With the proper planning and consideration, a thoughtfully planned landscape design can bring years of enjoyment to your outdoor spaces. But, if not done wisely, you could end up with a landscape that not only makes you miserable but costs money in rip-outs and repairs soon after installation. Learn some of the most common mistakes that homeowners make so you can avoid them – and instead experience a lawn you love.
Common Landscape Mistakes
Homeowners make landscape design mistakes when they plant beyond their ability to maintain and impulse buy without considering what works best for their yard’s unique needs. In addition to these mistakes, there are many other ways people go wrong. Educating yourself before designing your landscape will help you achieve beautiful, healthy outdoor spaces.
Go Rogue
In your excitement to have a beautiful landscape, you may be tempted to jump right in and begin building and planting without much thought. When you take the necessary time to create a thorough landscape design plan that factors in things like utility line locations and property boundaries, you can avoid nasty surprises that tend to arise only after you have completed a labor-intensive task.
Get Lost in the Details
Unless you are building from scratch, you likely have existing outdoor components that should be considered as part of your landscape design. These may include patios, sidewalks, or outdoor air conditioning equipment. When planting, leave enough space for tree roots to spread in a way that won’t damage the preexisting structures or impede the tree’s growth.
Lose Functionality
Sure, a koi pond is beautiful. But, is it unrealistic for your space? For example, do you have toddlers who will play “fish toss?” Or is it right in the path of where your daughter sets up her volleyball net? In the case of your outdoor spaces, the functionality should come before aesthetics. It’s important to consider what the area will be used for when thinking about landscape design rather than just what looks good.
Ignore Climate
Every plant you choose should be chosen for its specific planting, sun, and soil needs. And any plants you choose for your landscape should be hardy enough to withstand our scorching high temperatures here in North Central Florida, as well as our occasional fall and winter freezes.
Too Much of Too Much
It’s good to have some variety in your landscape. But including too many different kinds of plants can make your yard look cluttered and busy, not to mention it makes it harder for you to maintain in the long run. Further, your landscape design should be coherent and match your home’s style, such as rustic, modern, or traditional, to complement your style rather than clash with it.
Forget Irrigation and Draining
It’s essential to determine how your newly planted foliage will get water and where excess water will go afterward. That’s why it’s smart to implement an irrigation system specifically designed to hydrate each area of your yard correctly. Similarly, draining should be addressed by using features such as retaining walls, pavers, or even plants.
Overlook Your Hardscape (and Lighting)
It is a mistake to spend a lot of time, effort, and money to fill your yard with plants but not consider hardscaping or lighting. If you do incorporate hardscaping, imagine what each distinct area of your yard will be used for and ensure you have planned plenty of space to make full use of it. For example, homeowners typically regret not going bigger with their hardscaping. For lighting, not using landscape lighting cuts the time you have to enjoy your yard in half.
Not Hiring a Professional Landscape Company
Some simpler aspects of your landscape can be DIY. But, for the best possible result and to ensure your landscape is designed well and created with consideration of all the aspects of your unique yard, trust the experts who have years of experience in landscape design that considers all relevant factors.
Rely on SkyFrog For Your Landscaping Needs
Our professional horticulturists at SkyFrog Landscape understand our area’s unique climate and what grows best where. Further, we have the creativity and knowledge to bring any dream you have for your landscape to life, no matter what you envision. We want you to live in your yard rather than just be in it. Contact us today for a free consultation to get started.
