Yard design is one of the most overlooked aspects of a home. While everyone knows to focus on the kitchen and bathrooms, the curb appeal is something that can make a huge difference in the selling price of a house. But how do you get started? What if you don’t want to water and mow constantly?
Here are 3 simple yard design ideas to make your home pop:
1. Small yard design: small yards require their own separate category. You really have to be careful and efficient about how the space is used, so a little bit of planning is key. Decide on a focal point, whether that is an expensive plant or a feature of the house. As an example, an apple or citrus tree has a small footprint, yet gives huge visual impact. Use this as your starting point, then develops your yard’s landscape design out from the focal point. Once you’re finished, try to simplify and remove a few things.
2. Garden: Why not form and function? A vegetable or herb garden provides a ton of color, and has the added benefit of being delicious later on. You can either create a structure design like and English garden, or just plant things that you like to eat wherever it’s convenient. For more color, intersperse peppers or edible flowers.
3. Xeriscaping: Xeriscaping is a fancy word for a landscape design that requires minimal irrigation. While many think of this as gravel and cacti, in reality it just means planting things native to your area. There are a lot of benefits to designing your yard this way. First of all, the entire idea is for it to look and feel native and natural, so all of the visual design work is done.
Secondly, it is extremely low maintenance, perfect for those that are busy or just don’t enjoy yard work. And lastly, it used very little or no irrigation, which saves on upfront costs and monthly water bills.
However you decide to design your yard, remember to relax and have fun with the project. Enjoy the outdoors, see if you can get some help for the project. Still unsure about how to design your landscape? Just go for a walk around your neighborhood. Bring a pen and paper, jot down any ideas that you have or plants that you like. Not only will this give you some create ideas, but it can really create a subtle, cohesive look in your neighborhood.