Your home's exterior speaks volumes about your character and the state of your home. This is the first point of interaction between your guest and your household, meaning it should get the necessary attention. The state of your landscape should be a source of joy – something to smile about. However, if you don't like what you see every day when you leave for work, then you may need to explore a few improvement ideas. Taking on this task as a DIY project may be a good idea; however, you should consider working with a lawn care service, especially for residents of Suffolk County, Nassau County, or long island new york. This way, you can get additional services, including masonry and brickwork, instead of just mowing the lawn.
Landscaping is a broad subject with several elements besides lawn care. In some cases, you may need to work with a masonry company for your brickwork or walkway repairs. Here are some tips you can consider to help improve the appeal of your home's landscape.
Light Up your Exterior
Exterior lighting is an ingenious way of adding life to your landscape. If you have old fixtures, then replacing them can help update and boost the appeal of your landscape. However, when buying lighting fixtures for your outdoors, you need to account for functionality and style. The lighting option should be able to withstand the elements and serve you for a long time before replacement. Installing exterior lighting fixtures may seem like a typical DIY project but may need some technical know-how. Having a professional handle this project can help deliver your vision while staying compliant.
When choosing lights for your entryway, be sure to get those that provide sufficient light. This way, you can illuminate your entryway in the evening. The lights can also be spread out on your lawn in a decorative pattern to improve your landscape appeal.
Create a Welcoming Front Entry
The front of your home is also considered part of your landscape and contributes to the overall décor. You need to come up with designs that are warm and welcoming to your guests. Some of the areas you need to work on include the railings, porch, front stairs, doors, and address numbers. Each of these areas needs to be inspected for any damage; this way, you can schedule timely repairs and replacements to enhance your curb appeal. In some cases, the front entry may need extensive work, including adding a fresh coat of paint, wood staining, or replacing your door hardware.
This may also be a good time to change your outdoor furniture or cushion to give your front entry a new look. A new welcome mat and beautiful potted flowers can help create a welcoming ambiance for your front entryway.
Planting Trees
Most homeowners plant small trees and nurture them to maturity. However, when looking to improve your curb appeal, you may want to consider transplanting mature trees onto your landscape. Searching the internet for lawn care services near me can help you find the best professionals for the job. Mature trees are a good way of giving your home a welcoming and lived-in feel. Popular tree options include Date palms, Chinese Elms, and Majestic ash. These trees help deliver an instant curb appeal without having to wait for years to reap the benefits. However, it's best to consult with your local botanist on the best tree to plant in your locality; this way, you can plant trees that will survive the environment.
Remove Clutter
One of the best ways to improve the appeal of your home's landscape is by reducing clutter. Clutter can be anything from a garden hose, dried branches, trash, or your children's toys. Over time, these items accumulate on your home's exterior, making it look unkempt. Aside from interfering with your curb appeal, it also makes mowing lawn difficult as they can damage your mower blades. Removing clutter from your yard takes a few minutes but leaves your yard looking beautiful and well-groomed. You need to find a designated location to keep or throw them instead of filling up your shed when removing clutter. For example, you can keep away your seasonal equipment shed in a storage unit or repurpose outdoor furniture and other items that are beyond repair. Coming up with a beautiful landscaping idea can be difficult when your home's exterior is covered in clutter.
Plant Flowers
Flowers are usually one of the best ways to brighten your landscape. Instead of restricting them to your garden, you can plant colorful flowers along the sidewalk, around the house, and in front of it. Flowers are the easiest and most affordable way of improving your landscape's appeal. However, before choosing flowers to plant, you may want to consult with the local nursery for recommendations. This way, you can plant flowers that thrive in your area. The local florist can also help you find perennial flowers; this means you don't have to worry about buying or planting flowers every year.
Replace the Mailbox
Mailboxes are technically federal properties; however, this doesn't mean you can't transform yours to match your landscaping design. Instead of using your old, rotting post and rusty metal box, you can give your mailbox a makeover. There are several designs you can choose for your mailbox. For example, you can get a masonry company in Nassau County, Suffolk County, or long island new york to help build a sturdy post featuring brickwork or a stone column. Just make sure your mailbox matches your home's exterior décor with options such as Craftsman or contemporary style. You can as well plant flowers at the foot of the post to add more color to your mailbox.
Edge the Driveway
The driveway plays a huge role in determining your home's curb appeal. Aside from applying a fresh coat of asphalt, you can install borders along the driveway to give it an elegant look. There are several edging materials you can use for your driveway, with popular options being stone, bricks, and pavers. You can play around with different edging materials for an appealing and welcoming look. This way, you can bring different colors, textures, and designs for your drive. You can choose to level the edging with the driveway or slightly elevate it to prevent people from driving onto your lawns.
Installing edging is a simple DIY project you can tackle over the weekend. First, you need to remove a swatch of grass the width of your edging along the sides of the driveway. Next, dig down to the length of the siding, adding an extra two inches. Once you clear the dirt, add sand up to the two-inch mark to form a sand base before placing the edging. In masonry edging, you may need to sweep sand over the top of the edging to fill the joints.
Cover-Up Dead Spots
Mature trees are a good addition to your landscaping; however, they can come at a price. Their constant shades and wandering roots can affect the growth of shrubs and grass. The shades block out sufficient sunlight while the roots absorb most of the water and nutrients, killing the surrounding grass to leave ugly dead spots in your landscape. Instead of constantly planting grass in these spots, you can choose to plant shrubs and flowers that do well in shades. You can as well much or use decorative stones to cover the dead spots. Dealing with a dead spot may require the help of professionals such as the lawn brothers to provide a permanent solution.
Cut back trees and Bushes
Over time, your trees and bushes can overgrow to cover your entire residence. This overgrowth can obscure the beauty of your home, making them seem dull and uninviting. Remember that overgrown branches and roots can also cause damage to your roofing and foundation, respectively. When the trees and bushes become thick enough, they provide homes to pests such as squirrels and mice. You can use a chain saw to cut the tree and a hedge trimmer to keep the bushes in check. Be sure to remove anything that touches your house or blocks sunlight. A well-tenders landscape can help accent the beauty of your home.
Build a Berm
A berm is a creative way of using plants, stones, trees, or mulch to add color to your yard. You can as well surround your house with decorative edging to give it an appealing look. Berms are originally designed with curving edges; this means you can play around with different designs to bring out the beauty of your home. Berms are similar to flower gardens; you first clear the grass before enriching the soil to plant your trees or foliage. Next, you dress the trees, add mulch, and build edging around them.
There are several ways to add appeal to your home landscape. However, it all narrows down to your tastes and preferences. At lawn brothers, we are dedicated to helping our clients realize their landscaping dreams. For more on our services, search lawn care services near me and click on our website. Fill out our contact information with the details on the services you want, and we will contact you. You can as well contact us at +631 294 5102 to schedule an appointment.