10 Landscaping Tips for First-Time Homeowners
Are you a first-time homeowner looking to improve your home’s curb appeal? Upgrading your landscaping is a sure-fire way to turn your house into the envy of the neighborhood, and it’s a lot easier than you think. Check out these 10 top-notch landscaping tips for first-time homeowners.
1. Start With a Clean Slate
When an artist goes to create a masterpiece, they start with a blank canvas. The same mindset can be helpful when it comes to your yard.
Start with a brainstorming stage. Do some research online for different ideas that you wish to incorporate in your yard. Do you have space? Where would you place that feature on your property? You might even draw a few sketches, like a makeshift blueprint.
2. Plan a Landscape Budget
You want your dream landscape, but it’s important to keep things in perspective. Rome wasn’t built overnight, and neither will your perfect landscape.
Start this process by creating a landscaping budget. This will provide you with more accountability as you go to purchase different features. You have the ideas from the previous stage, now put dollars and cents beside them. Do they fit your budget? If not, are there any alternatives you could invest in that align with your budget?
3. Be Realistic About Maintenance
Almost everyone dreams of having a front-yard filled with lush, green grass and decadent flowers along the pathway leading to their front door. However, few people have the time or money to maintain that look. Be realistic about how much maintenance you’re willing to commit to long-term so you don’t create a situation you don’t want.
As you research ideas, make sure you learn about the maintenance involved. If it sounds like a bit much, then it might not be for you.
4. Research Plants Before You Buy Them
Imagine the horror of dropping significant money on plants, then finding out that a number of them don’t grow well in your location. Some plants are very fickle in that way. Several factors contribute to their growth and if the circumstances aren’t just right, they won’t last long. Tragic, but true.
Make time to research beforehand on the plants you wish to implement into your yard. That way, you can enjoy them for years to come.
5. Don’t Forget to Edge Your Landscape
We’ve all seen the yards that look unkempt due to their poor edging. People naturally crave sharp, definitive lines in their landscapes that help section plantlife and define spaces.
Colmet steel landscaping edging makes that a possibility. The prime steel offers a plethora of benefits for your yard. Colmet steel landscape edging gives first-time homeowners edging that is rigid enough to create clean lines that last, flexible enough to contour to the shape of your lawn and durable enough to keep it tidy, clear and looking great for years. Better yet, it’s easy to install.
Homeowners can find Colmet steel landscape edging at:
 |
 |
 |
 |
Colmet steel landscape edging is available in many different colors and finishes. Ask your store’s associate to help you place a special order if your local store doesn’t carry what you’re looking for.
6. Don’t Cut Your Grass Too Short
Many people are surprised to find out that they can cut their grass short enough to kill it.
The goal of trimming your lawn should always be to keep it lush and crisp, not as short as possible. Instead, adhere to the one-third rule. In other words, only cut the top one-third of the blade to keep it happy, healthy, and colorful.
7. Water Your Lawn Regularly
Did you know that you’re supposed to water your lawn in different increments based on the time of year?
Technically, it’s so detailed that it breaks down to the very month you’re in and how often you should water your lawn for the best results. Don’t just count on nature to do it for you. A good rule of thumb is to water your lawn 1 to 2 times a week when the summer rolls around, then continue that trend until midway through the fall.
8. Plan a Focal Point
For every amazing landscape in the world, there’s a crown jewel that defines it. For example, if you take a visit to your local city park, there might be a beautiful fountain in the middle of it.
Always make sure to provide a focal point; something that sets the pace for the rest of the yard.
This could be anything you find beautiful and important. It could be a tree, a garden, a birdhouse, a statue, a flag pole… anything at all!
9. Use Color Strategically
Color psychology points out that every individual color sends subliminal emotions and feelings to the brains of those that lay eyes on it. For example, the color red induces feelings of youthfulness and excitement. This could be one of the main reasons people love roses so much.
Learn a bit about the different emotions that colors convey, and which ones you’d like to implement in your landscape. Even your steel landscape edging color selection can make a significant impact on your landscape design. Colmet steel landscaping edging is available in different colors and textures including:
 Smooth Green |
Smooth Brown |
Smooth Black |
Galvanized |
Textured Green |
Textured Brown |
Textured Black |
Unpainted* |
*This is what it looks like “fresh.” Unpainted steel edging patinas beautifully over time.
10. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
True, it’s your yard, but you aren’t ever in this alone. There is a plethora of resources available to you both online and offline. Your local garden center or plant nursery can help you choose the right plants for your landscape. Landscape designers can help you determine where to lay your steel landscaping edging.
With just a few clicks, you can peruse websites, blogs, and social media for everything you need to know about landscaping (or didn’t know you needed to know). In fact, our Pinterest is full of curb appeal tips, landscape makeovers, and landscape design inspiration.
If you’re ready to get your hands dirty, check out the top 5 trends for suburban landscaping in 2021.