10 Mistakes in Landscape Design

It’s not uncommon for new homeowners to take on the task of landscaping their properties themselves instead of letting a professional handle the job. They have a vision in mind, and they think they know how to bring it to life. Some are successful, but all too many find out all too quickly that landscape design isn’t as easy as they thought it was going to be.

If you’re a DIY homeowner and you want to take on the responsibility to creating a beautiful landscape around your home, then here are the top 10 mistakes in landscape design from Trusst’s home builders in Wilmington NC that you’re going to want to avoid.

#1: Planting Without a Plan

Landscaping is not something that should be done by the seat of your pants. There needs to be order and you need to have a plan. Piecemeal planting results in uncoordinated beds and poor placement of plants. Draw up a sketch of your yard and start planning your landscape. Make sure you draw your plants as mature plants, not the seedlings you’re starting with, so you know exactly where to place them.

#2: Forgetting Fall Foliage

Everybody waits in anticipation for spring’s and summer’s colorful blooms, but few pay attention to fall’s beautiful colors. When planning your landscape, be sure to include plants that bloom at various times throughout the year so your beds are always alive with fresh seasonal colors.

#3: Lack of Winter Landscaping

When winter rolls around, most yards lose their color, but that doesn’t mean you can’t compensate for it. Plant evergreen shrubs and trees strategically around your property, this way you’ll always have some greenery even in the cold, winter months.

#4: No Back Up Watering Plan

Landscaping requires regular watering to keep it vibrant and colorful all season long, but what happens when you go on vacation? If you don’t have a programmable irrigation system in place, your beautiful plants could be dried up husks by the time you return home.

#5: Hillside Planting with No Retaining Wall

If you have a steep hill that you want to try and add some character to, you need to make sure you install a retaining wall before you start planting or your hill’s soil will continue to erode away. So, build the wall and then do your planting.

#6: Not Working with What You Have

Not every new home comes with an ideal yard. Some yards are rocky, some have too much shade, and some get way too much sun. But, instead of just giving up, choose a landscape design that works within the confines you’re dealing with.

#7: Planting Deer-Friendly Plants

There’s nothing worse than spending all day planting only to wake up the next morning to discover that a few deer ravaged all of your hard work. Make sure you include some deer-resistant plants in your landscape design to avoid this devastating scenario.

#8: Lack of Organization

Landscaping is hard work, so it helps to use the right tools for the job. But, what happens when you can’t find the tool you need? You wind up working twice as hard and getting half as much done. Therefore, having an organized system for storing your gardening tools is essential for good landscaping.

#9: Choosing Aesthetics Over Functionality

Most homeowners landscape based purely on aesthetics, but a successful landscape design is so much more than that. A home’s landscape should be strategically designed so it will benefit the home, such as planting shade trees in certain areas so they cast shade over the home, which will help keep it cooler in the summer months or planting fast-growing plants in parts of the yard where you want added privacy.

#10: Having a Yard Just to Have a Yard

Some people choose to have a yard simply because they think it’s the thing to do when you own your own home. It’s not that they want it; they simply choose to go with the norm. But, at its core, a good landscape design needs to meet the needs of the homeowner. If you don’t want a large yard, there are dozens of alternatives available for creating your ideal landscape. Don’t be afraid to use them.

Use Trusst’s Tips to Design Your Ideal Landscape

Trusst Builder Group’s home builders in Wilmington NC can build your home start-to-finish, top-to-bottom. Call us today at 910-371-0304 to schedule a professional consultation with one of our professional home architects. Our home builders in Wilmington NC can help you realize the true luxury of living in a beautifully designed home, inside and out.