What do you like about your landscape? What don’t you like about it? These are simple questions that everyone can ask, but sometimes it isn’t easy to know what to look for and how to put your thoughts into words. Whether you’re looking to improve your landscape or looking for the right words to describe what you want, here are the aspects to look at and the questions to ask!
Before judging your landscape, it’s good to summarize what you already have. List all of the perennials, shrubs, and trees in your yard; if you can’t identify them, try looking them up online or bring photos to a garden center for our staff to help you.
Once you know what’s in your yard, make a note of the plants you like and those you don’t like. Ask yourself if you like the colors and textures you see. Do you like the particular look of the plants? Do you like their placement and arrangements? Perhaps one corner of the yard could use more height or more color. Compare to inspiration photos that you like to get ideas about what you feel is missing in your landscape.
Once you know what plants are in your yard, you can also assess their value as food crops. Make a note of any fruit, berries, and nut-producing plants you have, and also list any perennial herbs or other edible perennials in your landscape. You may discover that you have more edible plants in your yard than you realize! Evaluate what you find, and decide if you want to add more or change the location of anything.
The vistas in your landscape are another essential element to consider. Look at the view from the front sidewalk, look out the kitchen window, and look around when sitting in the yard. Ideally, your trees should block undesirable sights, like a neighbor’s messy yard, and open up views that you want, like the park across the street. Privacy goes hand-in-hand with views; your trees and shrubs can shield you from onlookers and create a more personal and cozier space. Consider whether you’d like to open up your views or add some trees or hedges for privacy.
A landscape is more than just plants. Hardscapes play an important role in creating the aesthetics and functionality of your yard too. Take note of any pathways, patios, mulches, and water features. Are they in good condition? Do you like how they look? Are they too big, too small, easy to move across, or dysfunctional? Make a note of what you need to address this year and what can wait a year or two.
Ultimately, a landscape is not just a place to look at but a precious part of your home that you can use in many different ways. Ask yourself how you and your family want to use the landscape. Maybe you want a patio for barbequing, a fire pit, a personal retreat, an outdoor office, grass for the kids, or a bigger vegetable garden. Does your landscape allow for these uses? If not, it may be time for an improvement!
It’s a joy and pleasure to be outside gardening and doing yard work, but realistically, how much do you want to do? Maybe your yard is already low-maintenance, and you can afford to do more. Maybe you want to cut back. Do you have any messy plants or other landscape features that need too much care? Consider the work related to your irrigation system, garden bed layout, mulch, and hardscapes to evaluate whether you can make changes to save you time in the future.
How does your landscape generally function? Do you have drainage issues in one area? Is your garden getting enough light? Where’s the shade? Where’s the sunlight? What’s the soil like? These qualities benefit from an expert’s assessment, but it’s still worth noting anything that stands out. Once you know how your landscape works, you can improve plant selections for specific areas and use the unique shape of your yard to your advantage.
Ultimately, the landscape around us has a big impact on the beauty, health, and enjoyment of our lives. There’s no need to put up with a garden or yard that’s not working for you. Each of our landscapes are waiting to flourish, but they need our help. A self-evaluation is a great first step to see the improvements we can make! For more help, feel free to contact us at Greenstreet Gardens locations in Lothian, Alexandria, and Belle Haven.
At Greenstreet Gardens, we take pride in the fact that our number one goal is to make our customers successful.
Equipped with a diverse wealth of information and a knowledgeable staff, we are confident that we are able to provide all of the right tools and plant material necessary to help make your gardening ideas become reality.
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