However, cutting the grass too low can damage its health. When you remove too much of the stalk, you risk stunting root growth. If the blades have less surface area, it means poorer photosynthesis, which doesn’t help the grass grow properly. Hire a lawn care specialist to ensure that you’re mowing at the right height for the variety of grass you have.

Using Too Many Decorative Items

While lawn ornaments are pretty and festive looking, one of the most significant landscape design mistakes homeowners make is using too many of these in their yard. It’s better to use various shrubs, grasses, trees, and flowers to create visual interest and choose a few high-quality décors as accents.

Use the Right Irrigation for Your Lawn

Having the correct levels of moisture will help you grow a healthy garden and lawn. Avoid overwatering and underwatering—both can be detrimental to your plants. Have a professionally installed irrigation system. When you use the right system, you know your plants get an amount of hydration that meets their requirements.

Study the Color Combinations

Colours matter—use too many at once, and you overwhelm people’s eyes. Meanwhile, if you use too little, the landscape will look dull. You have to consider seasonal colour variations as well—research different bloom cycles before you choose plants for your lawn. You don’t want all of your flowers blooming in one season and leaving your yard looking bare in the next.

Conclusion

There are many pitfalls to DIY landscaping. However, if you plan for your project correctly, study the plants you’ll incorporate, and care for them properly, you’ll avoid accidents. Even better, you can hire residential landscaping specialists who know how to take your vision and make it a reality, minus the bumps and mistakes.

HML Construction is an Edmonton landscaping company with more than 20 years of experience designing, building, and redefining commercial and residential landscaping. Trust HML to deliver exceptional artistry and professionalism from the first day of consultations to the final turnover. Get a free quote today or contact us for enquiries!