Top Four Tips for Great Landscaping

It might be hard to believe with the recent snow fall, but spring is upon us. Many landlords and private owners begin thinking of ways to refresh their property once the bluebells come out. The focus often tends to be on ways to improve the inside of the property with less thought on design landscaping. As long as the grass isn’t overgrown and patchy, many of us are happy.

Curb appeal, however, often adds thousands of pounds in value to a property meaning landscaping shouldn’t be an afterthought. We’ve put together a list of four areas to consider if you take the plunge to attend to your grounds.

Landscaping can be split into two forms; hardscaping and softscaping. It’s important to understand the meaning of each as an educated landscape design can require less maintenance than one that is hedged together.

Hardscaping (hard landscaping) focuses on the non-living elements that do not move such as:

• Rocks
• Brickwork
• Paving
• Pergolas
• Patios
• Seating
• Decks

Softscaping (soft landscaping) refers to the living elements that grow and change shape, including:

• Trees
• Shrubs
• Bushes
• Flowers

Here are our top four tips for hardscaping and softscaping your garden.

Get balance:

When you’re planning your property’s landscape design, make some consideration to how balanced your softscaping and hardscaping is. You should also consider how each of these elements will interact, impact and complement each other. For example, laying a stone walkway will impact what plants you choose as this could affect your overall drainage function.

Start with hardscaping:

These elements are stationary and most permanent. Think about materials that complement the style of your house and work with designs that are more rounded to add softness and increase your curb appeal. Playing with levels also adds dimension to your outdoor space, such as a sunken seating area or raised barbeque pit.

Now think of your softscape:

Once walkways, patios, barbeque areas are all sorted, it’s time to start thinking of your softscape elements. You should reach first for native plants as they’ll thrive with the right care as opposed to exotic flora that may need more attention. Accentuate paths with flowers and add dimension with hanging baskets and climbing ivy or vines.

Plan your maintenance:

Ensure you protect your property investment and landscape design by planning for routine care and upkeep from the outset. Intricate landscape designs can quickly go awry if they are not looked after, sometimes having the opposite effect and loosing precious curb appeal points.

Getting the right combination of hard and softscaping can take time, research and commitment, but the end result is an enhanced value and pleasure in your home that can often make it all worth it.