See a cool picture in a Home and Garden magazine? Saw something you liked on one of the bazillion curb appeal shows on cable? Be careful what you wish for and remember who is going to have to handle the landscaping maintenance in the future. A lot of these designs look great when they are first finished but don’t take into consideration what you have planted around the rest of your yard or the types of seasons we have in the Northern Kentucky / Cincinnati area. We offer this word of caution because we know you want to spend more time enjoying your landscape than taking care of it.
Things to Take Into Considerantion When Creating Your Landscaping Design…
- Do You Want Turfgrass or Some Other Less Maintenance Heavy Ground Cover? – Turfgrass takes a lot of maintenance including mowing, watering, fertilizing, edging, and more. There are other ground covers that may make sense in certain areas of your landscape design. Consider sedge, moss, lilyturf, or some other ground cover based on the type of soil and pitch of the land.
- What Kind of Hardscape is Right For Your Design? – Want and elegant, old world look? Maybe you would like a brick or stone patio. Just know that the sand will need to be replaced and if you want less maintenance then you may want the similar, hassle-free look of colored and stamped concrete. Gravel in your design will look great but what happens when trees you have drop leaves, pods, balls, or something else and you have to constantly rake it out?
- Some Plants Are More Trouble Than They Are Worth! – So some research on the plants you like before adding them to your design. To make mowing easier, arrange your plans in groups and to make it even easier, select plants that require little amounts of water, light, and care. Know ahead of them how large the plant will grow so you don’t have to be in a constant pruning situation.
- Mulch is a Landscaping Workhorse – Mulch keeps keeps away to reduce weeding time and hold moisture which will reduce the amount of watering you’ll need to do. Mulch will also release nutrients in the the soil and keep you garden looking good.
- Pick the Right Materials for Your Deck – Pressure-treated lumber tends to crack, split and warp. It will need to be power washed and stained each year. Maybe composite decking or plastic lumber would be a better pick since they would require less maintenance. These materials are weather and stain resistant and won’t splinter, warp, rot, or split.
- What is the Watering Plan – Maybe installing an efficient automatic irrigation system would be your best bet. There are many different options and price points.
- Maintenance-Free Rock Gardens – Most rock gardens contain contain plants that don’t need much care or water. These gardens are unique and self-sufficient.
- Materials Matter – Everyone is concerned with budget but buying the right type of seed or mulch or decking will be worth it in the end. Do some research or rely on the experience of an experienced landscaper to pick the right materials for your project.
Outer Image Outdoor Services offers custom landscape maintenance programs to keep your property improvements looking great and we can help you decide on the best landscaping for you yard and climate.
Contact us (859-689-0076) for a free consultation!
Some Examples…
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