Your landscaping and home gardens are the perfect way to add color, dimension, and style to your home. As much attention as is put into the careful design of the interior of your home should be put to your garden beds and property.
How you place your garden beds and the kinds of plants that you choose to decorate your landscape can complement your home and bring out its style. When you start designing your gardens there are many things to take into consideration including color, maintenance, fire safety, and grading.
With proper grading and drainage, you can enjoy your flowers and trees without risking ending up with a flooded basement. If your garden beds end up leaking water into your basement you may need the services of a professional clean up crew. But, with thoughtful planning and design, you can keep your home dry and looking beautiful on the inside and the outside.
Grading
Your home should sit on the highest part of your property. Gravity will naturally pull any build-up of water from heavy rains or runoff towards the lowest point and you don’t want that to be your home. When you are planning your gardens, especially those that will directly border your home, it is important to ensure that your land is properly graded.
Maintenance
You may love getting outdoors and toiling in your garden, but it’s a good idea to keep in mind the amount of regular maintenance that will be needed when you are in the planning phase. Extensive gardens and landscaping require a lot of care through every season.
If you are looking for a great look that requires a bit less maintenance you may want to plant perennials instead of annuals, try lining your walkways with gravel and adding some ground cover to your beds.
Safety
When strong storms hit your area, where you have chosen to plant your trees becomes an important fact. Trees that are too close to your home can put you and your roof at risk. When choosing your trees it’s important to consider what the full-grown size will be and how close it will end up being to your home when it is mature.
If you live in an area of the country that is prone to wildfires you may want to keep your trees at a good distance from your home. You may even consider adding gravel garden beds around your home to help keep a fire from spreading to your home.
Color
Most people love the color that their gardens showcase throughout the year. Spring can bring a glorious display of varied colors and shapes, but you should consider the rest of the year as well when choosing your plants.
Try putting in some varieties that are late bloomers or have multiple blooming cycles to keep flowers in your garden all year round. Plants and bushes that change color in the fall can also be a great addition.
Conclusion
Planning your garden requires some thoughtful design ideas and isn’t as simple as just picking your favorite plants and sticking them in the ground. For the safety of your home, you need to consider how your gardens will affect your home and landscape.