Outdoor Decorating: Professional Landscaping Advice

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I am so frugal. When we started to think about landscaping our newly purchased home I started to panic a bit. We had just dropped our life savings into a deposit on a beautiful home situated on the Huron River. The last thing I was thinking about was spending more money on professional landscaping. However, to my husband this was an important piece of the puzzle. A new house needed a unique landscaping design and that was all he could think about. With that driving me I decided I would meet him half way. I would look into hiring a landscaper as long as I could pay him for his overall design and plant layout as long as we would proceed with the labor aspect on our own. This would save us a great deal of money but not sacrifice the look my husband sought in hiring a professional.

OAfter you have selected a landscaper, you can ask him to provide you with references. You can independently check up with these people to see if they have a good review of the landscaper’s services.

They should provide a written contract before they start working to make sure you both understand what is going to be done and the terms of the agreement.

It is very important to remove the leaves and fall debris from your landscaping. Dead leaves and debris left around plants through winter and fall create a good habitat for insects and disease. Using best horticulture practices by a certified and trained Yorkvillelandscaping you will see a noticeable difference in the color and growth in your plants next spring.

You will feel much better about your garden when it is tidy. Make your lawn look neat by going round the edges with a spade or half-moon cutter to create a neat outline between the lawn and the flowerbeds. Cut back plants that are starting to straggle or die back. Some will respond with a second show of flowers. Shape any shrubs that are growing out of control. Put down a thick mulch of bark chippings to cover any bare patches of earth and to suppress weeds. You should lay a weed proof membrane first which will not allow weeds to grow through it while allowing rain to still penetrate the soil.

When there is a spell of fine weather take a few chairs on to the patio – patio furniture or light items that are easy to carry back inside. Add some comfortable cushions to complete the picture. Bring some houseplants outside. Many houseplants thrive outside during the summer months e.g. ficus, bay and palms will benefit, as well as adding greenery to the appearance of your patio. Make your patio the summer focal point of your home. The summer is the time of year you should use it most and it should be considered as an outdoor room – an extension of the living area of your house. Furnish it as an outdoors living or dining area e.g. add flowers to the table.

How many of these simple improvements does your garden deserve? If you follow these simple garden ideas you will have transformed your garden for a modest price.