5 Practical Ideas for Landscaping a Challenging Yard

It’s not always easy to plan the perfect landscaping for your yard, especially when you’re dealing with challenging conditions.

Unfortunately, challenges are bound to come up when it comes to landscaping. The trick is to find ways around the challenges that don’t make you want to throw in the towel and walk away.

Here are five ways to get around those troublesome landscape challenges you may be facing in your yard.


(1) Go Low-Maintenance on the Slopes

If you’ve got slopes in your yard, you want to go low-maintenance in those areas. The last thing you want to do is plant grass on the sloped areas of your yard.

If you do that, someone will be doing some back-breaking labor trying to mow the lawn on those slopes. Instead, go with low-lying shrubbery and decorative bark.

The bark will hold the soil in place, and the low-lying shrubbery will bring texture to the slopes.

(2) Pay Close Attention to Water Flow

If you have areas of your yard where water flow is a problem, you’ll want to pay close attention to the flow patterns.

This is particularly important if your house sits on a floodplain. There are several ways that you can incorporate those flow patterns into your landscaping.

One way is to include water gardens in your landscaping plans. Another way is to create free-flowing rockscapes that will help divert the flow of water away from your home.

Use natural rock to create dry riverbeds through your yard. Allow the downspout of your rain gutters to open onto the riverscape.

As the rain pours from the downspout, it will flow gently through your yard, creating a gentle stream as it protects your home from flooding.


(3) Take Care Around the Basement Windows

Basement window wells can be difficult to work with when it comes to landscaping.

If you add landscaping around basement window wells, you need to be careful that you take the surroundings into consideration. The main thing you need to remember is to lower the soil level around the basement windows.

That way, once you add your plants, the soil level won’t go above the basement window well. Doing that could lead to problems with flooding.

(4) Make Amends with Poor Soil Conditions

If you’ve got poor soil in your yard, you’ve got to make amends. Poor soil can wreak havoc on your landscaping plans.

The first thing you need to do is have your soil tested so that you know what nutrients you need to add to make it more productive. Once you know what your soil needs, you can take steps to bring it back to health.

(5) Don’t Neglect The Basics

While working on your landscape, don’t forget about about the the basics. This means continue whatever gardening and general upkeep (such as lawn mowing) at all-times.

This constant maintenance is also a huge part on why houses look nice. Even the most beautiful mansions look shoddy and run-down when the lawn is overgrown and under watered.

Remember that while sometimes life can get busy with home improvements to be done, that the lawn will always be one of the first things guests see.




Maire Shield
 

Maire Shield worked for 15 years as an interior design consultant in Albuquerque and is now retired after selling her business. She now shares her experience and knowledge through blogging to help other people create a beautiful home for themselves.

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 0 comments

Leave a Reply: