Landscaping Tips: Four Costly Rookie Mistakes You Should Avoid Making
Beautiful landscaping can significantly boost the beauty and functionality of any home in Ashburn, VA. After all, having the perfect lawn or outdoor living space in your backyard would be an addition that any homeowner would love to have.
Many homeowners in Ashburn, Reston, and surrounding Northern Virginia understand the importance of having beautiful landscaping. Hiring professional landscaping contractors to bring your vision to life is always an option, but the more ambitious will often try to tackle landscaping as a DIY project over the course of a few weeks. While there is nothing wrong with this approach, homeowners who wish to do their own landscaping should do their best to avoid these mistakes:
Failing to Consult a Professional Landscaper
Unless you are a professional landscaper yourself, you will definitely want to speak to a professional landscaper before starting your project. Some respected landscaping companies, such as TreeStone Landscape Design Center & Lawn Maintenance, offer “Do-It-Yourself” landscape plans. These DIY landscape plans are a “blueprint” created by a professional landscaper designer for you to follow. This plan will often contain the overall design, as well as a list of materials you will need.
On a side note, keep the contact details of the landscaping company in your wallet. In case you find that you cannot finish the project yourself or make a mistake, you can contact the designer and ask for professional help.
Focusing Too Much on the “Here and Now”
Like with interior renovations, you should always plan for the future. This is especially important when space is an issue. Think about whether or not you will need a play space for your kids, the prospect of entertaining family in your home, etc. It will be much more cost-effective to create a design that addresses both the present and the future.
Adding Too Many Attention-Grabbing Décor
You will want to add a focal point to your landscape. It can be a statue or a rare and beautiful plant. Once you’ve decided what the focal point will be, make sure your design draws your eyes and moves it through the landscape, ending at the focal point. Having too many attention-grabbing décor easily ruins this natural build-up and only makes your landscape seem chaotic.
Placing Structures “Wherever There’s Space”
Be aware of what your home is like during different times of the day and year when deciding to build a patio or other structures. For example, you may want to build a patio on the west side of your home because there’s enough space for one, but that area would be hit by the afternoon sun, making it very uncomfortable to entertain guests or have dinner there.
Sources
8 Strategies for a Smart Landscape Design, hgtv.com
12 Money-Saving Landscaping Tips, bhg.com