Landscape Design for Your New Home
Now that your new home is built and you’re all settled with your family, it’s the perfect time to focus on the landscape design! With the warmer weather fast approaching, spending time ensuring your home’s garden is beautifully styled for use by the whole family is something you’ll reap the benefits of all year round. Not sure where to start? We’ve got some helpful tips to get you going.
Garden Beds and Plants
Map out and prepare any areas you’d like to use as garden beds, then mark them off with string. You might even like to install raised garden beds with additional soil or wooden tressels to create planter boxes. Garden beds add depth and dimension to your outdoor areas, and provide an opportunity for the addition of colour and shade using different plants and trees. When you’re deciding which plants to use, research what’s suitable for your climate. Drier locations will rely more heavily on drought-resistant plants, while areas with more varied seasonal weather can include different deciduous plants. You might like to include plants that provide fruit or veggies you can use such as citrus trees or smaller vines, or just stick to plants that will add greenery and splashes of colour depending on the time of year.
Special Features
While many families are happy to enjoy gardens with relatively low maintenance designs, think about adding in special features. If you enjoy entertaining or have teenage children, including a paved area with a fire pit or barbecue will be something that can be used most months of the year. If your home design doesn’t include an alfresco, now is the best time to create a beautiful outdoor area with some shade and seating that adjoins directly to your home so you can spend lots of time outside with family and friends relaxing and enjoying meals together as the kids play nearby. You might also like to include a feature wall in your back garden to create a personal touch. A concrete rendered wall, or a bamboo slat wall will make a statement and can be used as the feature area for your entertaining space. Including a large feature plant in the front yard to accent the entryway or the garden will create a more styled look and make your home stand out,
Seeding Grass or Laying Turf?
Spring is the best time of year to seed your front and backyards to grow grass because of the mild temperatures, lack of frost, and spring rain. Laying seed is the less expensive option, but slower to establish because the grass obviously needs time to grow. You’ll need to properly prepare your soil before using a seed spreader to evenly distribute the grass seeds and then gently water it with enough water to get well below the surface. You’ll also have to ensure kids and pets stay off it for a while to allow it to grow. Don’t have time to prep soil and seed your garden? Hiring someone to lay instant turf is the ideal solution. While it’s more costly, the result is immediate and aesthetically pleasing. This option still involves a lot of soil prep, and there also needs to be enough soil laid to allow the turf to take. One of the added benefits of instant turf is that kids and pets can run around on the turf within a few weeks of laying it, meaning it can be enjoyed fairly soon after being laid. Whatever option you choose, regular watering in the morning and evening for at least six weeks is imperative to allow the grass to properly take to the soil.
Fencing
Installing a fence will really complete the look of your home, and has a number of benefits. A fence will add an element of security and privacy to your home, particularly if you choose to build a higher fence, and will keep pets and small children safely away from passing traffic. A fence will also enhance your home’s street appeal with so many styles to choose from. With options such as timber slat fencing, rendered brick fencing, modern vertical timber fencing and horizontal aluminium fencing you’re spoiled for choice and are sure to find something that complements your home and garden. Remember that some local councils require permits for fence installation, so ensure you check with them before installing your fence.
Creating outdoor spaces that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also suitable for everyday family life will elevate the exterior appearance of your home and provide you with areas that can be enjoyed by family and friends for years to come! For more home design ideas, visit the Hotondo Homes website today.
