An appealing landscape will ramp up your curb appeal and enhance your own enjoyment of your home. If you’re in the process of designing your landscape, or wish to enhance your backyard, check out these tips and tricks from a Long Island landscape architect.
Keep function in mind
While aesthetics are important in creating an inviting yard and adding value to your home, it’s equally important to consider the other functions of your plantings. Rows of conifers are excellent shielding prevailing winds and can also be used to create privacy. Hedges can be used to separate your outdoor spaces or be used to mark the boundary of your property, while trees can be used to reduce light and noise pollution, and of course provide shade during the summer.
Plant for all seasons
Enjoy your backyard year round by ensuring that you include plants for every season. Flowers can be selected so that their flowering periods are staggered from spring to fall. Evergreen trees, meanwhile, will add color and texture to your garden all year round - especially handy during the bleak winter months.
Hardscaping
Your hardscaping will, for the most part, form the central features of your yard. Getting your hardscaping done first will allow your landscape design to fall into place around it. It’s also wise to get this done before doing any planting as hardscaping often requires heavy machinery that could disrupt plants in their delicate early growing stages.
Contrasts of textures and shapes
Balance is the key to a successful landscaping design. Place plants with contrasting textures, colors, height and shapes together to create visual interest. Small, round shrubs, for example, can be used to bring variation to the vertical lines of reeds, while flowers of complementary colors will enhance each other’s visual impact. Related: 5 Best Materials for your Landscape Architecture
Add garden seating
Whether it’s to take a load off at the end of the day or draw guests into your yard, garden seating is a great way to add character and functionality to your smaller outdoor areas. Benches can be as decorative as they are functional, but they aren’t the only kind of garden seating available. Retaining walls, logs, boulders and hanging garden chairs can also be used to add charm and provide a place for a well-deserved break. Related: Patio Furniture Ideas For Long Island Homeowners.
Keep the kids in mind
As much as we love spending time in the garden, the chances are your kids are going to get a lot more use out of your yard than working adults. Don’t forget to bear them in mind when choosing a landscape design. Large patches of lawn to run around on, interesting nooks and crannies and trees for climbing are just a few ways of ensuring the kids will love spending time outdoors. Depending on the age range of your family, keep a space open for swing sets, slides, trampolines and other playthings for your little ones.
Add character to nooks and crannies
It’s the small details that give gardens personality. These details don’t always have to take a prominent position as a focal point to be noticed. Small touches go a long way. Wagon wheels, arches, and homemade arts and crafts can add character to tucked away areas and invite guests to further explore the hidden details of your garden.
Related: Using Landscape Architecture to Take Advantage of a Stunning View