As spring rolls around, many have already begun planning their backyard oasis. While planning your garden should be fun, it's also important to consider the three common mistakes below. Read on to learn more about these mistakes and how to avoid them.
Mistake #1: Grouping Plants With Different Needs Together
While the cacti may look pretty planted next to your swamp azaleas, the needs of these two plants are very different, and this can affect the health of one, or both. Swamp azaleas need consistently moistened soil, but cacti are happy with a shower here and there, with dry soil in between watering.
The example above is just one of the many things you'll need to take into consideration when planning your garden's design. Look at the needs of each individual plant you'd like to have in your garden, and focus on grouping the ones with similar needs together. These needs include more than moisture, such as sunlight, temperature, and even humidity levels.
Mistake #2: Softscaping Before Hardscaping
Simply put, softscaping is the landscaping that has to do with plants, and hardscaping is the landscaping that has to do with harder structures, such as walkways, patios, and retaining walls.
When planning out your garden, it's important to get the hardscaping just as you'd like it first. Hardscaping is the basis for the entire flow of your garden. While not impossible to include afterwards, it is much more difficult, and it can cause some strain on the plants already planted. When planning your garden, consider the walkways and other hard structures that are already present, as well as the ones you'd like to incorporate. Failing to do so can lead to issues later that may be time consuming, and even costly, to fix.
Mistake #3: Failing to Account for Wildlife
Wildlife in your area should play a big part in your planning. It's important to know what animals and bugs are common in your area, and how their presence can affect your garden.
Deer, for example, will eat your entire garden if given the chance. An easy way to keep them out is to plant bitter and other unpleasant plants around the perimeter, as well as sprinkled throughout your garden. One taste and they'll be finding a new grazing area. Other common pests include raccoons, rabbits, gophers, squirrels, and a wide variety of bug species.
Consider the three common landscaping mistakes above when planning out your garden. Avoiding these mistakes will make the process easier and much more enjoyable. If you need more information, speak with a landscaping design expert, such as one from Hickory Lane Farm's Nursery & Landscape LLC.
Share