Planning Your Backyard Landscaping

Your backyard deserves as much thought and care as the front or the inside of your home. Creating an environment of beauty and comfort is easy. Backyard landscaping can give your space not only a pleasing aesthetic but enhance its practical use. Here are some considerations in implementing your backyard landscaping.

Evaluate Your Backyard

Determine the soil conditions, the light level, and weather before you begin creating your backyard landscaping. This will determine the kinds of plants and shrubs that will thrive in the environment. Healthy plants with optimal growing conditions will have a bearing on how much maintenance is needed. The soil in North Carolina varies, but the Central area contains deep, well-drained soil. Low water plants tend to thrive in well-drained soil. The area also hosts fertile red clay soil. The nutrients are great for plants. However, clay retains water and too much makes it stick together. The clay can make planting difficult and needs to be broken up to allow roots to spread. Some types of ornamental grasses and flowers will thrive in clay soils.

Choose your design and elements carefully

Landscape design is often thought of as detailing where each flower and shrub will be specifically located. While the design does not need to be this specific, you should have an overall plan. You don’t want your backyard landscaping to look haphazard with random plants placed in the yard. Start with a focal point that stands out but harmonizes with the rest of the environment in color, texture or form. Accent your house with plantings to help it blend with the surroundings. Be sure not to overdo it. The key is to accent but not hide. You can also add interest to your backyard landscaping with elements that add activity and movement. Add flowers and plants that attract butterflies and birds or add plants and ornamental grasses that move with the breeze.

Plan for Maintenance

Plants and shrubs will grow. To keep your backyard landscaping beautiful, it will need regular maintenance. This means pruning trees and shrubs, mowing of grass, and planting. Mowing should be done about once a week in the spring. This is when grass grows the most. All other times of the year, mowing about every two weeks will keep your lawn well maintained. Regularly reign in trees and shrubs by pruning annually. Pruning of flowering trees and shrubs is best after they bloom. Mid- to late spring is a good time for shade trees and evergreen. Prune ornamental grasses, perennials, evergreens, and flowers in early spring. Evergreen and flowering shrubs are best pruned in early summer. Fall is another good time to prune flowers. In the winter deciduous trees and evergreens can be pruned. Your maintenance plans should also take access into account. When designing your backyard, take into account access for maintenance. It would be a shame to be faced with removal some of your beautiful backyard landscaping to allow equipment access. Consider the space needed for the mower or other tools to maintain the backyard. Also consider if you need to access the backyard to make home repairs or add a new project. Keep your backyard beautiful but also accessible.
When it’s time to plan your backyard landscaping, Landscape Solutions & Design can help. We will help make your home attractive with the right combination of flowers, trees, shrubs, and grass. Our experienced professionals are here to guide you in planning your landscape. Contact us today for a free estimate. We can keep your property looking great…all year round.