Like the paint on your home, the landscaping in your yard can age and lose its luster. Even well-tended backyards begin to look a bit mundane over time without some occasional renewal.
Take Advantage of What You Have
You wouldn’t tear down your house and rebuild when all it needs is a new coat of paint. That’s the idea to keep in mind when it’s time to fix up landscaping.
Take advantage of what you have worked so hard to establish. Identify what makes your yard special. Use those features as focal points in your landscape renewal.
Some New Ideas for Old Yards
Once you have identified your yard’s focal points, it’s time to “fix up” your landscaping and give it that fresh coat of paint. Here are four inexpensive ways bring new life to an aging backyard:
Mulch
If you have never mulched, then you have missed one of the easiest ways to give your flower beds eye appeal and make your yard pop. Not only does mulch help with soil water retention, but it also aids in weed control and adds pleasing visual contrast and definition between landscape features.
Mulch comes in a variety of textures and colors that work well to add new life to your gardens, including:
- Pine bark
- Shredded hardwood
- Shredded redwood
- Wood chips
- Decorative stone and gravel
In the right application, these can be quite helpful. Some mulches are dyed to add extra color and zing to your yard. Find one that suits your taste, plants and other landscaping features will thank you.
Eliminate Straight Lines
A professional landscaper would tell you there are very few, if any, straight lines in nature. Reconfigure lawns and planting beds to allow them to flow with the contour of the land, eliminating unnatural looking straight lines wherever possible.
Remove Artificial Borders
If you have a flower bed that is one of the focal points of your yard, you may have surrounded it with an artificial border like bricks, pavers or a short plastic fence to define it. Seriously consider removing these from around beds and other plantings.
These items look great at first, but if making a change in your yard is the goal, removing artificial landscape borders quickly changes the look of your landscape on a budget. Well-contoured planting beds, with an application of mulch for accent, do a much better job of defining beds and are more pleasing to the eye, giving your yard a natural, elegant look.
Add Color
A blend of colors that vary seasonally keeps a yard fresh and sharp looking. Make space around the borders of perennials, shrubs and trees to add seasonal color with annuals. A twice-a-year change of color to accent focal points will do wonders, providing a fresh, cared-for look. Here are a few suggestions:
- Alyssum
- Geraniums
- Impatiens
- Coleus
- Daisies
- Cannas
- Marigolds
- Chrysanthemums
Give your landscaping a face lift with these simple tips. Highlight focal points and your yard will look fresh and rejuvenated throughout the year.
