GENERAL LANDSCAPING: SOFTSCAPE & HARDSCAPE
General landscaping is such a general term. What exactly makes up general landscaping? When we say general landscaping, we are talking about using landscape materials that create curb appeal to a property or residence. Why is curb appeal so important? Whether it is for your home or business, curb appeal gives off certain perceptions to people and how they view you and your property. And while you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, unfortunately first impressions last and people only see what they want to see. Not only that, if you were to ever sell your home, it is the first thing a buyer notices and it can make or break the tone of the sale.
What kind of landscape materials are used in general landscaping? General landscaping involves using materials such as edging, fabric, mulch, rock, plants, sod, boulders, black dirt and sod. Whether it’s to replace, re-freshen or create a new landscaping area, general landscaping always seems to brighten up a place.
If you would like to use edging in your yard, there are many different options to choose from: black plastic edging, brick edging, bullet edgers, concrete edging or stone edging. Once you install your edging, you should lay a weed barrier down such as fabric or plastic, depending on what you plan to plant and what material you decide to put into your new beds.
The majority of people will either choose to put mulch or rock in a new landscape bed. Both options have their pros and cons. The pros to mulch is that it reduces sun heat damage while keeping moisture in the beds. This helps the soil stay cooler so the roots of the plant are less likely to get stressed. Mulch also reduces soil erosion and supplies soil nutrients to beneficial organisms and worms, while also suppressing weed growth. However, because mulch can become a cool, dark and moist place, it may invite threatening bugs to the bed such as slugs, earwigs or cutworms. Mulch can also stay wet and soggy for days after a heavy rainstorm, causing potential root rot to plant roots. And since mulch blocks sunlight, it may prevent plants from germinating. You also have to figure on replenishing mulch every couple of years since it does eventually decompose and decay.
If you are leaning towards having rocks in your new landscape bed, a pro to having rock is that it is highly durable and will last over 10 years since rocks do not decompose or decay. Rock also holds up to the weather elements and helps minimize erosion by keeping the soil in place. Using rocks in landscape beds are considered low maintenance and can help save money since you don’t need to replace it every other year. Using rocks does have it’s cons though. Rock brings in heat from the sun and can raise the temperature in your beds, causing the plants you may have in the landscape bed to become stressed and thirsty for water. And since rocks don’t provide nutrients to the soil like mulch does, using it doesn’t help aid in plant or soil growth. Also, if you would like your rock beds to stay looking nice and clean, the easiest way to do that is to remove the rock from the beds and clean it by hand, which can be exhausting and time consuming.
General landscaping doesn’t need to involve any landscape beds or plants to make your yard look pretty. If your lot has become overgrown with weeds or it is newly developed with no sod yet, we are able install black dirt so we can give you either an instant yard with fresh new sod, or lay down seed with matting, which may take a little more time for growth, but it will be just as strong in the end. If you feel your house or business needs a pick me up on curb appeal, we’re here to create that lasting first impression!
GENERAL LANDSCAPING IMAGE GALLERY
