Water Cooler: Tips for beginner landscapers
If you’re new to landscaping but want to try doing it yourself to stay on budget, there are an overwhelming number of factors to consider. That’s part of the fun, but it takes a bit of research. Here are some landscaping aspects to mull over before you decide to take the deep dive into planning your landscaping dreams this year.
A great starting point for landscape brainstorming is to think about your personal style. Is it important to you that the landscaping matches the house? Do you like a modern look, something with a cottage aesthetic, something fun and eccentric or are you more traditional? Even if you aren’t sure what plants to choose or design to plan for, this provides guidance for your choices and something to fall back on when you aren’t sure which direction to take.
Decide if you want to do any “hardscaping.” This refers to any aspect of the landscaping that isn’t living such as walls, arbors, patios or any other built structure. Because this is usually more expensive and permanent than the “softscape” aspects of landscaping, it’s beneficial to figure out those plans first. Think about what function you want the hardscape to serve and how much space it will need to do so. Hardscape can also serve as an important element during the winter to provide structure and character for the outdoor space when most plants have lost their color and shape.
Speaking of planning for winter, it’s good to think about how your outdoor space will transform over each season. Perennials provide beautiful spring color with flowering trees and shrubs coming in a bit later. Plant flowers or shrubs that hold blooms until late summer. Vines, shrubs and deciduous trees transform in the autumn to provide rich color. Evergreens are an obvious choice for year-round color during the winter, but you can also consider trees with rich red or stark white bark for delicate winter beauty. Plants or trees with interesting shape and structure also provide pleasing visuals that are only highlighted by a lack of foliage.
Think low-maintenance. Unless you like to spend hours every week maintaining your outdoor space, you are better off choosing plants that do well in your local climate and ecosystem. Xeriscaping is landscape design that requires little or no irrigation, which can save you money on water costs as well as late summer frustration when a heat wave wilts your plants. For those who want a lawn area for activities but hate fussing over grass, consider planting clover with your grass. Clover used to be included in lawn seed mix, but it has become less popular. It has great drought-tolerance, competes with weeds and doesn’t grow very tall. You can also implement groundcover plants or mulch around tree and garden beds to reduce water evaporation from soil.
Layer your designs and beds. This helps create dimension through the space. You can achieve this by creating rock gardens with varying vertical layers, or you can plant layered rows in garden beds planting the tallest plants in the back and coming down in height as you move toward the edge of the bed. Using layers can provide some structure for deciding how to color coordinate plants and create a lush, filled-in look. Layered landscaping also provides fun and interesting areas for walkways, encouraging wandering strolls through the various aspects of the outdoor space. Those who like a clean and modern look can opt for hard-edged layers, while those who like more romantic and rustic gardens can choose curved lines and shapes to sculpt the layout of the layers.
Rachel Baker can be reached at (509) 459-5583 or rachelb@spokesman.com