What is landscaping considered? Is it a line of boxwood shrubs? A backyard pool and patio? How about a concrete fountain or raised flower beds? Landscaping is all of the above and more.
Simply put, landscaping tasks involve design, installation, construction, and maintenance of features outside your home (that typically raise your home’s value and curb appeal). Some of those features are considered softscape — the growing things like flowers, trees, and your lawn. Others are considered hardscape — things like gazebos, walkways, patios, decks, and retaining walls.
All of these features work together to create a relaxing outdoor space in your own backyard. Let’s learn more about landscaping here!
What Is the Importance of Landscaping?
Aside from adding beauty to the exterior of a home, the right landscaping design offers a number of benefits. For example:
- Privacy: trees, bushes, and privacy fencing are all elements that can provide a sense of solitude and tranquility
- Environmental Benefits: more trees and more plants = more clean air for everyone to breathe, and native plants can provide habitat for local birds and butterflies
- Lower Energy Costs: strategically placed trees and shrubs can cut A/C bills and create wind breaks to reduce heating costs
- Outdoor Living: gardens, patios, pools, outdoor kitchens, and more can all make spending time outside more enjoyable
Plus, the right landscaping upgrades can improve the value of a property considerably when it comes time to sell.
Landscape Design
Before breaking ground on any landscaping work, homeowners should ask themselves this important question. “How long do I plan to stay in this house?”
If the answer is several years, homeowners are freer to landscape the yard to their particular taste. But if the plan is to sell soon, it’s important to consider what potential home buyers will like. The right landscaping can push up the sale price considerably.
To plan the design, homeowners can consult landscaping magazines, books, TV shows, and local experts to get ideas and form a vision of what they want. If real estate trends are a concern, talk with a landscape designer to get an idea of what people like.
Think about design elements such as lines and form as well as colors and textures. For a big makeover, it is highly recommended to hire a landscaping company and landscape architect to achieve the big picture.
Landscape architecture is a challenging job. Practical necessities like electricity and plumbing must be balanced with art and design. However, many a homeowner has created a beautiful yard so the task is not impossible. Commonly, there is a blend of responsibility where a homeowner will hire out the most difficult projects like hardscape.
Good landscaping starts at design, and building it to be aesthetically pleasing and practical is well worth the effort. Don’t forget convenience features like automated irrigation systems and entertainment focal points like fire pits.
Landscape Installation
Firstly, the design is mapped out. Then, it’s time to break ground. A landscaping project can be large or small and the work can go on anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
Landscape installation includes installing softscape elements such as:
- Mulch
- Sod
- Lawn seed
- Plants/flowers
- Trees/shrubs
- Gardens
Homeowners should consider how long these elements will thrive/bloom. Landscaping that only looks gorgeous for a couple of months out of the year isn’t super helpful.
Landscape Construction
Landscape construction is more involved than simply planting flowers. It includes constructing hardscape elements such as:
- Driveways/walkways/pavers/brickwork
- Retaining walls/raised beds
- Water features
- Patios/decks
- Sprinkler and drainage systems
- Lighting systems
- Ground preparation and soil amendment
- Landscaping fabric to minimize weeds
Depending on the scope of the project, this process can take several weeks. Heavy machinery may be required (such as for excavating a pool). A certain amount of landscaping work experience is generally necessary for the success of the project as well as for safety.
Landscape Maintenance
Landscaped yards are living things. It’s impossible to just build them and then let them sit. They will require maintenance to keep the softscape vibrant and the hardscape clean and in good repair. Generally, landscape maintenance includes:
- Lawn mowing and edging
- Aeration
- Tree and shrub pruning and shaping
- Fertilizer application at correct dosage and frequency
- Weeding
- Seasonal cleanup and leaf removal
- Disease and pest treatment
Homeowners can either do this themselves or hire a reputable company to perform these tasks on a recurring basis. Consistency is key.
Crafting Beautiful Landscapes
Maybe you’re ready to get your yard in shape or start planning a major overhaul? Here at Atlanta Turf & Tree, we have over 35 years of combined experience in the industry, and we turn our clients’ ideas into reality every day. We’re prepared to bring our landscaping and lawn care expertise to your project, and we excel in crafting beautiful landscapes that last. Contact our landscaping services experts with questions or to schedule an appointment to build your landscaping vision.
