5 Practical New Construction Landscaping Tips That Wow

Congratulations on moving into your brand new home! You have the most modern features and all the space you want inside. You love the home’s interior. Outside may be a different story. Your yard is barren and doesn’t provide you much privacy or pleasure yet.

Here are 5 simple landscaping tips for your new construction home.

  1. Create a Plan & Be Patient

 Rushing in is a costly mistake. Overplanting, choosing plants that can’t grow in shaded areas and putting a brick fire pit where you get tremendous wind gusts are common and costly mistakes. Take time to get to know your yard. Where is the afternoon sun? Where do you want to sit, and relax? Where is the water source? Do you want garden space? Do your kids need a sandbox or playset? Figure out what you like and how you want to use your yard. Also, consider how long you plan to stay in this home and what you’d like your yard to look like in 10 years or so. Then make yard investments and plant in phases.

2. Hardscape Before Landscape

Another common new construction yard mistake is planting before considering hardscapes. Fences, walks, drives, outdoor lighting, retaining walls, patios, decks, outdoor kitchens, swimming pools and fire pits should be completed first. Trees are expensive to move and landscape plants are often damaged when these items are installed.

3. Aerate Soil

It’s likely your soil is quite compact from all the heavy equipment used during construction. Good, healthy soil is the key to successful landscaping. Compact soil greatly reduces rainfall storage and increases erosion and runoff. You will want to aerate your yard. This means perforating the soil with small holes to allow air, water and nutrients to penetrate the grass roots. Doing so helps the roots grow deeply and produce a stronger, more vigorous lawn. Aerate your soil in the spring or early summer when the grass is actively growing. You can do it as part of the reseeding or fertilizing process and when the ground is dry.

  1. Know Where to Plant

Think about how big plants and shrubs will become in three to five years. If planted too close to your house, a plant will not grow. A good rule of thumb is to always plant two feet out from the foundation. And, when planting trees, plant them far enough away so the roots do not grow under your home’s foundation.

5. Design a Flower Bed

The quickest way to add curb appeal is to create a flower bed. Beds add instant color and beauty to your yard’s landscape. If you aren’t familiar with plants, visit local nurseries and make note of colors and plant types you like. Decide if you want the same flowers to grow year after year (perennials) or if you’d like the look of your flower bed to change every year (annuals). If so, plant these flowers near the front of the bed so they are easily replaced. Do you want evergreen shrubs or ornamental grasses for year-round color?

How high do you want to the plants to be? Will you use mulch to prevent weeds and retain moisture? If so, what color? Look at the area where you will design the flower bed. Do you need top soil? Is the soil of good quality, or do you need a soil conditioner or compost? Don’t be afraid to ask professionals for advice and to experiment. Each season you will begin to understand what looks great in your flower beds. Experiment, design and have fun with it.

Linda Leier Thomason is a former CEO who writes freelance business and travel stories, along with feature articles. Her work experiences include a Fortune 500 corporation, federal government, entrepreneurship and small business. Find out more about Linda by clicking the “Meet Linda” tab above. Interested in working together? Complete this form below.

Are you ready to list your home or start looking for a new home to move into? Contact Megan.

Megan Owens, Realtor “Delivering extraordinary care for extraordinary clients.”

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate

Phone | 402-689- 4984     Email | Megan.Owens@bhhsamb.com

©Copyright. February 2017. Linda Leier Thomason. All Rights Reserved.