Professional Results, DIY Prices: 7 Landscaping Tips From the Pros

Want to increase your home’s curb appeal without blowing your budget to the moon? It’s more feasible than you think to DIY a landscaping makeover. These seven simple landscaping tips from the pros will help any homeowner looking to lush up their lawn without emptying their bank account.

Create a low-maintenance lawn

Pick out a hardy, self-sufficient ground cover like Bermuda grass, zoysia grass, or St. Augustine grass to serve as the foundation for your home’s outdoor atmosphere. These sorts of grass species don’t require careful watering and fertilizing, and they’re all readily available from trusted seed suppliers like Nature’s Seed. For that extra wow factor, try overseeding your lawn.

Employ perennial plants for year-round resplendence

It’s a safe bet that you want your yard to look nice twelve months out of the year rather than just four-to-six. Therefore, get some landscaping ideas for front yard as the evergreen shrubs and flowering perennials can help you keep your yard looking like spring, even in the dead of winter. Their steadfast greenery will lend your home a lush, vibrant appearance long after the seasonal superstars have come and gone.

Turn hedges into natural edging

Rather than installing unsightly plastic or metal garden barriers, bring in some luxurious bushy plants and prune them so that they neatly contour each self-contained bed or section of your garden. As an added perk, boundary lines can also do wonders for softening the hard lines and angles of your home’s exterior.

Use walkways to connect individual areas

Map out meandering footpaths to eliminate the sense of separation between discrete growth zones and establish a single unified environment. A path made from pavers, bricks, or natural flagstones will beckon visitors through your backyard oasis while also preventing your prized grass from becoming trampled underfoot.

Incorporate water features that flow with the whole.

An idyllic fountain, shallow pond, or murmuring cascade can be the cherry on top of an already scenic lawn or garden. Most of these fixtures run on continually recycled water, so you won’t have to worry about your monthly utility bill going through the roof. For best results, go for a style that matches the rest of your garden. For example, if you’ve gone in a rustic direction for your other decorations, a pump barrel fountain could be the perfect finishing touch.

Build berms to fill in blank space.

Berms are raised patches of earth on top of which landscapers often plant flowers or put down rock gardens. This design choice breaks up the monotony of the grass with something more unique. When artfully constructed, they can be perfect for adding visual interest to “dead” areas where there isn’t much going on.

Provide some comfortable seating.

Nothing is more delightful than tiptoeing through the tulips, except perhaps stopping to sit for a while. Browse benches and other seating solutions online or at your local gardening store. Use your mental visualization skills to pick something that will comfort your guests while complementing your existing aesthetic.

Last Looks

You don’t have to drop big bucks to make big improvements to your landscaping. With just a little bit of money and a weekend set aside, you can bring your landscaping from rags to riches.

Russell Chen

With a rich background in Horticulture from the University of Melbourne, Russell Chen has over 18 years of experience in garden design and management. He has been a key contributor to our site, after serving as a chief horticulturist at a renowned botanical garden in Australia. Russell's articles often reflect his passion for eco-friendly gardening and he has been sharing insights into sustainable gardening practices. In his leisure time, he loves exploring herbal gardening and participating in community greening projects.

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