Some landscaping principles will be effective in many outdoor locations. There are New England landscaping ideas that can work just as well in other areas, for example. You’ll usually need lots of land for rural acreage landscaping projects. Still, it might be possible to modify those landscape design plans if you want to use them in much smaller spaces. Different row house backyard ideas can help people who are trying to landscape narrow backyard areas successfully.
Retaining wall pavers can help people use small amounts of land effectively. If you have a somewhat sloped backyard, retaining walls can be particularly useful. A retaining wall could also separate the yard from the driveway at some houses.
Driveways often have a very plain and simple appearance. It’s possible to make the space around driveways more visually detailed. People might not want to plant certain types of trees near their driveways since they’ll worry about their vehicles getting covered with leaves and other types of tree debris.
Some backyard parking ideas can help people who are trying to make every section of their yards look more interesting. The driveway might almost look like an additional landscape feature, even if it has another purpose.
Summer is here and we’re all spending a lot more time outside–unless, of course, you’re that guy. You know the one I’m talking about: a sprawling, lifeless dirt lawn with a toppled over gnome and a sad-looking, sun-bleached, pink flamingo warily perching by your shabby concrete walkway. The backyard is no better, with your mostly empty, algae gummed pool skeleton and a garden that was eaten by weeds much longer ago than you care to remember. If you’re that guy, being outside is just a plain embarrassment.
But no need to hang your head in shame. There’s help for you yet.
Luckily, do it yourself landscaping design has never been easier. With the following landscaping ideas and tips, your shabby, shameful front lawn and backyard will be an enviable oasis in no time:
- Start with the basics. Every respectable homeowner knows that curb appeal is everything. But this shouldn’t only apply aesthetically; rather, your front lawn should be a practical asset to your home, lifestyle, and property value. For example, before any focus goes into plant life, hardscape should come first. Hardscape includes any front porch, walkway, or driveway you may have. A great inexpensive and versatile option for walkways, for example, is decorative gravel.
Once you establish your practical base, you can begin building your masterpiece.
- Garden landscaping starts from the soil up. Before you plant any trees, shrubbery or flowers, consider the state of the dirt on your property. More often than not, you will need new top soil on your lawn. A great DIY way to fertilize plants is by making your own compost, using dead leaves and scraps of discarded produce and old egg shells. Loose and fertile soil on your lawn and in your backyard will establish fast root growth with freshly planted trees, shrubberies, and flowers.
- Get creative. Now that all of your foundations are laid, it’s time to let all of your wildest landscaping ideas come to life. Check out Pinterest and the dark recesses of Google for gardening ideas, and go out there and get your hands dirty. When planting, remember to place flowers, bushes other low laying plants in front of your windows, and tall trees on the sides of your house.
Now that you have a few landscaping ideas, what are you waiting for? Kick that tired old flamingo to the curve and get digging.
