A beautiful landscape doesn’t just increase your home’s value, it provides mental satisfaction and improves health. Here’s what to consider before making any changes to your yard.
Landscaping Springdale AR is a more complex process than gardening. It involves the aesthetic design of outdoor areas and includes structures like pathways, retaining walls and water features.
1. Visual Details
A good landscaping project can significantly improve a home’s curb appeal and raise its value. Some homeowners hire professional landscapers while others choose to do it themselves. Whatever the choice, careful planning and regular maintenance are important factors. The layout of the garden and its hardscape elements like trees, paths, walls, water features and fences must be considered carefully to ensure the project will be successful.
Landscape designers use the five elements of composition—line, form, color, texture, and visual weight—as guidelines to organize the features in a garden. These elements can be used to create a variety of different styles, from natural landscapes to formal designs.
Line is the most basic element of composition, creating shapes and forms in the landscape. Landscape lines can be created several ways, including when two different materials meet or contrast with each other, such as a brick patio meeting an expanse of green turf; or by the way a material is placed, such as a fence lined with a row of shrubs.
The shapes of the landscape can be inspired by the shape of the house and its features, such as diagonal walls or a hexagonal pergola. These shapes can also serve as a guide for the placement of features such as flower beds and focal points. Another key feature of the landscape is the gradation of surfaces. The transition from one level to the next should be gradual, so that there is a sense of movement throughout the design.
Different colors can be used to add contrast and interest in the landscape. The color scheme can be monochromatic, where all the colors are a variation of one, or it can be a complementary color scheme with both primary and secondary colors. In addition, a mix of textures can be used to add depth and dimension to the garden.
The final aspect of the landscape is its visual weight, which determines how important an area is in relation to the rest of the garden. For example, a water feature may have a higher visual weight than a tree.
2. Scents
Landscaping is not just about aesthetics; it involves the senses as well. In addition to the calming sight of neatly-trimmed trees and vivid flowers, the touch of smooth patios and stepping stones, and the sound of water structures like ponds and fountains, many clients request elements that appeal to the sense of smell as well.
The smell of the landscape evokes memories and emotions, just as the taste of food does. Clients often request fragrant plants that attract pollinators, as well as plants that produce a pleasant aroma when the wind blows.
The scents of landscaping can come from water features, earth, fragrant flowers, and trees. For example, the Pennsylvania native chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) tree has fragrant fruit and berries, as well as white blooms that emit a pleasant smell when they open in springtime. Fragrant bushes such as the purple grape hyacinth (Muscari spp) and tulips (Tulipa spp) can add to your enjoyment of your garden when they bloom, and even after they’re finished, their sweet scents will linger in the air.
3. Functionality
Landscapes add beauty and value to properties, but they also provide practical benefits. From attracting wildlife to reducing energy costs, landscaping can improve the overall health of your home. When done right, it creates a harmonious balance between nature and human-made structures.
Landscaping encompasses a variety of activities, including plant selection, terrain modification, and the integration of structures like paths, patios, and decorative stone elements. The practice is typically done on a large scale and requires professional expertise to implement and maintain.
Functionality is a crucial element in landscaping, as it ensures that the design you choose meets your personal and family needs. For example, if you want your property to be more accessible for walking, you might install pathways made of gravel or patio pavers that run throughout the yard. This will allow you to move around the property without trampling on your plants and destroying the hard work you’ve put into your garden or yard.
The plants you choose can also serve a practical purpose, depending on the climate and soil conditions in your area. For example, choosing plants that are adapted to the local environment can reduce water usage and maintenance needs. Additionally, using mulches and other methods to retain moisture can prevent the plants from drying out during hot weather.
In addition to serving a practical purpose, landscaping can help conserve the natural environment. For instance, the trees and plants you choose to grow can reduce air pollution by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Furthermore, the greenery can help reduce noise pollution by absorbing sound.
When it comes to maintaining a sustainable environment, landscaping can make a significant impact. For example, by using drought-tolerant plants and implementing water-harvesting systems, you can cut back on the amount of water used for irrigation. By using sustainable practices, you can protect the environment and minimize your carbon footprint.
4. Maintenance
Landscaping involves both the design of an outdoor space and its regular care. It includes a range of plant species and natural features like ponds or fountains, but also structural elements such as paths, patios, fences, and garden structures. Landscaping can be for aesthetic purposes or for practical uses like erosion control, acoustic enhancement, or improving drainage.
Landscaping is often a collaborative effort with a professional landscaper who may conduct a terrain assessment, develop plans and ideas for functional improvements, and then implement the changes. They are experts at designing a layout to balance visual appeal with the environment and needs of the outdoor space.
A common element of landscaping is the use of mulch, which not only looks good but helps to retain moisture and reduce weed growth. It also helps with soil health and nutrient cycling. Landscaping professionals regularly trim plants, prune trees, and perform pest and disease management to keep the outdoor space looking great while ensuring its safety.
Some people choose to landscape for beauty while others are more interested in practical improvements like a better backyard escape or increased property value. The goal is to create a balanced outdoor space that is functional, visually appealing, and easy to maintain.
Landscape maintenance is an ongoing process that varies depending on the season. It includes seasonal preparation to ensure the yard survives the harsh winter weather, but it also includes regular mowing and pruning, fertilization, and watering.
It is important to select the right plants for a landscaping project. For example, using native plants is a smart choice because they are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions and will require less maintenance than non-native species. It’s also a great idea to add natural features to your backyard, like rain gardens, to help with soil conservation and water management.
A beautiful and well-maintained landscape not only looks good, but it makes a positive impression on employees, clients, and visitors. It’s important to work with a professional landscaper who understands the unique needs of commercial properties and can provide the services you need to keep your grounds in top condition.
