The Basics of Landscape Design for First-Time Homeowners

If you are a first-time homeowner, then we’re pretty sure that you’re thinking about all of the things that you can do to make your house exactly the way you want it to be. You may be choosing some interior paint colors. Or perhaps you’re looking at some new fixtures for your kitchen or bathroom. Well, as you’re in the process of doing some decorating, make sure that you don’t overlook your yard. After all, before your guests can see all of what you’ve done on the inside of your house, the first thing they need to see is the amazing job you did to boost up your curb appeal.

If you’re interested in knowing about some of the basic design tips that you should keep in mind when it comes to creating an amazing landscape, we’ve got five failsafe tips for you below:

Don’t plant trees, bushes and shrubs too close together. One of the first rules of successful landscaping is keeping proximity in mind when it comes to planting trees, bushes and even shrubs. When it comes to trees, they need to be far apart enough so that their branches will not “run into each other”. Bushes need a certain amount of distance too. For instance, if you choose some bushes that are estimated to grow approximately six feet wide, then they need to be planted a little more than six feet apart. Also, if you’re planning on planting them by a fence or water feature, make sure that they are at least three feet away from that particular object. As far as shrubs, although they are smaller, give them a foot or so of distance from other shrubs; just to prevent overcrowding.

Select plants that are low-maintenance. If you’re not someone who was naturally born with a green thumb, that’s OK. There are actually several plants that are considered to be pretty low-maintenance. Some of our favorites include the Chinese Fringe Tree, the Quartz Rose Verbena, the Firelight Spiraea, the Rockspray Cotoneaster and the Fireworks Goldenrod. You can find these by going to your favorite search engine and putting their names, along with “nursery” or “seed” in the search field.

Hide things you don’t want to see. Here’s a tip from a lot of professional landscapers: Use the bushes, shrubs, plants and flowers that you want to plant as an opportunity to hide some of the things in your yard that you don’t particularly want others to see. It could be anything from the underside of your porch to some pipes on the backside of your home.

Mix shapes and colors. If you were to consult with a landscaping company like Vivid Lawns for a few landscape design tips, one of things that they would probably tell you is that you should not be afraid to have fun with the different shapes and colors of plants. Just make sure that you select colors that complement each other and that you do your mixing in moderation. 2-4 different colors are usually sufficient for each section.

Consult with a professional. Our final tip? Remember that if the thought of doing anything of this overwhelms you that there are professional landscaping companies in every city in the country who can do a thorough and truly wonderful job. For information on how to choose the best landscaping company for your yard, visit Choice Landscaping Services and put “tips for choosing the right landscaping services contractor” in the search field.