Landscaping

Your needs landscaping so that the outside of your property looks inviting and well kept.  Landscaping is more than just planting a bunch of trees and flowers to make the outside of your house look nice.  It takes careful planning and little bit of landscaping knowledge. 

The first thing that you need to do when you are considering doing your own landscaping for your property is to draw out a plan.  You should have landscaping that is close to the house that will absorb water and keep from seeping into the house.  New homeowners often find that their basements get water in them before they install grass and landscaping.  After the landscaping is properly installed, they do not get water coming over the edge of the foundation.  This is because it is absorbed by the grass, bushes and trees that are planted around the house.  Landscaping not only looks good, it is practical as well for the maintenance of your home. 

Avoid the temptation to plant large trees close to the house.  Large trees should be planted away from the house as they will continue to grow and will, in years to come, completely overshadow the house.  You do not want a bunch of large trees covering up the entranceway to your house.  In addition to being unattractive, this is also unsafe.  And there have been some cases where the roots of the trees have invaded the homes.  You are better off with small bushes in the front of the house, many of them evergreen bushes. 

Why evergreens?  Because they give a sense of color and polish to the landscaping all year long.  This is not to say that you should not plant some flowering bushes as well.  They will add beauty in the warm months and will be a pleasure to behold.  You can also plant bulbs such as tulips that will come up in the early spring each year and do not have to be replanted. 

In order to keep your landscaping from eroding, you need to have some sort of barrier to hold the landscaping close to your home.  Years ago, this was done with rubber piping.  Today, many people are opting for retaining walls that are made out of concrete bricks.  The retaining wall will keep the soil, rocks or mulch that you put down around the landscaping from eroding onto the lawn every time it rains. 

You have a choice what to put around the landscaping as dirt will make its way to the retaining wall and look unsightly.  Most people use either mulch or rocks to put around their bushes and shrubs so that the entire project looks finished.  You can choose from a variety of colors of rocks to match the exterior of your home.  Lava rocks are by far the cheapest of all landscaping rocks.  Quartz is more expensive but looks nicer.  Mulch is less expensive than rocks and many people prefer this because it gives a more natural appearance.  The type of filler that you put in between your bushes and shrubs depends upon your taste and budget. 

Start out by planting a few trees and bushes and make sure that you take into consideration that they will grow.  Give them plenty of space to do so by spacing them a fair distance apart.  It often takes a few years before landscaping fills in and reflects its true beauty.  Keep the bushes and shrubs watered in the warm months and after planting and you will soon have a landscaping design you can be proud of.