The patio can also be reimagined as a place to celebrate nature. By abandoning traditional formal Landscaping and switching to an environmentally focused backyard design, a backyard can attract more wildlife with less maintenance work.
Decide to create a natural prairie garden from low-growing native perennials rather than an expanse of grassy lawn. Explore local birds, butterflies and domestic bees and consider planting some of your favourite plants for food and shelter. Provide a source of clean water, such as a circulation pond or birdbath. Lastly, don’t forget to include human-oriented design elements! A quiet meditation bench, a winding meadow path, and a secluded outdoor dining area can allow you to enjoy nature.
Ideas For Garden Borders.
Garden edges are a key part of Landscaping. Whether your garden requires a durable, firm edge or a more natural, soft edge, there are many different ways to access garden and landscape edges.
Garden edging can be anything from gradual transitions between garden design elements to well-cut garden edging to hardscape edging options. Beautiful gardens that have well-thought-out borders may actually require less maintenance in the long term.
Gradual transitions may represent the least amount of work up front, but they can seem a little wild or messy if the environment allows weeds to thrive or doesn’t support the growth of your preferred plants. For a sharp cut, Stihl makes garden edging tools as part of their van system. Plastic, concrete, metal and wood barriers are available for hardscaping.
Garden Edges
Garden edging separates garden soil from surrounding grass, gravel, or other separate area. The edges can be in the shape of a fence (as mentioned above) but are most often placed low. Informal garden borders can easily be a gradual transition between mulch and grass. Some lawn borders are trimmed with cutting tools to create a more defined line. Small gardens can also be edged with wood or stone.
Landscaped Borders
Landscape borders are large-scale garden borders. Hard or informal edging can be used along lawns, paths, garden beds or other features. It can also include structures such as retaining walls.
Although prone to rot, the wood is sometimes used as landscape edging, especially in drier climates. Some types of wood, such as cedar, are somewhat resistant to rot and can last for years. The plastic landscape sets quickly but is not very durable. Metal landscaping products designed without sharp edges are available for modern Landscaping. For a truly durable landscape option, consider a poured concrete divider or stone wall.
The Importance Of Mulch In Landscaping
The arrangement would not be complete without mulch! Mulch protects the soil from erosion, relieves soil temperatures, and increases moisture retention. These characteristics make mulch the perfect addition to many landscaping applications, such as paths, perennial gardens, and even food gardens.
Mulch is an important part of garden design. Garden mulches can include everything from organic mulches like compost or wood chips to inorganic mulches like plastic or tarp. Many home gardeners prefer the look and feel of selected organic mulch. Check out these 3 organic mulch ideas for a beautiful garden.
Organic Mulch In Landscaping
Organic mulch is the foundation of a healthy garden. Organic mulch, such as compost, is often applied to food gardens and perennial flower beds to enrich the soil. More durable organic mulches, such as wood chips, can be used to cover large areas and add organic matter to the soil. Living mulches as long-lasting perennial covers are also popular in lawns and among stone flags.
One caveat with organic mulch is not to place it next to the bark of a live tree! Organic mulches retain water that will attract moisture, diseases and critters to the tree’s delicate lower bark. When applying mulch around the tree, keep the mulch at least six inches from the base. The original ground line at the point where the tree meets the ground should remain fully visible.
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