Do’s & Don’ts of Landscaping

Landscaping is the art of fitting your house into an attractive picture and providing your family with enjoyment year-round through extra living space.  Work toward individuality in your landscaping.  Most housing developments look like stereotypes.  Seek professional advice on problem areas.  Don’t buy a plant until you know its name, needs, and ultimate size. Consider the mature size and shape of the plants in relation to their proposed planting site.

When preparing to landscape your yard, be sure to check your pH and  EC so you can determine what needs to be added to create the perfect growing environment. Local garden centers can test your pH levels for you. Remember that your bed preparation is to your yard what your foundation is to your house. When done beforehand, a small investment is made.  It is difficult and costly to correct afterwards.  Most areas need soil amendments with organic matter.  Especially in newly constructed homes.  Most topsoil that contained organic matter has been removed and you have to start from scratch.

Be sure that all of your beds drain well.  Raised beds work best. They not only “show off” your plants better but they drain well too.  Plants need water but very few plants like wet feet.  Water should drain away quickly and this does not happen in clay soil.  Use organic fertilizer when possible.  You will get a more balanced plant environment in which your investment will thrive.

Always carry the front foundation around the corner of the house.  This gives the planting a feeling of unity.  Use a combination of evergreens and deciduous shrubs.  When grouping plants, plant in odd numbers 3,5,7 etc.  Repeating group plantings unifies the planting.  You may want to use a ground cover under low windows rather than obstruct the view.  Use group plantings at the corner rather than a single shrub.  Plant taller shrubs to the rear and “facedown” with lower ones in front.

Make the plantings on each side of the entrance a unit to frame the entrance.  Use an accent plant in a container if the size of the porch allows it.  Don’t use plants with thorns or stickers near the entrance.  What is the plant’s texture? A fine texture will create a feeling of space, while a coarse texture will help enclose the area.

When considering a patio,  the minimum size should be 9 x 12.  Locate the patio in an area of maximum privacy.  A patio roof should be of a material that offers shade and good ventilation.  Consider leaving an opening for a tree or shrub.  A little green in the pavement will add coolness on hot summer days.  Use flowers to add color.  Plant a clean tree to provide shade close to the patio.  One that will not drop messy fruit, leaves, or bark onto the patio.  Try to add interest by making the patio in a shape other than square or rectangle.  Sweeping curves are most interesting and blend well and give a natural effect.

Landscapes with a naturalistic woodland effect are popular today.  To get this effect, space trees irregularly and relatively close together.  Each type should be massed together.  Plant bulbs in clumps or groups rather than in straight lines.  Use flowering trees for spring and summer color.   Plant a few evergreens for winter color.  Use broad leafs (azaleas, holly, & rhododendron)in groups of perennials throughout the planting.  Also use ground covers to cut down on maintenance and weed control.

Fences and walls may be needed for privacy.  A privacy fence should be about 6 to 7 ft. tall.  In an area used mostly for sitting, it could be lower.  Decorate fences and walls with vines.  A fence or wall also looks good as a background for annual and perennial borders. 

When screening unsightly views, determining what needs to be screened.  This can be difficult.  There may be a need for summer and winter screening or screening for just one season.  The farther the screen is from the viewing spot, generally the taller it must be. 

Design the landscape so maintenance and pruning can be kept to a minimum.  Use ground covers around trees or in shrub beds to help control weeds.  Use mulch over soil in planting beds. Fall is an excellent time to plant.  Planting can continue until the soil is frozen hard.