Common Landscape Design Mistakes to Avoid

Designing your landscape can be as exciting as designing your home. You will want each corner carefully planned to your specifications. From gazebos to outdoor fire pits, an outdoor space is a perfect place to add a touch of personal style to your abode. When you have ideas for this space, you may want to begin this project right away, but it is important to take your time because mistakes can be made while you’re designing your landscape. Here are a few ways to avoid making these mistakes.

Mistakes To Avoid When Landscaping

Budgeting Unwisely

Make sure you are sticking to your budget. If you have set your budget, stick to it. If you haven’t yet set the budget, don’t be so strict with the budget that you skimp on what you want. For example, try to be honest with what you can afford vs. what you want to build.

Unrealistic Timelines

Landscaping means planting and watching things grow. It also can mean building. When planning for the two to come together, the timeline can be tricky. Try to have the patience to let things grow. You’ll also need patience when hiring help. Landscapers must order what they need and work on a specific timeline.

Hiring the Wrong Professionals-or trying to DIY everything

• When designing your perfect landscape, you will want to hire the right professionals. This means a certified landscaper with background and experience. Hiring someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing and doesn’t have any experience in landscaping means that mistakes will likely be made.
• If you know how to landscape your home, that is a wonderful skill. If you think you may know what you’re doing but you’re not sure, please contact a professional for help.

Ignoring Climate and Maintenance Considerations

One of the most important characteristics of designing a beautiful landscape is being educated about what will thrive in your climate. For example, citrus trees may not thrive in cold climates and hostas may not thrive in hot humid climates.

Neglecting Long-Term Planning

In the same way that you would plan for the climate in which you live, you will also want to plan for the seasonal changes you will experience. Additionally, you will want create a year-round interest. There are certain plants that will grow during the summer and others that will bloom in the fall. Still others will only bloom during the spring. It’s a good idea to get a broad scope of what your landscape will look like.

Disregarding Functionality

Make sure that your landscaped area has its functional purpose. Decorating purely for appearance could mean that you will end up with a landscape that is focused purely on aesthetics and isn’t practical. Remember the old trope. Form follows function. Only when something functions properly, can you fully appreciate its beauty.

Overlooking Lighting Design

Make sure to factor lighting into your landscape design. There are so many options in outdoor lighting design. From spot and flood lighting to in-ground well lighting and from deck lights to outdoor step lights, the options are numerous when it comes to putting that touch of extra twinkle into your landscape design.

Choosing Too Many Different Materials

Mix and match works for many things, but when designing your landscape, make sure to keep some consistency. For example, using pavers and aggregate is a great idea, but maybe let the differences stop there. Don’t choose two paths near each other that are made of different materials. It may also be a good idea not to use pavers that are of different materials in the same area. Too much variation can make your space look smaller. Bear in mind, little matching touches like using the same color grout throughout your area or matching/complimentary lighting can create a cohesive look to your space.

Poor Plant Selection

Some plants are not appropriate or will not thrive in all environments. Lacking a clear understanding of the development of plants can lead to the wrong choice as well. When plants are placed that don’t complement each other, there is a risk that one plant could block another, leading to a lack of growth or even the death of certain plants. Make sure you are choosing your plants carefully. Overplanting is another mistake that falls into this category. Research your plants. If they are likely to spread out, you won’t want to plant them too close to other plants. As a precaution, plant shrubs and small perennials to serve as ground cover.

Not Taking in the View from the Inside

Before you make any final decisions on your landscaping, go inside. Try to work with what you now know of the decisions you made, but now from the inside of the house. Both the views from the outside and the inside are important.

Choosing Plants and Materials that Cause a Color Clash

Mixing and matching can work. But be very careful not to overdo your design with colors that may or may not match. Sometimes too much of the same color can be as offputting as colors that clash.

When in doubt, call the professionals

One thing is for certain. You will not regret hiring a professional landscaping artist to design your landscape. A landscape design and build company will have everything it takes to create a landscape of your wildest dreams. They will have knowledge of the climate, the design factors of the home, and the qualities of the plants. These are all the most important factors to consider when designing your landscape. Just like designing a bathroom, a kitchen, or another living area inside the home, it will likely go more smoothly if you hire someone to help with the design of your living area outside.

Contact Outside Living Concepts for Landscaping Needs

At Outside Living Concepts, we have a team who can personalize your outdoor living area beyond anything you could imagine. We have the experience, knowledge, and creativity to bring your outdoor dreams to life. For more information, visit our website, or to speak with one of our experienced landscape designers, call (602) 581-8225.