Many property owners throughout the United States are blessed with having front and rear yards to call their own. The front yard sets the scene for entry into your house, while the back yard is typically an idyllic spot for relaxing, entertaining, and enjoying the warmer months of the year.
When the time comes to start looking at your landscaping options to enjoy your slice of paradise in earnest, there’s often a lot to think about. Without doing plenty of homework, you may be at risk of making some of these mistakes.
Not Setting Aside Enough Money
You might have a ballpark figure in mind of how much you want to spend on landscaping, but the accuracy of that figure comes down to how much research you’ve done into landscaping costs.
The average cost of landscaping can be between $8,000 to $15,000, with several factors playing a part in the final bill figure. You may need to look at each component of your landscaping design separately to gain insight into expected costs.
For example, soft scaping comes with wide-ranging price tags, such as upwards of $2,000 for sod installation but as little as $50 for shrub planting. Hardscaping is equally as broad, with decking materials potentially costing as much as $7,000 and fencing as much as $10,000, or higher.
The size of your yard, the costs of hiring professionals, and your preferred design can ultimately impact how little or much you spend on getting the landscaping of your dreams.
Not Hiring Experts
Most homeowners can undertake a few small landscaping projects on their own with the help of online tutorials and a bit of homework. However, how each of these small landscaping projects work together and in harmony with your home design remains to be seen.
Landscaping experts can work on a complete design that contributes to the beauty of your entire property rather than detracting from it. They can also source materials at competitive prices and achieve professional results.
If you don’t have any experience in landscaping, there’s a high risk of making mistakes that may cost you more than if you hired someone to take care of it for you.
Planting in the Wrong Places
If you decide to go down the DIY route, you might head to your local garden supplies store and purchase all the shrubs and trees you like the look of. However, it’s important to note that their size and form in a nursery environment may not be their final size and form. Many varieties can thrive in a more permanent setting.
Plant trees too close to your home, and you may strike problems with blocked drains and gutters, along with a loss of sunshine. Shrubs planted in the wrong place may also cause problems, as they can grow over pathways and attract insects that eventually make their way indoors.
Some plants also thrive in shade, sunlight, moisture, or dry soil. Failure to plant them in an area that suits their requirements may see them die before long. Typically, the most reputable landscaping teams understand how large trees and shrubs grow, their needs, and where they are best to be planted on your property.
Planting the Wrong Plants
After browsing the internet for landscaping designs to use as inspiration, you may have fallen in love with particular plants you’d like to include in your own yard. Before you go shopping, do plenty of research about how suitable your climate is for your plants of choice.
Not all plants are suitable for all environments. For example, you might dream of creating an easy-care succulent garden, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best option for your property. Succulents require well-drained soil in the sunshine, and you may have poor-draining, heavy soil in the shade.
Not Considering Your Time Restraints
A freshly landscaped yard is the picture of perfection. There’s not a weed in sight, and everything is well-pruned and neatly manicured. However, without care and attention, it won’t stay that way.
During the early stages of your landscape planning, think about how much time each component will take to maintain. For example, hedges, fruit trees, and rose bushes require annual pruning. Large garden areas will also need regular weeding without the addition of ground cover plants and weed-suppressing materials.
Fortunately, if you do decide to opt for landscaping materials that require frequent care, most landscaping companies will be more than happy to provide ongoing maintenance services. You may like to factor such services into your initial budget.
Having No Plan
There are plenty of things you can do on a whim, and landscaping is not typically one of them. Failure to plan can see you purchasing landscaping materials at random, with no real idea of how they will work in harmony with each other and your home.
Before you pay a visit to your local garden store, take the time to sketch out the general layout of your yard so that you can see what space you have available. You can then start organizing each section while paying close attention to the type of plants that will thrive within them.
However, the entire planning stage can be quite complex. If you’re not sure whether you’re up to the task, you can always request the services of a landscaping company.
Overlooking Your Home’s Style
Even though you might have your heart set on a particular landscaping design, it can be worth considering whether it’s going to suit the style of your home. Your house is a crucial factor in the landscape design process.
For example, a quaint cottage on a sprawling section may not suit a contemporary garden with sharp lines and modern hardscaping. In contrast, a new home may not always partner perfectly with a rambling cottage garden laden with hydrangeas and rose bushes.
However, there can sometimes be room to meet in the middle, particularly with mid-century properties. If you’re unsure what will suit your home, explore your neighborhood to see what other people have done. Landscaping companies can also have some excellent ideas to share.
Achieving a perfectly landscaped yard can be a considerable undertaking. It can take several hours of planning, even more to bring it to life, and an investment of thousands of dollars. Given how many ways it can go wrong, don’t underestimate the importance of planning. The more time and effort you put into the research phase, the more of these mistakes above you may be able to avoid.
