Homeownership is a lifelong dream for many. Finally purchasing your own home is a major milestone and can come with a huge number of firsts — and one of those firsts is often landscaping. When you rent your home, lawn maintenance and landscaping are typically taken care of by your landlord or property management company. Once you own your own home, however, every part of the property is your responsibility, including the beautification and maintenance of your very own yard.
Finding yourself in control of your lawn’s destiny can feel both inspiring and intimidating. Before you know it, you may have bitten off more than you can chew. If you plan to do your own landscaping, the best way to avoid this fate is to take the advice of experts. Jasmine Roth of HGTV’s “Hidden Potential” recently offered just that on the network’s Youtube channel. The designer’s main takeaway? Be realistic and strategic with your landscaping plans.
Select plants that are compatible with your lifestyle
Sometimes, creating a lawn that works for you and your household means having to accept some inconvenient truths. If you don’t love spending a lot of time working outdoors, a landscape full of high-maintenance plants isn’t realistic for you. “If you’re not going to be out in your yard every weekend pulling weeds and trimming bushes and putting new mulch down, don’t put a type of landscaping in that requires a ton of maintenance,” Jasmine Roth warns.
If gardening has never been your strong suit, filling your lawn with a large variety of plants that all require different care is only going to make you feel like a failure and might even affect the value of your home. “Don’t pick 20 different plants,” Roth advises. “Pick three different plants and repeat them … Using those in different ways within your front yard,” she adds, “can make it feel cohesive and finished.” The best landscaping plan for your yard is the one that you can easily maintain and enjoy.
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Commit to a design style
Inspiration is a key component of designing any indoor or outdoor space. It is possible, however, to become a little too inspired by landscaping ideas — and their ability to transform your space. “Pick a look and stick with it,” Jasmine Roth instructs. “There are all different types of design styles in landscaping and it’s important to stay with one.” The design style you choose should be largely based on the climate where you live as well as your personal aesthetic preferences.
Some of the most popular landscaping styles include tropical, desert, woodland, Japanese garden, French, English garden, and Tuscan-themed. Start by choosing the style that tends to feature plants that thrive in your USDA hardiness zone and then customize your design to represent you and your style. Be ready to commit to this style without hesitation or apology. Mixing practicality with personal preference will result in landscaping that’s both easy to maintain and joyful to observe and interact with.
