5 Landscaping Mistakes to Avoid

Homeowners who want to make a statement with their yard can save themselves money and frustration by avoiding these five landscaping mistakes.

Failing To Plan for Mature Tree or Shrub Size

Adding a beautiful flowering tree or shrub to landscape will be a nice investment, unless it is misplaced and causes a crisis as it grows into its mature size.

For example, a flowering Dogwood looks spectacular in full bloom, but many homeowners plant these trees when they are just 3-4 feet tall and only a couple feet wide. Without thinking of its future, these trees are often misplaced, later growing too close to a home or into a patio or deck.

However, doing some basic research will help a homeowner know that Dogwoods grow one-to-two feet each year, and can reach 40 feet tall. What’s more, their width often equals or exceeds their height, and they reach their mature size within ten to fifteen years.

So, if that little tree goes into the ground a few feet from the house, it’ll be overhanging the house for years to come and need to be trimmed back to keep it from encroaching on siding and roofing.

This goes for many other commonly planted trees and shrubs so take the time to do research. No one wants to see their beloved tree have to come down due to lack of planning in initial placement.

Additional: 6 Tips for Creating and Maintaining a Garden

Watering too Much or Too Little

Whether a home has automatic sprinklers or not, watering can be a problem for landscape needs. If automatic sprinklers are not positioned correctly, they can miss an area of the yard, leaving dead brown patches or dying plants.

On the other hand, overwatering can drown the grass resulting in yellow grass and bare spots. Planning your yard’s watering needs and sticking to a schedule will ensure grass and plants get what they need – not too much or too little.

Tonya Peek, Frisco Real Estate Expert says, If you want consistent water but don’t have automatic sprinklers, consider purchasing a timer and setting a watering cycle to take the guess work out of watering.

Overcrowding With Ornaments and Decor

Todd Blair, Palm Beach Gardens Realtor® offers this advice: Adding a bird feeder, bird bath, sundial or other lawn ornament is a nice touch but decorating your landscape with multiple items will lead to overcrowding.

Instead of taking away from the natural beauty of the outdoors, limit lawn ornaments and decor to one or two statement pieces. Less is more when it comes to yard decor!

Scalping your lawn

Mowing your lawn with dull blades or with the deck too low will result in a scalped lawn, with brown or yellow tips all over.

Before mowing each season, take the time to maintain your lawnmower. Add new gas, check the oil and sharpen or replace the blades. Once your lawnmower is in tip top shape, start the season by mowing with the deck on the highest setting.

This will allow blades of grass to grow taller and thicker, and the roots to grow deeper and wider to increase the health of the grass and keep your lawn a nice, lush shade of green.

Not Accounting for Wildlife

You certainly know what animals are sharing your indoor living space, but do you know what’s sharing your outdoor space? If not, take time to do some inventory and research your area.

You may not normally see deer in your yard, but if you live in an area where they are present and plant flowers or shrubs that are not deer resistant, you will most likely see the deer come and eat your landscaping.

Deer love hostas and will munch them down like a snack. They will pull up tulips and eat the entire flower, stem and bulb. Roses are also a delicious treat. If you choose to plant a tree or shrub that attracts the wildlife, be prepared to put up fencing or use repellent products to keep the animals away.

Related: Allston MA Real Estate Experts offers tips on Annual Homeowner’s Maintenance

Other wildlife to be aware of is squirrels and birds. Squirrels also love tulips and rhododendron bushes. Birds will often eat berries right off of bushes, making gardening a challenge if you have these regular visitors.

Summary

With a little research, you can make informed decisions about how to landscape your space with appropriately sized trees and shrubs. Using minimal lawn decor will maximize the outdoor beauty. Maintain your lawnmower and keep a watering schedule for the nicest grass. And, last but not least, know the wildlife you share your space with before you buy plants.