We're here to tell you 13 of the most common pitfalls when landscaping so that you can avoid them!
- Having No Plan
Just because a landscape design looks pretty in a brochure or picture, doesn’t mean it will work for you. Every garden is individual and should be custom designed. Remember that great gardens require time, patience, consideration and input. If you are starting from scratch, try drawing a plan for the whole yard and put all of your energy into implementing that plan.
- Underestimating Your Budget
Did you know landscaping is actually 30% more expensive than any other type of home improvement project? One of the biggest factors of a landscaping budget is the labour involved. It always costs more than you think. When you are starting a landscaping project, make sure you have budgeted enough so that you do the job right and won’t need to do it again.
- Failure to Irrigate
Remember to ask yourself, how will I water my plants if I go away on holiday? Sometimes a friend or relative can come to the rescue, but why take the risk? Try installing an automatic irrigation system in your home landscape design and you won’t need to worry about it.
- Functionality of Your Garden
Consider what practicalities you and your family need. For instance, a rock garden may look aesthetically pleasing but is probably not a practical option for a family with small children. Make a list of all the activities your family might take part in. How much time do they spend outside? Do you like to BBQ outdoors? Do you entertain or dine outdoors and how many people would you expect to have in your yard? How much space will you need for tables and chairs? These questions will determine the number of placement and seating areas, as well as the type of plantings.
- Remember the Seasons
Plan out your garden with regard to the seasons. Most people only buy what’s in season at the time of when they go to a nursery. Many flowers bloom at certain times of the year. If you’ve got a lot of plants that are blooming in the Spring, remember that in Autumn, you’re going to need some other plants if you want foliage. If possible, select plants that look good all year round.
- Planting the Right Plant
Many people do not give their plants the proper sunlight and exposure. One tip is to pay attention to the little tag you get when you buy a plant. When planting trees, make sure you do your research on how big they grow and how much space they will need. Also, as mentioned before, choose something that’s going to look good all year round.
- Maintaining Your Garden
Every garden needs maintaining, even low maintenance gardens. Without considering future maintenance of a garden, all your hard work, planning and financial investment to creating a well-designed garden, will be for nothing.
- Cutting Grass Too Short
Many people think that cutting your lawn shorter means you will have to mow it less. This common myth can do more harm than good. If you scalp the lawn, it could result in a bare patch, making it more enticing for insects. Cutting the grass too short could also result in your lawn being susceptible to disease. To avoid this, cut the lawn different lengths throughout the year. Lawns need more shade during summer, so let it grow a little higher, and that way the water doesn’t evaporate so quickly. During winter, try cutting the lawn a little shorter so that sunlight can reach the soil.
- Mulch Volcanos
Too much mulch can also do more harm than good. Using organic matter like straw, dry leaves or grass clippings helps prevent weeds from sprouting, retains moisture in the soil, keeps the root zone cool and provides nutrients for the plants as the mulch decays. But too often we see a lot of ‘mulch volcanos’, which is a result of piling mounds of mulch right up to a tree trunk. Mulch that touches the base of a young tree is actually a problem, no matter its depth. Most tree bark do not benefit from constant moisture, which is what mulch does to a tree. The moisture of the mulch penetrates the bark and suffocates the cells of the layer of tissue that transfers food up and down the plant. Many secondary problems can also develop from too much mulch moisture, eventually causing the death of a substantial landscape investment.
- Planting on a Hillside Prone to Erosion
If you find it hard to retain topsoil during heavy rain on a steep slope and have failed in growing your plants there, you probably need to fix your erosion problem first. Try building a retaining wall and then plant your garden.
- Forgetting to Recycle
Instead of tossing out grass clippings and other debris, dispose of them in an eco-friendly way. Turn it into mulch or put lawn clippings back onto the lawn as they both work great as fertilizers. You could even try making a compost pile and use compost containers (some blend right into the landscape).
- Using the Wrong Size Pot
Don’t put a plant in a pot that is too large for it because it will shift and sink down into the soil or will get too much water or dry out too fast. Small pots will also become rootbound. It’s easy to tell when you need to re-pot a plant (you will have to re-pot plants eventually) because little roots begin to stick out of the bottom. Here’s a little tip: be sure to give a plant plenty of time to acclimatise to a new pot before you re-pot it once again.
- Not Accounting for Wildlife
Have a think about what pests your gardens will attract before you decide to plant. Depending on what pest your landscaping might entice, try throwing in some bitter-tasting plants among them. If there are wild rabbits around, you may need to shelter your gardening by building a small fence or maybe even using chicken wire.
