At its best, its a sanctuary.
Just snap a photo of the plant on your phone and share it to the app.
Plan before you plant
You should plan your project on paper before you put a shovel in the ground.
Tilly Design offers remote packages for backyards starting at $629.
Thomas prefers using graph paper, where each square represents 1 foot, for instance.
When planning, consider what your yard might look like if you sell your home.
Overly garish vegetation that is laborious to maintain or clean up after can be an expensive detractor of value.
In the worst cases, haphazard landscaping decisions could even be dangerous.
The most successful designs are rooted in function, he says.
Leave some padding and be flexible.
And remember, you dont have to do everything all at once.
If youre on a budget, gravel is an affordable option.
Though if you have kids or dogs, youll need to tolerate these materials getting kicked around a bit.
Solid paving requires less maintenance and is more stable underfoot but can cost significantly more.
Stone paving tends to cost more, but its incredibly durable and has beautiful natural color variation.
Plus, they tend to be much more efficient.
BUILD A FOUNDATION WITH TREES AND PLANTS
10.
All of those things will dictate your choice of plantings.
Look up yours atplanthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
Small flowering trees are good for the front of the house because they add curb appeal.
According to Angelov, however, more is better.
I like to group a lot of similar plants together.
They make the best impact when theyre in a group of 50 versus one, he says.
Its as if youre in a field in nature.
I love using boxwood for hedges.
If youre more concerned about moisture retention and soil nutrients, go with organic mulch.
Inorganic will typically cost you more per bag than organic.
Choose a complementary color
Basic mulch colors include brown, black or red.
Choose a mulch color that doesnt work against your flowers colors or the color of your house.
Red mulch contrasts nicely with white flowers without taking away from them, Stark says.
But Stark isnt a fan of either.
Im also not a big advocate of mulch glue.
If you do use it, have a light hand when you apply it.
LOVE YOUR LAWN
19.
Choose the right grass
A lush, healthy lawn starts with the best grass, according to Malik.
For speed, use sod instead of seed
Grass seed can spend months taking root and filling in.
And if people or pets walk on it before its well established?
Check your garden centers for sod deals and be prepared to pay extra for the convenience.
Prune your trees
Like any other plant, grass needs sunlight.
If its not getting enough, consider pruning adjacent trees.
