Custom landscaping that maximizes and beautifies your home’s outdoor living space can create the backdrop for years of memories with your family. Great landscaping also adds value, making it an investment that offers future returns.
Create Areas of Focus
Creating a unique and attractive centerpiece for family gatherings requires some planning. Begin by creating areas of focus, adding landscaping features around each. Here are a few ideas:
Incorporate an Outdoor Dining Area into an Existing Patio or Deck – Creating a true dining area and not simply a picnic table enhances family gatherings and makes your outdoor space unique. Many available outdoor dining sets will withstand the elements and bring a feel of elegance and sophistication to your outdoor space. Accent the area with plantings in containers or beds.
Use a Natural Feature – If your yard has a large tree, pre-existing large rocks or a topographic element that is unique, use it as an area of design focus. Add complementing shrubs and flowers in groupings around this feature with grasses covering the space between.
Water Features – You may have asked yourself, can landscaping around my pool add value? The answer is yes! Pool activity with your family may seem too high-traffic to landscape around, but a landscaped pool or water feature can add year-round enjoyment, providing a focal point for entertainment and gatherings.
Don’t forget Your House – The biggest feature in your yard is likely your home. Use it as a place to focus design. Adding plantings that draw the eye to your home, or to a distinctive feature of your home can make it stand out, adding that feeling of uniqueness to your yard.
Mix Perennials with Seasonal Plantings
Provide changing seasonal color to your yard by mixing perennial plantings with annuals. Remember to select plants that are hardy for Indiana growing conditions. Plants rated for USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5 and 6 will do well in this region.
Perennials are your baseline plantings. They are always there and come back every year. Here are some that do well in the Midwest:
- Coneflower
- Lenten Rose
- Virginia Bluebells
- Geraniums
- Sedums
- Hydrangeas
- Russian Sage
- Aster
Accent your perennials with annuals that bloom and add color at different times of the year. Some good ones to consider are:
- Alyssum
- Geraniums
- Impatiens
- Coleus
- Daisies
- Cannas (a southern perennial but a good, colorful annual in colder climates- or you can dig the roots up each winter and store in your basement)
Don’t forget to include plants that naturally repel our Indiana mosquitoes. Purdue University studies show that catnip is more effective than many insect repellents. Marigolds and horse mint are also good selections for beds and containers where people gather.
Take the time to add some custom landscape design to your home. Fragrant summer days and frosty autumn nights with family and friends will provide lasting memories.
