Let’s face it: not everyone has the perfect foundation to start building a fantastic landscape. Mother Nature’s gifts are boundless, and sometimes they include sandy or rocky soil, hills and slopes, muddy spots, dry spots, hot spots, breezy spots and every combination in between.
Sometimes humans don’t help matters. We create dull, flat expanses of lawn, or engineer tiny, postage-stamp-sized yards. Or maybe there’s a dreadful eyesore like a utility box or drain pipe that’s part and parcel of your home’s construction.
The good news is that whatever your landscaping challenge, there’s a creative way to turn it into something beautiful and functional, something that suits your personality and lifestyle. It’s all in the planning and the design!
We’ve covered some common issues that come up in our local New Jersey area and today we’re rounding up those resources right here. See if any of these topics cover things you’re dealing with. If your problem isn’t on the list, let us know! We’re here to offer advice and answer questions, and of course to create your outdoor dream space, no matter what you’re starting with.
1. Summer Landscaping For Full Sun Yards
Plants need sun to grow, right? So how bad could a full sun yard be in the grand scheme of things? Well, if it’s hot and dry, it can certainly present challenges. Tomatoes may love it, but if you’re constantly fighting to keep green lawn from turning to straw, then you know exactly what we mean.
Some plants and blooms are better suited to sunny spaces. And beyond that, there is plenty of creative landscaping that you can do to take advantage of all that glorious light.
Here are some ways to bask in the sun – and the incredible landscape it can afford you.
2. Shade Gardening: How To CreateBeautiful Landscapes In Low Light
On the opposite extreme from sun is the yard that’s in perpetual shade. You may live near a protected woodland, or simple want to keep all your old growth trees.
Even if you don’t have a ton of shade, there is probably that one spot that drives you nuts – you know the one we’re talking about. Maybe it’s under a tree, or on a side of the house that never gets much light. Nothing seems to grow. Maybe it’s always damp, and certainly unattractive.
But just as some plants enjoy sun, others enjoy shade. And remember, it’s not always about the plantings. There are other options that can make great use out of shady spots so you can enjoy them quite nicely. See if any of these ideas spark your imagination.
3. Got Deer? 12 Resistant Plants That Will Survive Hungry Critters
They’re so adorable. And the bane of a gardener’s existence. Deer may be a nice addition to your wildlife menagerie but they’re slightly less fun when they’re munching on your landscaping.
And they’re not going away! So if your yard is a magnet for deer, the best thing you can do is stop lamenting your petunias and plant things that won’t look like their next dinner. There are quite a few beautiful options that have the added bonus of helping to control for other pests while attracting more beneficial wildlife like butterflies.
4. Big Landscaping Ideas For Small Yards
The neighbors are too close. You can see their ugly planter and smell their dinner cooking. The street is *right there,* and the traffic noise can get annoying. You certainly can’t throw a frisbee, and things just feel… small.
Landscape design to the rescue! Through creative use of colors and textures, thinking differently about space (vertical, anyone?), and strategic screening with natural elements like bamboo, your small yard can become your favorite weekend getaway.
Here is proof that you don’t need a big lawn (or any, for that matter) to create a space that you can truly enjoy.
5. Creative Landscape Design Ideas For Sloping Yards
If you live on a hill, you may love the view but not the way your yard slopes, making it impossible to set down your glass of wine without losing half the contents. Or perhaps you live at the *bottom* of a hill, with a grassy, rocky or muddy slope right outside your living room window.
If you lament ever being able to stroll a garden, grow a vegetable or sit with your morning coffee in your own yard, we’ve got good news. Whether you’ve got gentle hills or a steep drop, there are creative ways to create not only a great-looking space, but a perfectly functional one, too.
6. Got Shade? How A Master Plan Answers 8 Tough Landscaping Questions.
When it comes to challenging spaces, you have an ally. It’s called a Master Plan, and its very existence serves to address all those problem spots so that you can enjoy your outdoor dream space.
Whether you’ve got sun, shade, wind, deer, rocks, drainage issues, soil problems, all of the above, or something uniquely yours, a Master Plan gets specific about what to do about it.
Here we tackle a mere sampling of some common issues that homeowners face and how a Master Plan can help.
These resources are only the beginning! If you’re dealing with anything from an eyesore to a boring space, creative landscaping can inspire a transformation that might surprise you. If you’re interested in knowing more about how we can design the landscape of your dreams, contact us for a consultation and let us know how we can help.
