What exactly is landscaping?

Well, there are a lot of different things that fall under the category of landscaping. Adding ornaments to your yard, adding plants to your yard that were not already there, and even just cutting your grass all count as landscaping. Landscaping is a process of making a yard around a house or plot of land more attractive by altering the existing design in some way. There are so many different ways to do that nowadays that landscaping is a very broad term.

Why should I think about landscaping?

There are quite a few reasons to think about landscaping for your yard, and each and every person wants to do it differently. Some people are concerned with having a pristine looking yard, while others want to attract animals or certain types of bugs. Some people want a yard that will impress others while others will want a yard that is comfortable for them to be in. No matter the reason, landscaping is something that you can do to be creative, to make your space your very own.

Is there such a thing as too much?

The solid answer to this is of course! While lawn gnomes and other yard trinkets can be placed in your yard to look tasteful, they can also create a yard that looks disorganized and messy. As the saying goes, ‘too much of a good thing is never good’, and landscaping is no exception. Having a yard that is too cluttered by ornaments or that is full of plants that seem to have no organization can actually detract from the way your yard looks.

What are the things that I can do to improve my yard?

There are quite a few landscaping ideas and designs that you can use to create the perfect yard for you. Here are just a few of them lawn and landscaping businesses do:

1. Add birdbaths and bird feeders – Bird baths and bird feeders can draw all sorts of beautiful birds to your area. There are also things called hummingbird feeders that you put a sugar-water mixture in that attracts hummingbirds, which can be a lovely sight to see. Birds also help to make a yard more natural and pretty.

2. Plant flowers and other beautiful plants – It does not matter what kinds of plants you want in your yard, you can find a way to organize them and make your yard beautiful. Plants will also draw birds, pollen carrying creatures and other animals to your yard.

The best part is, if you were to keep away certain pests, you can plant certain plants. Marigolds, chrysanthemums, mint, basil, citronella grass, lavender, chives, and petunias are all plants that can be planted to keep away pests like fleas, spiders, flies, and mosquitos. If you want a pretty yard that is free from certain pests you can plant some of these plants to keep them away. You can also plant these plants if you plan on spending a lot of time in your yard gardening or with your family. There is nothing more annoying than having a yard full of pests at a barbeque.

3. Put mulch to use – Mulch can be a very wonderful and good-looking thing. You can get it in a variety of colors and styles in order to make your flower beds and around trees less bare. There are also a number of other benefits that mulch provides for your yard besides beauty. Mulch around trees and water beds will reduce the number of times that you have to water your plants, conserving water, which is a very valuable thing for our ecosystem. Another good thing that mulch does is it prevents the growth of weeds if they have been properly removed before planting. This will reduce the amount of weed killer that you use, also something that is useful for our environment.

4. You can plant certain types of grasses – There are a number of different kinds of grasses that you can plant, and each different kind of grass kind of has its own purpose. Some grasses look nice, some of them require less care and some of them are indigenous grasses. No matter what grass you choose there is always one that will suit the look you want for your yard. Of course, it is always encouraged that you plant grasses that require less cutting and watering for environmental purposes, but it is your yard, it is up to you to do as you please.

5. You can add decorations – There is a large number of different things that you can add to your yard in order to decorate it, and it is all up to you. As described before there is a such thing as too much, so be very aware of what you are cluttering your yard with. You can add what is called lawn ornaments, but those can get really tacky really fast if you do not choose correctly. Lighting can also add decoration to your yard, although the best lighting to use is solar powered. Lighting is best used when illuminating a walkway or certain areas of the yard.

Other decorations, that also serve functions outside of just being decorations, are patios and little ponds. A large number of people like to create ponds in their yards, but make sure you have the time for the care and maintenance of these yard decorations. Gross ponds can draw mosquitos and do not look very nice.

What is the best option for my yard?

Your yard choices are pretty much up to you. If you think it looks nice, then do it! Do not let someone else tell you that your yard is ugly just because it is not what they like or are used to. Your yard should be about you and your family. If you have no clue what to do or where you should start you have a number of different options to check out for ideas.

There are a large number of magazines that you can use to get ideas for your yard and home, like Better Homes and Gardens, Country Gardens, The English Garden, Fine Gardening, Garden Design, Garden Gate Magazine, Horticulture, Gardens Illustrated, Sunset Magazine, or Birds and Blooms. You can also use social media sites like Facebook and Pintrest, not to mention the many gardening sites there are. If you do not feel confident you can do it alone, go the professional route. It never hurts to consult a professional landscaper, and they may be able to create your perfect yard cheaper than you can, you never know.

Basically, it is all up to you. It is your choice because it is your yard. You know what you like and what you are looking for. You know how much time you will be able to devote to the care of your yard. The final decision is up to you and your family, no one can tell you what to do or how to design your yard.