WOW your Neighbours
Anyone with a Pinterest account and a little creativity can suddenly feel like a landscaping genius (“I can do that!”). But finding the time, energy and money to create an oh-so-perfect backyard landscape may be a task better left to the professionals at Hansen.
Consider your lifestyle
The most important step before beginning any type of home improvement or design project such as landscaping is to consider how you plan to use the space in the future. Do you have small children and want to incorporate a playground area with swings, a trampoline and swimming pool? Or do you want a rustic sitting area under some gorgeous magnolia trees that would be perfect for contemplating nature? The first step to success starts with sitting in the space and taking a good look around. Make notes on how you plan to turn your Ottawa home’s backyard into a paradise.
Creating a landscape design
Your backyard landscape can be one of the most important upgrades for your home in Ottawa. Depending on your climate, you could be spending hours of each day or week enjoying the great outdoors, right outside your back door. Grilling for your family or friends can be made so much more enjoyable with the right setting and an easy flow of traffic through the area. Consulting with a landscape design professional is one way to define the space fully before starting work, including the creation of a printed layout that you can both refer to as you begin your work.
Choosing your plants and flooring
Are you planning a small patio or veranda with just a few potted plants? Or are you going all out with a huge multi-level wood deck? No matter your plans, it is critical to be sure that everything you choose will work well together and with your local environmental conditions. Even moderate climates can be challenging to particular building materials or plants. The best way to get a style that will work for you the first time is to consult a professional landscaping service to see which materials and plants are recommended for our area of the country.
Choosing plants
Having plants of variable heights in your design can add impact, colour and that “wow!” factor that you’re going for. Be sure to take the sun into consideration as plants such as hosta plants are wonderful foundation plants but are very particular about how much sun and shade they receive over the course of a day. Other plants such as viburnum need to be planted far enough away from your home to receive plenty of sunlight.
For more advice about creating a landscaped backyard that wows, contact Hansen Lawns & Gardens today.