Having a well-groomed yard will change the entire look and feel of your home. From flower beds to outdoor lighting, the quality of your landscape is important for several reasons. Probably the most important reason is it will add to your home’s value by up to 12 percent.
Proper landscaping and lighting will also add curb appeal to your home. Bring attention to the accents, flowers, trees, and shrubs, as well as the lawn. Your neighbors will be green with envy.
Are you looking for landscaping ideas for your home this summer? Here are the top nine ideas that can help you to revamp your yard.
1. Use More Potted Plants
Incorporating potted plants in your landscape will make your yard more versatile and easier to maintain. The plants themselves will add color to your landscape, and you can decorate the pots for more color. You can choose pots of different shapes and sizes to complement the architecture and structures you have inside your home.
For added attractiveness, you can choose colors that stand out well during the summer. These colors include pink, white, purple, sunshine yellow, light green, and dusty blue.
2. Look for Native Plants
When buying plants for your lawn, choose ones that are native to your area. This is necessary because certain plants do well in certain regions. When you pick plants that are native to your region, you will lower your maintenance cost.
You will lower your consumption of water and drastically reduce the cost of pruning. Native plants are naturally adapted to your climate and will survive even with the least attention.
Exotic plants may require special treatment, which may increase the maintenance cost. They are also expensive, meaning you’ll spend more money on them.
3. Combine Different Types of Plants
A plan that is appealing to you may not necessarily be appealing to your guests. So, by having a variety of plants in your yard, everyone will identify with their centers of attraction. Likewise, different flowers also bloom at different times of the year.
At least, you’ll have some that will bloom in summer by having a variety of plants in your home. It is also a way of ensuring your home looks attractive throughout the year.
If you have flowers that bloom at the same time, your home will only look attractive during one season. Try incorporating perennial plants, such as the Rozanne geranium. This plant blooms from June to September.
4. Use Curved Lines
A landscaper will most likely add some edging around the driveway, sidewalks, house foundation, and flower gardens. Straight-line edgings are never attractive.
To make your landscape more appealing, use curved edgings. Since these edgings are permanent, they will enhance your landscape for years to come. If you have straight-line edgings, think about replacing them with curved ones this summer.
5. Consider Outdoor Seating
Provide an outdoor escape by installing a bench or patio near the edge of the lawn. It is necessary to provide you and your guests a place to relax when it is hot. You can use concrete, pavers, or stones to create outdoor seating.
It is best to put the bench or patio under a large tree or a big flower. This is the best way to guarantee you’ll be in a shaded location when the sun is shining. It also gives you a sense of privacy.
6. Illuminate Walkways and Focal Points
Landscaping is not just about plants. Lighting also plays a big role in improving the appearance of your home. In fact, with poor lighting, your home will look insecure.
For the sake of aesthetics, put more emphasis on illuminating walkways and the most attractive areas of your home. Having your walkways well-lit makes them safer to walk on at night. The illumination will also make your home more attractive.
7. Consider Using Artificial Grass
Families use a lot more water during the summer. If you also have to water your grass, you will see a spike in your bill. That’s because there is a lot of evaporation during the summer. This means you’ll have to use a lot of water to keep your plants healthy.
The best way around this is to use artificial grass. Doing this will only leave you with a few trees, flowers, and shrubs to water. You’ll spend less, but your lawn will still look attractive. Furthermore, artificial grass is kid-proof and dog-proof. You won’t have to worry about your dogs or kids running around and damaging your grass.
8. Plant Lavender
Lavender is a flowering plant that’s easy to maintain. Not only that, but it also will give your home a color burst plus a reposeful scent. You only need to water lavender once or twice a week when the temperatures are very hot. Another advantage of lavender is that it has bug-repelling properties.
9. Create a Water Feature
The sight of flowing water or a fountain gives your guests a refreshing feeling. Consider installing one or more water features in your home where people can see them easily. You can use stones or rocks to hide a water pipe and let the water flow to a garden. You can also create a fountain that forms a balloon of water in the air.
Do not create a complex water feature. This will not make it look natural. The more natural the water feature looks, the better for your landscape.
Conclusion
Landscaping isn’t as simple an endeavor as many might think. It involves a lot of hard work and planning. That’s why there are professional landscapers. These professionals will study the terrain of your lawn, the type of soil you have, and the climate of your region. They will then design the landscape professionally and choose the best plants for you.
If irrigation is necessary, they will also advise you on the best irrigation system. They will design the lighting system, too, so your home looks attractive and safe at night.