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Common Mistakes of Landscaping
It’s about time we gave a nod to HGTV, the Home and Garden Network, in our hallowed pages. So we dug this list of Landscaping Don’ts, because they all seem obvious in hindsight, but if you look around your neighborhood, you’ll see plenty of examples anyway.
- “Don’t let landscaping overwhelm your house.” How many of us have seen that one house on the block, referred to as “the jungle?” Probably the trees and hedges they planted there looked tidy enough at first, but it all grew out of control after a while.
- Lack of planning. A fun anecdote: When they designed the MIT University campus, they didn’t put sidewalks in for the first three months. Then they watched where footpaths naturally formed from people walking to and fro. So that’s where they ended up putting the sidewalks!
- Planting too much of the same thing – meh, we’ll give it a pass. Sometimes a theme is important.
- The huge lawn. You don’t need enough room for a rugby match in front of every house.
- Ivy is beautiful, but yes, it is a pain to maintain. Also dangerous to be teetering on a ladder trying to reach it.
- Trees overwhelming the house again. It bears repeating twice! Perhaps you should check out a full-grown species of a certain tree before planting the sapling.
- Layering your plant species. Always nice to do, if you have the space.
Check Your Local Laws Before Doing Anything Drastic With Your Lawn
This is one of those “bureaucracy gone mad” stories that you hear about every now and then. Boing Boing recently reported on a couple who replaced their grass lawn with drought-tolerant plants – and got sued by the city! While this takes place in Orange County, California, US (world-famous for invasive government that micromanages your every move!), and the prosecutors look like they’ll drop the case now (as much for the bad publicity as for anything else), it is worth giving some thought.
It seems counter-intuitive that you can buy and own property and not be able to do anything you want with it, but many first-world economies have strict rules as to what you can and can’t do. The fact that many of these laws counter-act water conservation efforts just points up how nonsensical some of these laws are. As well as regional laws of government, you should also check building ordinances and home-owner’s associations – we’ve seen massive legal fights break out over what color to paint a fence or what kind of tree you can plant.
It also does good to be aware of ridiculous laws so citizens can lobby together to get them repealed. In Southern California’s case with the huge water shortage that part of the world has suffered for about a century now, doing anything to save water should be rewarded, not punished.
Tip For The Outdoor Living Space
The part of your landscaping plan that is perhaps the most important is the part you’re going to be using. An outdoor patio, deck, or porch will be your place to enjoy the outdoors and entertain. Here’s a good guide to the basics of Creating a High-End Outdoor Space on a Low-end Budget. In addition, looking at that photo of the table and chairs reminded us of the comfort-point, so we’d like to offer some tips:
Watch what you’re planting overhead to make sure it doesn’t interfere with your enjoyment. Those magnolia blossoms look great, but think about how you’ll have to fish them out of your morning coffee when you sit there.
Chose a stable flooring for the patio area that’s low-maintenance. You can’t go wrong with rock! Just be sure that it isn’t breaking up and forming muddy crags and holes to catch a heel on.
Have a plan for weather. An umbrella or dense trees will shade you from sun, but also think what the rain and snow will do to your outdoor living space furnishings.
Take note of the local pests. You’ll want citronella torches in mosquito country. Watch out for termites with wood furniture. And you might consider an elevated deck altogether,if your area is just crawling with horrid little monsters thriving on your ecosystem.
Have the decor go with the landscape. You might be able to get away with furnishing your ranch patio with wooden cable spools and wagon wheels, but that will never fly for your Japanese tea garden!
New Trends in Landscaping
Gone are the days when people judged a person but their homes. Today your landscape design too can tell a lot about who you really are. So get savvy with your landscapes by using new and improved landscaping technologies to truly reap the benefits of a well landscaped yard. Use your garden as a reflection of your style and personality.
Some argue that naturescaping or incorporating native plants in to a landscape design is the new way to go, while others disagree and opt for using ornamental features in their landscapes; some on the other hand choose a middle path.
Naturescaping is indeed easier to maintain though it isn’t necessarily unique in comparison with other more innovative landscape designs. You do not want to be stuck with a “badscape design” after all! Therefore the incorporation of both native plants and ornamental plants and grasses could enable your landscape to give a whole new definition of innovation in to your very own front yard.
Be creative and different with your landscapes. Use mega blooms instead of seedlings, do away with your bedding plants and replace them with speciality annuals. Don’t only think of landscaping if your yard is large. Landscaping and maintaining small areas are actually quite a hit in the landscaping industry today. Have a big landscape in a small yard.
Landscaping and Living ‘Green’
At the end of the day, we all want to escape the clamour of our daily lives and enter in to a pure sanctuary of relaxation… and no, this is not an ad for a new resort in the Himalayas. The truth is that an aesthetically accurate landscape design can and will help you achieve this in your very own front yard.
Incorporating flora and fauna in to a landscape is an essential factor. There are many types of plants and trees that can not only help the environment that you reside in but also give you produce that is enough to sustain you and your family. Edible landscaping or the landscaping of trees and plants that bare edible produce is an ideal example of how the plant life in your landscape can sustain you.
The living green of any landscape is also a uniquely refreshing spectacle in comparison with the monotony of steal and cement in any urbanized area. The beautiful splattering of colour on a lush green plain can only be achieved by a successfully implemented landscape design that utilized relevant greenery.
Going wrong with plantation in a landscape ruins the whole balance of the landscape design. Therefore it is essential that you know your plants and where to incorporate it into your landscape. They are an essential part of any landscape and therefore deserve to be put to use in the best possible manner.
Things to Look Out For When Landscaping
Landscaping is not rocket science. Armed with an idea of what you want, some basic knowledge, and tons of enthusiasm, you are ready to begin.
First you need to ascertain the extent of land available. So before you begin landscaping it is always advisable to obtain a site survey. This will help you map out the garden exactly as it is, at present.
Now consider what “theme” you want to incorporate when landscaping your garden. For ideas, browse the internet or refer a few gardening magazines. But make sure that the theme you choose does not clash with the appearance of your house or the surrounding environment.
Then you need to decide what plants you wish to have in your garden. The climate, the size of the plot available, the lighting, the irrigation system and the soil, all need to be given due consideration, when buying plants for your garden. Also see that the plant size, texture and color, are given proper recognition; as this will all have a bearing on your landscape.
Finally find an optimal balance between what you want, what is practical (in terms of cost, maintenance and safety); and then you are indeed ready to begin landscaping.
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PO Box 1097, Gwelup 6018
Telephone: 0450 002453
Perth Landscaping