Avoid These 4 Common Landscaping Mistakes in Your Yard

When it comes to improving a home, many people think first about the inside of the house. While that is important, you can’t forget about the yard. Of course, a beautiful landscape for your yard creates a great place to spend some time with family and friends. But many people don’t realize that there is a right way and wrong way to landscape. In fact, there are common landscaping mistakes that we are sharing with you today.

While landscaping is important, it isn’t always easy. There are plenty of mistakes that can be made, which can be very expensive to fix. Not only that, but it can leave your yard looking unfinished and sloppy. If you’re aware of these mistakes ahead of time, it is easier to avoid them.

With that in mind, here are some common landscaping mistakes you want to avoid when design your outdoor space.

4 Common Landscaping Mistakes that Homeowners Often Make

1. Trying to do everything yourself

Landscaping is a lot of hard work! However, many people feel they can handle it all on their own. While there are certainly some things you and your family can DIY, it’s important to know the limits of your abilities. The reality is that if you try and do everything yourself, issues are bound to occur. In fact, you may end up having to pay someone to fix your mess. Unfortunately, this is a common landscaping mistake.

However, many people may elect to simply hire a landscaping contractor from the start. They will be able to handle everything, and take care of it much more quickly. Many of these contractors may also offer landscape design services that help you create the perfect layout for the yard of your dreams.

2. Forgetting about grading and drainage.

In addition to looking good, you want to also ensure your landscaping has the right grading so all of your hard work lasts a long time. Grading is very important as it helps to keep water away from the foundation of your home, which can cause major issues over time, such as leakage and water in your basement. For example, your lawn and landscaping must slope away from the home, not towards it.

Also, ensure your eaves are large enough, and ensure you have room in your landscaping plans for downspouts to extend at least a couple of feet away from the home. This ensures proper drainage and won’t let water pool closer to the home.

While some people are able to DIY their grading, it’s probably a good idea to work with someone who has more experience. Usually, achieving proper grade involves digging up part of the yard and refilling it to achieve an optimal slope. So, don’t make this common landscaping mistake, Rather, leave it to the professionals.

3. Planting the wrong plants and trees.

Before you decide to make any major changes in terms of planting new trees and shrubs, you need to do your research. For example, there are some places you won’t want to plant a tree or shrub, such as near overhead power lines, over gas lines, or too close to buildings.

You also should know how large a plant or tree will get, so you can make sure you allow it enough space to grow. While this research and planning takes a little more time and effort, it certainly helps ensure the overall landscape plan goes smoothly. Without proper planning, you could end up causing damage, or potentially having to remove a tree or shrub at a later time.  

4. Making sure your yard looks and functions well.

Landscaping is a great way to improve how a yard looks, but you need to be careful about making mistakes. Trying to do everything yourself, forgetting about grading and not researching plants and trees are just some to watch out for. Investing in your yard is something you can enjoy while you live there, and will also add value down the road if you choose to sell. So, take some time and make sure your landscaping plans will work for the long run.

In conclusion.

Use these tips to create a dreamy landscape in your yard. If you have any questions or suggestions, we always love to hear from you in the comments below. Also below are links to more fantastic articles about ALL things DESIGN for your home or business.

Images Courtesy of Canva.

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