Click on the image to enlarge.
Everyone wants to make a good first impression. It is during those crucial first few seconds within meeting someone, we play up our positive attributes and control some of our annoying or negative quirks. That initial image we give off is what often sticks outs and is remembered by others. The same concept holds true when speaking about lan
dscape design in Maryland.
From a real estate perspective, a good first impression, aka “curb appeal” is about using your landscape to enhance the appearance of your home. Does your landscape design match the style of your homes architecture? Does it fit in with the other homes in the neighborhood? The landscape of a house is like the neatly pressed suit and tie worn during an interview that separates the best from the rest. And not paying attention to your landscape can actually detract from the true value of your home.
Ways to enhance your Landscape Design in Maryland
- Neatly mown lawn
- Debris free, clean walkway and entryways
- Trimmed shrubbery
- Providing a focal point
- Colored plants and flowers
It is pretty easy to do many of these things yourself, but perhaps your front yard is devoid of plants and eye-catching features. You may consider planting a tree as a focal point, installing a trickling fountain, or even building a patio. In addition to these memorable details, it is important to use color to attract and focus attention on positive attributes of the landscape. This not only requires planning, but you may need a landscaping company to see the design through.
Having good curb appeal makes selling your house easier, as potential buyers are looking for an aesthetically pleasing home. But don’t brush off having curb appeal even if you are not putting your house on the market. An attractive landscape design is always important!
It is that time of year again. The frost on the ground is dissipating and the warmer afternoons are setting in. Have you thought about making some improvements to your landscape design? Do you want to plant new shrubs or are you thinking a complete landscape overhaul? However simple or extravagant your spring landscaping plans may be, don’t wait any longer to contact a landscape design company. There are many projects you should consider as spring approaches.
Patio Landscapes and Decks
Outdoor spaces for living and entertaining are a must for all homeowners. Nothing beats a warm spring or summer night, shared with friends and family, on a beautiful brick patio. Planning your patio landscape construction early will ensure you don’t miss a single cookout!
Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor lighting is a unique way to enhance the beauty of your outdoor home. Outdoor lights can be used to accent a specific area of your yard, or to guide guests along a walkway or patio. Without lighting, how will you enjoy those summertime cookouts?
Lawn Care and Planting
Early spring is an excellent time to check your lawns health. The winter weather tends to affect the pH levels in the lawn, so seeding and fertilization are necessary. You should also be thinking about planting in the early weeks of spring. Shrubs and trees can be planted to bring curb appeal to your home.
Pool Installations
It might be a little too early for a swim, but it takes time to design and install your dream backyard paradise. The shape and design of your pool, as well as the surrounding area, should fit in with your entire landscape theme.
This may seem like a lot to think about as the warmer days are slowly approaching, but it is important to hire a landscape architect as soon as possible. Their busy season is coming quickly. Make an appointment soon to hammer out the specifics so you can enjoy spring and summer worry free!
When you move into a new home, you want your front and back yards to be as beautiful as your home. You want a lawn that is the perfect color green and plants that accent your house in just the right way. And every ones idea of the perfect yard is different. Designing and agreeing on the aesthetics of your outdoor home comes with a lot of landscaping decisions. It is important for a new homeowner to work with their landscaper to help create the most practical landscape for their needs.
DIY or Hire a Landscaping Company?
The first decision you need to make will be about lawn care. Are you going to mow and maintain your lawn weekly, monthly, or seasonally? And are you willing to take on the task yourself, or will you need to hire a landscaping company to maintain your lawn for you? Having a dependable landscaping crew working for you means that your lawn, bushes, and flowers will be cared for year round, even when you don’t feel like doing it.
Layout of Deck
Lifestyle vs. Landscape Design
Your landscape designer needs to know about your lifestyle in order to create the home of your dreams. Do you have young children that will be playing in the yard? If so, you might desire a playground with a sandbox. Are you a family that likes to entertain? A patio or deck with an outdoor kitchen might be necessary. A landscape designer can create a yard to meet the needs of each member of your family.
How will your budget affect Landscaping decisions?
Every family can achieve a beautiful lawn, but certain monetary decisions will need to be made. Some types of grass, plants, and flowers cost more than others, and the maintenance for this foliage will vary. Does your lifestyle require you to have an in ground pool, patio or deck with outdoor lighting, and an outdoor kitchen area? These are all costly things, so paying close attention to your budget will help you make the right choices for your family.
A homes landscaping becomes a big part of the home itself. Each and every detail will make your home stand out from others on the block. With some planning and decision making, your home can have beautiful landscaping.
The Maryland landscaping sector is on the rise and it could be due to the current economy in the state. Maryland may be one of the few states not completely suffering from the economic conditions. The National unemployment rate, as reported in January of 2012, was 8.3% compared to Maryland unemployment rate at only 6.6%. Maryland is coming back from the recession quicker than other states and has seen a rise in dual household incomes and more disposable income, which seems to be paying off for landscaping companies in the area.
What is this indicating about homeowners?
One thing is for sure, homeowners are now realizing the importance of curb appeal. Curb appeal adds elegance as well as worth to a home. Everyone wants to own a beautiful home with a lush lawn and a white-picket fence. That dream is still possible. Together, landscapers and homeowners are using resourceful techniques to maintain and add elegance to the property without breaking bank.
How Maryland Landscapers can help you?
As homeowners and parents, we are all trying to save a buck here and there, right? Landscaping companies understand this, and always have cost-friendly options to achieve your goals. To landscapers, the service is not only about grass and flowers. Landscapers in Maryland want to help you do the dirty deeds that you probably don’t want to do. Below are a few services you may not have thought of when you see landscapers around your neighborhood.
- Drive-way paving
- Deck and patio building
- Outdoor lighting
- Outdoor kitchens
- Pools
Making Cents of it all?
The question now falls back on you, the homeowner. The money is slowly coming back as we rise over this recessionary hump. This could mean more purchasing power to invest into your home. It is now a question of whether you want to do it yourself, or hire a Maryland landscaping company to work with you in creating the home of your dreams.
Should you be a DIY Landscaper or Hire a Professional Landscaper?
In the last 15 years, we have seen resurgence in the Do-It-Yourself Culture. With the increased amount of Arts & Crafts supply stores, as well as big box home improvement stores, we are bombarded with messages empowering society to be DIY’s. Arising from this ‘movement’ we are giving ourselves more opportunities to learn new things while saving money. The downside? We are compromising the expertise of hiring someone, by thinking we can do just as good a job ourselves. DIY Landscaping is a perfect example of this. Everyone wants to feel proud of their yard, but the lack of expertise and knowledge of the soil can create problems.
Professional landscapers know their business inside and out. They know the composition of the soil, the plants that fit the geography, and the plants that will complement each other. Professional landscapers even know where in your yard a patio would work best, and if it should be made from wood, concrete, or brick. You may think you have a “great eye” for landscape design, but expertise takes experience, and that is something that the landscaper has over you.
But many of you will still be determined to DIY. If you are one of those, here are a few mistakes that you are probably making.
Thinking Linearly
Most DIY landscapers believe that linearity is the key. The problem is, is that the world is not linear, or perfectly square or rigid. It is bumpy and curvy, and to the average person, there is always a flaw in the lawn. Professional landscapers know these things, and work with the natural lines and “imperfections” of the landscape to create aesthetically pleasing yards.
Planting for this season
Sure, the shrubs or flowers that you plant today will look great this season, and maybe next, but soon they will either die during the winter season, or grow in h
eight quickly. If you are planning re-plant each year, or trim shrubs on a weekly basis, then fine. Not planning for the future is a common mistake by the average DIY’er. You need to understand your plants. How they look now and how they will grow in the future is knowledge that will help you create a better look and save you tons of work and money for seasons to come.
Focusing on Aesthetics
I have written about this one before, but I still see so many people make this mistake. Yes, a landscape should be aestheticaly pleasing. But above all, functionality is of utmost importance. Building a beautiful walkway from the back door to the garden might look great, but does it interfere with where your kids play every day? While designing a landscape, the entire families input and daily activities need to be taken into account
dscape design in Maryland.
