The planning process for building your new home started months ago after finding the perfect land and then the perfect blueprint… Now your house is move-in ready and the only thing left to do is unpack and enjoy.
Once you’ve settled in and had some time to adjust to your new home, your thoughts will naturally turn to all the finishing touches that make a house a home. During this time of year, that means patio projects, flowers and landscape, and gardening.
Before you launch into a grand scale outdoor plan for your new home, take a moment to read over these three points first.
1. Do Your Research
Before you plant that first peony, stop to think about the scale of your landscape and prioritize your needs and wants. Write a list of what you would ideally like to have and then ask yourself an important question. Do you love to get your hands dirty outside or are you more of a low yard maintenance type? Based on that answer, do some research on the care needed for the specific types of flowers and shrubs you’d like to include in your home’s landscape. If your idea of a perfect Saturday includes weeding, pruning and watering, then the sky is the limit. If not, consider an option that will require only basic seasonal maintenance.
2. Prepare and Plant
Once you have identified the types of plants that work for your local climate, how many plants you will need and where to put them, the real work starts. Prepare your flower beds by making sure the soil is the perfect growing environment for your chosen foliage. Most garden supply centers have soil test kits to easily determine the quality of your soil. Most likely, your new beds are going to need some help in order to be hospitable to plant life. One solution may be to add compost to enrich the soil; bagged cow manure is an easy option to get started. After mixing it well into the soil and getting your plants in the ground, top with mulch to maintain moisture and minimize weeds.
3. Consider the Future
It will be tempting to go all out that first spring season in your new home, but take a few steps back before you do and consider your long term needs. This will help you make good decisions on placement, should you eventually decide to expand the deck, add a play area for the kids, build a pole barn, or achieve your dream vegetable garden.
Once you’ve settled in and had some time to adjust to your new home, your thoughts will naturally turn to all the finishing touches that make a house a home. During this time of year, that means patio projects, flowers and landscape, and gardening.
Before you launch into a grand scale outdoor plan for your new home, take a moment to read over these three points first.
1. Do Your Research
Before you plant that first peony, stop to think about the scale of your landscape and prioritize your needs and wants. Write a list of what you would ideally like to have and then ask yourself an important question. Do you love to get your hands dirty outside or are you more of a low yard maintenance type? Based on that answer, do some research on the care needed for the specific types of flowers and shrubs you’d like to include in your home’s landscape. If your idea of a perfect Saturday includes weeding, pruning and watering, then the sky is the limit. If not, consider an option that will require only basic seasonal maintenance.
2. Prepare and Plant
Once you have identified the types of plants that work for your local climate, how many plants you will need and where to put them, the real work starts. Prepare your flower beds by making sure the soil is the perfect growing environment for your chosen foliage. Most garden supply centers have soil test kits to easily determine the quality of your soil. Most likely, your new beds are going to need some help in order to be hospitable to plant life. One solution may be to add compost to enrich the soil; bagged cow manure is an easy option to get started. After mixing it well into the soil and getting your plants in the ground, top with mulch to maintain moisture and minimize weeds.
3. Consider the Future
It will be tempting to go all out that first spring season in your new home, but take a few steps back before you do and consider your long term needs. This will help you make good decisions on placement, should you eventually decide to expand the deck, add a play area for the kids, build a pole barn, or achieve your dream vegetable garden.
