Ah, spring is in the air. Leaves are growing and flowers are blossoming.
At Clean Cut Tree & Landscaping, we’re used to several inches of snow burying local lawns this time of year. Of course, as any homeowner in Anderson Township will tell you, that’s simply not the case this year. A quick glance out of the window is all you need to know that spring has arrived early in Cincinnati.
And while the spring-like weather means that green lawns are soon ahead, it also means you need to start tending to your yard sooner this year than usual. If this year’s lack of snow has left the imperfections of your yard on display for all of your neighbors to see, your best plan may just be to start your landscaping project now. With a few improvements, you can tend to the imperfections plaguing your yard and help it start looking its best.
Here are some considerations for your landscaping project.
Take Care of the Small Details First
In most matters of life, it’s important not to sweat the small stuff. When it comes to landscaping, tree care, or simply just creating curb appeal, however, no detail is too small – you need to sweat the small stuff. After winter, it’s likely that your yard has large piles of dead leaves, missing patches of grass, and possibly sunken areas of dirt that are hurting the image of your property. So, before you start planning the more glamorous aspects of your yard, you first need to take care of these details first.
Plan Your Hardscaping Projects
After you’ve raked leaves, planted grass seed, filled in holes, or handled other small but important details, your next focus should be on hardscaping. This includes your porch, sidewalk, driveway, parking area, patios, and arbor.
When it comes to hardscaping, you need to think both practical and fun. Do you need to create a stone walkway to the side of your home or tool shed? Do you need to touch up the path leading to your front door? Do you need to create a raised garden to improve the water drainage of your flowers? Likely, there are a few hardscape improvements you need to make simply to save yourself some stress when navigating your yard; however, now’s also a time to plan the hardscaping elements that you’ve been dreaming of. Have you been dreaming of a stone patio in the backyard? What about a stone fire pit or a raised pond?
No matter what type of hardscaping you decide to tackle, it’s important that you handle these projects before putting down any new plants. These projects often entail construction which can compact soil and damage plantings and so when it comes to hardscaping, it’s worth doing it right. After all, your goal is to have a yard that you can be proud of for years to come.
Add Shrubs to Your Yard
Like hardscape, shrubs add shape and direction to your yard. Dense plants, in particular, can be placed on one or both sides of paths to discourage wandering feet. Other, larger shrubs can also be used to create natural fences or to add more privacy to your property.
Add Flowers to Your Yard
Your yard is a canvas and, like any well-composed painting, you also need to give your viewers a focal point. Because flowers tend to be smaller than the other elements of your yard, they’re able to guide the eyes of your visitors to whatever it is you want them to focus on. For many of us, that means selecting flowers that accent our home; however, you could also consider flowers as a means of guiding visitors along a path or for creating sections in your yard.
And while the choice to use flowers is an important one in itself, don’t forget that you have additional considerations regarding the soil they grow in and whether or not they’ll live in a raised bed. If you’re considering the latter, it’s another hardscaping decision you will need to make ahead of starting any work with plants.
Add Trees to Your Yard
It should come as no surprise that we recommend planting a tree in your yard whenever and wherever appropriate. After all, we’ve talked extensively about the benefits of keeping your trees healthy all year. But trees are not just an excellent way to add curb appeal to your home. Here are a few more reasons to add planting a tree to your landscaping project:
- Trees can improve your property value. In fact, trees can add up to approximately 10 to 20 percent more value to your property, according to the Arbor Day Foundation. And, of course, the sight of a healthy tree with vibrant greens, reds, oranges, golds, or even pink, can be just one more selling point to win over a potential buyer when it comes time to sell your house.
- Trees can improve your energy efficiency. A strategically placed tree can help keep your home cool in the summer and protected from the wind during the colder months.
- Trees can provide you with privacy. Like large shrubs, a well-placed tree can also help you create more privacy on your property as well as reduce the amount of noise you receive from passing vehicles and other disturbances.
Planting a tree on your property is a good decision not only for the direct benefits listed here but also to generate a better return on your landscaping project.
Add the Finishing Touches
Landscaping is just as much about incorporating parts of your personality as it is making practical improvements to your yard. If you live in Anderson Township, you likely drive by a handful of yards that do just this.
You know the types of yards we’re talking about: Ones with antique centerpieces that double as a flower bed. Ones with benches, tables, and chairs placed along a winding walkway. Or even ones with a large and detailed patio space focused on a fireplace or pond.
Whatever completes your image of your dream home, now is a time to pursue it.
Start Your Project
After considering all of these details, there’s still one last question you need to ask yourself: Do I have all of the resources necessary in order to complete my landscaping project?
As we can all agree, planning improvements to your yard is the easy part. The difficulty comes from the work that comes afterward – if any work occurs at all.
Often, the lack of improvements made to our yard comes through no fault of our own. After all, it’s a task we all know we need to handle, but it’s unfortunately not the only one we need to handle. Between work, maintaining other aspects of our home, and an endless list of other responsibilities, landscaping is simply a project we can’t accomplish without taking resources – notably hours and energy – away from responsibilities. And, of course, you can’t overlook the possibility of an unforeseen challenge or a potentially costly and dangerous mistake.
Clean Cut Tree & Landscaping can create your dream landscape for you. Our tree and lawn experts have helped hundreds of Greater Cincinnati homeowners achieve the results they want while saving money, labor, and stress. Contact for a free estimate on the design and build of your project. Call (513) 769-8733 or e-mail us. Thank you for reading and we can’t wait to create your dream yard!