Landscaping has been practiced for centuries. Humans have been manipulating the land for both aesthetic and practical reasons since the time of the ancient Mayans. Landscaping includes the addition of plants, changes to the existing terrain, and the construction of structures. Today, landscaping refers to the design, layout, and construction of gardens that improve the appearance and provide usable space for outdoor activities around a home.
Agricultural development is at the heart of landscape design’s history. Ancient Japanese gardens were designed to facilitate meditation and spiritual connection, while ancient Chinese gardens were designed to be both reflective and social spaces. Softscaping, which uses living elements such as trees and flowers, and hardscaping, which uses non-living additions such as water features, paths, statues, and patios, are the two distinguishing features of landscape design. Water features were frequently incorporated into hardscaping in Japanese gardens, whereas plants in softscaping in Chinese gardens often had symbolic, spiritual meaning.
Despite these ancient origins, which are likely even older, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon from the 6th century BC are said to be the earliest recorded example of landscape design. Even so, it is said that landscape design did not become popular until it reached the ancient Romans. Their credit for the rise of landscape design is due in part to the fact that they transformed it from a practice reserved for the elite to one used in every home garden.
Landscape design, which began with the ancient Romans, became less popular during the Middle Ages and was rediscovered in the 17th century by Italy, France, and England, respectively, and was applied to elaborate piazzas, ornate gardens, large parks, and even Versailles. The 17th century also saw the rise of cottage-style landscape design, a compact form of gardening that served as inspiration for modern suburban landscaping.
When it comes to landscaping, there are many different projects that you can decide to do. While not all of them are going end up being the best for your particular property, when landscaping is done correctly, you can rest assured that it will end up being the best yard on the block.
With that being said, here are some of the absolute best landscaping projects that you should consider when it comes to landscaping your yard that we found on christieslandscapes.com.au. Now keep in mind that whenever you decide to do any type of project in your yard, be sure that you have decided to do a project that you are going to love, as you are the one who is going to have to be stuck with it.
Even if your backyard is on the smaller side, you can still craft your dream outdoor space. This landscaping company notes that one of the best features to add to a small backyard is a paver patio with a fire pit as they provide a space to gather with family, friends and neighbors both day and night.
Here are some of the most popular and affordable landscaping projects that you can do to enhance your yard.
Try Charting a New Path
While steppingstones are nice, they are not necessarily going to be the best way to build your landscaping. If you are trying to go for a more modern and even unexpected take on your garden path (or any path for that matter), try building a path out of the materials that you can find for free. In fact, all you need to do in order to create a nice wooden walkway it so simply dig some shallow trenches where you want the planks to go and then embed some of the salvaged pallet wood planks into those spaces. You can even put those wood planks in a curved arrangement to really make your new path stand out.
Try Living on the Edge
With wicker being all the rage right now, you can easily utilize it to create a woven garden border that will give your garden a very unique and beautiful handmade finish. In fact, you can even create this very affordable landscaping idea by simply adding some bamboo posts roughly 12-18 inches apart. Once these posts have been installed, all you need to do is interweave some raspberry canes in between the bamboo posts in order to achieve the whimsical woven pattern that you are trying to achieve. If you are looking for a more professional look, all you need to do is to hammer the bamboo posts until they are all level with each other.
Try to Divide and Conquer
If you are looking to create a beautiful garden, you should try to divide clump-forming flowers such as Chrysanthemums and asters. In fact, when you do decide to cluster plants together, it is going to lead to some very serious potential problems that include:
- Stunted growth
- Pest infestation
- Fungal disease
Essentially if you do end up planting your plants to close to each other, you are going to need to dig up some of the plants in order to save them. You will then need to take the dug up plants and replant them into a separate area so that they are able to have the opportunity to grow.
Try Using Recyclable Materials
An affordable landscaping idea calls for an affordable material. Affordable materials for your garden can be as simple as you can think of. Try for example using wood chips or wood mulch. These are materials that are a byproduct of mulching some parts of a tree such as its branches. Wood chips can be asked for free at houses who have decided to cut down branches of their trees and would not be using the materials that were cut down. Other wood chips or wood mulch are ready-made and are mixed with other materials such as cedar and cedar chips, cypress, oak hardwood, mixed hardwood, pine fines, pine bark nuggets, and many others. They usually come in an affordable price.
Try Asking Around for Ideas
Look around your community for a landscaping inspiration. Who knows you might the right landscaping idea you want to have. Try to sight the materials used and think whether these materials are affordable and might fit the idea that you have in mind.
Make your own Research regarding local companies
Aside from asking around from people in your neighborhood, you can look for companies in Perth that specializes in landscaping services. Additionally, you can check for samples of their works, pricing, and even get a hint of customer reviews which could be helpful for your landscaping idea. Look for companies that matches not only your dream landscape but also your budget.
Prioritize your Landscaping Needs
To make sure that you would really be able to afford your landscaping needs, then you might consider the appearance and functionality of your outdoor space. Try to identify whether you there is a need to create a simple patio area, plant low-maintenance plants, and to trim overgrown bushes. This way, you will be able to know which one you will be doing first, so that you will be able to plan for your budget ahead of time. This is also a good way for you to shop for your materials and be able to look for shops that allows bulk buying.
Benefits of Landscaping
Cooler temperatures are provided by grass and trees
A grass lawn is more comfortable than asphalt, cement, or even bare soil. You can actually reduce your air-conditioning needs by having grass radiate cooler temperatures all around your home or business.
Landscapes are Beneficial to the Air and Water
Did you know that every day, grass and trees work hard to capture dust and smoke particles, remove carbon dioxide, and produce life-giving oxygen? In fact, a single tree can remove 26 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year, which is equivalent to driving a car 11,000 miles. So, planting grass and trees is a simple way for all of us to contribute to environmental protection!
Outdoor Living Spaces Improve Life Quality
Landscaping enhances the quality of life in cities by providing both physical and psychological benefits. Simply looking at plants, for example, has been shown to lower blood pressure. Even in the middle of a city, walking through a natural environment improves attention and memory. People who live in communities with community green spaces have lower stress levels and lower healthcare costs.
Landscapes Have Economic Value
Did you know that businesses with high-quality landscapes are more likely to succeed? That is correct! Customers claim to be willing to travel longer distances to shop in a district with better landscaping, and they claim to spend more money on goods and services if the commercial building has a high-quality tree canopy. They also say that if the landscaping is peaceful, they stay longer.
Conclusion
As cities continue to grow, so will the demand for community green spaces and personal backyard oases. In fact, landscaping is essential for maintaining a healthy body and mind. When you choose to add creative landscapes, you are actually helping the environment while also increasing your bottom line if the landscape design is properly implemented.