We’ve had a mild winter in Gainesville this year and spring is just around the corner. Right now is the perfect time to evaluate your Gainesville lawn and landscape and get an early start on those projects.
If your approach is DIY centered for some great exercise and contact with nature, you’ve probably already been thinking about where you plan to start? If you are new to our climate or simply don’t feel confident in the design and installation process, you may be leaning more towards hiring a professional to make sure that your lawn and landscape is set up well for success. Regardless of the category you fall into, the following tips can help get your landscaping project off the ground.
1. Don’t Overlook The Basics
Whether you’re itching to get some dirt under your fingernails or plan on hiring a professional landscaper this spring, prior to getting started, you need to make sure the yard is prepped and ready to go. For your lawn and landscape to grow the irrigation needs to be in good order. This is often the first step in a project.
We also recommend evaluating trouble spots in your yard that might need a drainage solution to ensure your plants and lawn will thrive. Another large consideration is shade. If you are dreaming of a lush, green yard, you may need to start with thinning the tree canopy, or removing unhealthy trees.
2. Make a Plan of Action
Picking out your plants and supplies is the fun part of the project. Many of us are tempted to start here. I certainly know that I’ve done it! I has a project to complete for my son’s nursery so I raced off to the home improvement store and load up on supplies. I started without a plan so of course half the supplies were the wrong type or the wrong quantity!!
Start by determining what your overall goal is for your landscaping. Are you looking to sell your home in the summer and want a budget-friendly solution? Do you want to create a space for your family to entertain outside? Are you trying to create a space that is attractive but still safe for your pets? Are your needs more fundamental, like erosion or drainage related?
Knowing the answers to these questions will ensure you are making the right decisions. A good rule of thumb is to focus on the basics before moving on to accessories.
A critical and less glamorous part of this process is planning your budget. This will help you determine what can be done immediately, and what will be in the near future.
3. Make it realistic
So many times I’ve listened to clients paint the picture of their dream landscaping. It may be plants they loved in their former northern homes, it may be a lush tropical oasis, or a country garden with an abundance of flowering plants. It’s important to take these goals as a starting point, and tailor the final plant selection and placement to our climate, the specific site, and a realistic level of maintenance.
You can spend thousands of dollars on elaborate landscaping projects, but if they aren’t user-friendly, and suited to Gainesville, they simply won’t be appealing in the long run. Creating a landscaping plan that incorporates outdoor living, relaxation and socialization while also being realistic about maintenance needs and placement will give you a much better on your investment.
Finally, if this seems a bit overwhelming to you, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Hiring a professional could make all the difference in successfully completing a landscaping project and we would love to help transform your plan and vision into a realistic and beautiful reality.