Landscaping Do's and Don'ts

There are smart ways to spend your landscaping dollars, and not-so-smart ways. Here are a few tips from landscape designers and architects on the do's and don'ts of landscaping:

Do …

– Keep it simple and do it well rather than spread a budget over a lot of features that are halfway done.

– Get a design if you're on a limited budget, then prioritize — go in order of implementation. Start with a patio (because it adds the most value and has the most impact), then irrigation, then landscaping.

– Work with the environment you have and use native plants because they are less expensive to maintain.

– Buy quality, even if it means buying less.

– Buy a used swing set (versus a new one) for the kids because it won't be used that long and doesn't justify the cost of a new one.

Don't …

– Don't do anything you don't have the time or money to maintain.

– Don't focus on the backyard before the front. Create curb appeal first.

– Don't spend money on things you won't use (concrete curbing, lawn ornaments).

– Don't spend a lot of money on landscape lighting. A little goes a long way, and lots of lights require more maintenance and expense.

– Don't overplant. Confine your planting to one area rather than several because it will be easier to maintain.

– Don't build an outdoor kitchen if you live in a cold environment because you'll be able to use it only one season.

If you have any other landscaping do's and don'ts, we'd love to hear about them. Just use the comment link below and give us your landscaping tips.