8 Common Landscaping Mistakes to Avoid

Whether you just want to enjoy your lovely home or are looking to sell, curb appeal can make a huge difference in the look and feel of your property. The right landscaping can make your home feel so much warmer and more inviting and creates a wonderful first impression. That said, there are several mistakes you won't want to make in your landscaping project. Let's look at a few of the most common landscaping mistakes and how you can avoid them.

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As you're mapping out the area you want your landscaping to cover, it can be easy to get carried away. This is especially true if you have a big budget to work with. But landscaping too large an area of your yard can have the effect of visually dwarfing your home.

On the flip side, going too sparse on the landscaping may not give you that inviting feel you're after. It's a good idea to ride around before you get started, paying attention to the landscaping of the houses around yours. This can help give you an idea of how large a landscaped area might look best with your own home.

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Maybe a few tall shrubs would look terrific right in the center of your landscaping. Just be sure of the impact on any views from inside or around the home before you make a move like that. If they would block your view from a lovely picture window or your front porch, you may want to reconsider. Look at the impact of any potential landscaping decisions on not only your curb appeal but also your views from inside the home and from any outdoor seating areas.

You'll probably be much happier with your landscaping if you think local when choosing your plants. Tropical plants are lovely, but if you live up north, they're probably not going to be a practical choice for you. Make sure any plants you choose should do well in your climate. Your landscaping will be more likely to survive and easier to maintain if you aren't constantly fighting nature to keep it going.

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Large, majestic trees certainly have their place. They can look lovely around your yard. But you don't want them too close to your home. They can grow into your gutters, and their large roots can be bad for your sidewalk and driveway and your home's foundation. You'll also want to make sure you know just how large any smaller trees or shrubs you purchase can grow. Some can appear mature when they actually have a long way to go.

Mulch is very popular in landscaping, and for good reason. It can help prevent weeds from thriving and retain moisture for your plants. A new layer of fresh mulch can look beautiful among your landscaping, too. But a few common practices aren't beneficial. Piling mulch up against a tree's base can look nice, but it can cause the bark to decay. And layering mulch more than an inch or so deep is unnecessary and can encourage pests and mold.

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If you aren't deliberate in how you angle your beds, you can inadvertently direct water toward your home, potentially damaging your foundation. This can be easy to overlook if you haven't had any rain lately when you get started. To direct water away, you'll want to make sure your beds are highest closest to the home and gradually slope downward as they get farther away. You may also need to add gutter extensions so that water from your gutters doesn't flood your beds.

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If you can afford a regular groundskeeper to maintain your landscaping and are happy to pay for that service, you can skip over this one. But if you plan to maintain the landscaping yourself or only occasionally hire someone to trim things up, you'll want to pay close attention to how quickly any shrubs or trees you have your eye on will grow. The faster they grow, the more likely they are to need regular trimming to keep them looking nice.

In addition to potentially looking unkempt, landscaping that's too dense can encourage snakes and other threatening critters to linger on your property. This can be especially dangerous if you have small children or pets that may wander close to the landscaping without being vigilant. Try to keep the ground mostly visible beneath and between your plants, trees, and shrubs to encourage these creatures to move along.

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Some homeowners just slap up a few shrubs and call it a day. No judgment here. But if you do take the time and spend the money to do a thorough landscaping job, it can pay off both for your own enjoyment and when you’re trying to sell. And avoiding these common mistakes will make your landscaping project more efficient, easier to live with, and more enduring.

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