Planting flowers can be a joy, but neglecting essential garden chores can lead to an overgrown mess that ruins your curb appeal. Just like keeping your indoor space clean and organized, maintaining your garden is crucial for creating a space that uplifts you. Landscape designers emphasize the importance of tackling tasks that can easily be overlooked. Here are some common mistakes that can make your garden look messy and how to fix them:
1. Neglected Garden Structures: Ensure that structures like fences, trellises, and garden gates are in good condition. Repair or remove any broken structures to instantly improve your garden’s appearance.
2. Weeds Taking Over: Weeds can quickly make your yard look unkempt. Stay on top of weeding by starting with high-impact areas like the front walkway. Consider using mulch to help keep weeds under control.
3. Lack of Design Cohesion: Avoid a chaotic garden by creating a sense of rhythm and repetition in your design. Repeat plants or colors to create a cohesive look throughout the garden bed.
4. Untidy Edges: Define garden beds and walkways with clean edges. Use a garden spade or install edging materials to keep the mulch contained and give your garden a polished finish.
Remember, even small changes can make a big difference in restoring your garden’s beauty. By addressing these common mistakes, you can transform your outdoor space into a welcoming and uplifting sanctuary.
During a cold winter, frost heave may have caused the soil to push up from the ground. When faced with expanses of bare dirt that refuse to support grass growth, particularly in areas like beneath trees, it’s essential not to leave it exposed as it can give off the appearance of neglect, resembling an abandoned lot. Moreover, bare dirt is prone to erosion. To address this issue, consider using mulch to cover the bare ground or opt to plant groundcovers that thrive in challenging conditions, such as underneath trees or in areas exposed to full sun.
While certain trailing vines can add a lovely touch to a garden, others have the potential to cause significant damage if left unattended. Vines like clematis and honeysuckle can appear untidy without regular trimming and maintenance. Additionally, they may become entangled with structures, leading to a chaotic and unintentional look. In such cases, it is advisable to trim back any vines that are mostly dead or appear unkempt, cutting them back to ground level. This bold move often stimulates healthy new growth, resulting in a fuller and lusher appearance in the following season.
Failing to trim back perennials in the spring can hinder their ability to bloom and thrive. Although leaving perennials intact over the winter can be beneficial for supporting wildlife, it’s crucial to tidy them up when spring arrives to ensure their health and flowering. Understanding the appropriate times to trim back perennials is key, with the general recommendation being to wait until mid-to-late spring before doing so.
Hardscaping elements like flagstone pavers typically require minimal attention, but if they become covered in moss or appear discolored and dirty, it can detract from the overall aesthetic. To address this, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to clean your pavers effectively. In many cases, a gentle spray with a power washer set to the lowest setting can effectively remove grime and restore their appearance.
After enduring a harsh winter, many shrubs may appear worse for wear upon emerging from dormancy. While some shrubs will bounce back, others may be beyond recovery, with dead branches requiring extensive pruning. In such cases, it may be necessary to remove the shrubs altogether, especially those in prominent locations like by the front door. Allow plants time to recuperate after winter, but if they fail to show signs of new growth by late spring, it’s advisable to replace them.
Dead limbs on mature trees not only mar the tree’s appearance but also pose a safety hazard, capable of falling on parked cars, children playing in the yard, or even your home. To address this issue, seek the expertise of a certified arborist to assess your tree’s overall health. Many arborists offer this service at no cost and can provide guidance on whether specific limbs or the entire tree should be removed to ensure safety and tree health.
