10 professional tips for landscaping your garden
Share
Here are low-budget ideas that make a big impact. These quick projects will transform your decor and maximize the value of your property. You don't need to be a pro to create an attractive garden design.
A well-maintained lawn, tidy trees and shrubs, the addition of perennials and annuals... These are easy solutions that, according to professionals, can increase the value of your property by 5 to 12%. Whether you're looking to sell or simply enjoy the yard with your family and friends, it’s definitely something you should consider.
Simple or very simple… you can accomplish any of these projects by yourself or with a little help!
1. Plant trees
Planting trees is the landscaping project experts recommend first. Even when space is limited, adding a pyramidal tree or a small or medium-sized variety, such as a Saskatoon berry, crab apple or Amur maple, is sure to add to the appeal.
Also consider trees whose foliage is less dense, such as the honey locust, which also requires less work in the fall when it’s time to rake the leaves.
To prevent costly problems, plant them away from buildings, driveways, septic tanks and electrical wires. Don’t place them right in the centre of the front yard to avoid hiding the house, or right next to the pool so that it can benefit from the sun's warmth.
GOOD TO KNOW: Once mature (and placed in the right spots), the presence of large trees can increase the value of a property by 4 to 20%.
2. Embellish the front path
The path leading to the main entrance creates the first impression. If the paving stones have shifted over time, make sure to level them. Plant on both sides, add flower pots, and choose lighting that will enhance the area while also making it safe.
To learn all about front yard landscaping, read: Front yard landscaping: tips and tricks to succeed
3. Maintain your lawn carefully
A well-maintained lawn significantly enhances the look of your home. A plain landscaping with a lush, green and well-cut lawn will have more impact than a sophisticated landscaping with a thin, yellow or weedy lawn.
Remove weeds, fertilize 2 to 3 times a year, and take care to repair damaged lawn areas. A well-maintained lawn suggests that your home is too. There's no need to spend a lot of time, energy or money when you do the right things at the right times.
To learn everything about lawn maintenance, read: Lawn care made easy | C-I-L® Lawn and Garden
4. Add outdoor lighting
Whether in the backyard or front yard, outdoor lighting makes your yard safer and more attractive while increasing the value of your property. Illuminate paths, accentuate the silhouette of trees and shrubs, define the dining space, showcase the architecture of your home…
Wall fixtures, string lights, solar lamps, spotlights, lanterns, etc. The options are endless. New solar-powered and LED lighting solutions are great alternatives to traditional hard-wired lighting.
5. Create privacy
When landscaping, keep privacy in mind. Shrubs and tall perennials are perfect for screening unwanted views or hiding the backyard from curious passersby during the summer months. If you're looking to maintain the effect year-round, evergreens offer a great alternative to fences and screens.
Planting large shrubs with light, airy foliage also helps maintain privacy inside the house. There's no need to block windows. Plant them slightly to the side to frame the view you get from the garden, or a few metres away to draw attention to the plants rather than the windows. This option also allows you to appreciate the landscaping from inside the house.
6. Make a flower bed
The best places to start are where the lawn is struggling to thrive or where it is difficult to mow:
Along the driveway:
Asphalt absorbs the heat of the sun and overheats the lawn. A flower bed with drought-tolerant plants requires less care and will be at its best during the hottest months of the year.
On a steep slope:
Consider creating an alpine garden!
Under a tree:
Other areas that are enhanced by a flower bed include: along the foundation of the house, either side of a driveway, near the vegetable garden (attracting pollinators helps produce a bigger harvest), etc.
7. Add flower pots
Does your soil or health prevent you from tackling projects that require digging? Create a container garden. Combine annual or perennial flowers, aromatic herbs, fruits and vegetables.
Place your pots near doors, flower boxes under windows, hanging plants under the pergola, vegetable plants near the dining space, on the terrace, near the swimming pool, etc.
Learn to make them here: How to arrange potted plants
8. Set up an irrigation system
Setting up an irrigation system is a practical way to improve the aesthetics of your garden while saving time. And you can stop worrying about watering when you go on vacation in the summer. Simply place your flower pots so they benefit from regular watering!
Note that with lawns, it is preferable to water less often, but deeply.
9. Spread mulch
A simple project that makes a huge difference. Adding mulch can help give a dull yard a brand new look. Whether you choose colour mulch or natural mulch, the benefits are undeniable.
- It makes maintenance easier by preventing weeds from establishing.
- It helps to limit watering by slowing down evaporation and keeping the soil cool.
- It protects roots from temperature variations, both in winter and summer.
10. Plant the right plants in the right spots
Choose plants that are adapted to your hardiness zone and make sure the location you choose for them meets their needs (soil type, hours of sunlight, water requirements, etc.).
Make room for native plants that adapt well to your environment and require less maintenance, that are less sensitive to disease and insect infestations, and that require less fertilizer. Also consider drought-tolerant plants.
You’ll create an ecofriendly garden that’s always at its best and that requires less care.
