We know you love a good DIY project and lots of homeowners are total weekend warriors. That being said, some things like landscape design are best left to the professionals. You don’t want to spend lots of time, energy, and (most importantly) money only to end up with something you don’t like or that just doesn’t work out, right?
Let us help save you from those mistakes and give you the home landscaping of your dreams! We’re taking a look at DIY landscape design, a bad idea that can hurt curb appeal.
DIY Landscape Design Mistakes That Hurt Curb Appeal
You’ve found some inspiration from Pinterest and watched enough HGTV that DIY landscape design should be a breeze, right? No way! There’s a lot more that goes into landscape design and installation than simply digging up some dirt and throwing in plants. Unfortunately, some homeowners don’t realize this until it’s too late and their investment has been scorched in the sun or turned into a total disaster (we know a certain landscape planner online to help you see all the planning and budgeting needed for your next project!).
Some common mistakes in DIY landscape design include:
- Failing to make a full landscape design plan
- Excessive decoration that makes it tacky, not chic
- Killing your lawn by cutting the grass too short
- Using the wrong plants
- Not knowing how to properly install things like garden water features
DIY Landscape Design Issue #1: Not Having a Plan!
When you’re outsourcing your landscaping, a landscape design professional will be able to assess your space and help create a full plan for your landscaping installation. This landscaping design is crucial to getting the finished look you want.
If you want to plan and budget for your next project to help communicate what you want to a landscape designer, try out a Project Planner that allows you to submit the plans directly to them! This helps your professional know just what you want without you risking any DIY landscape design fails that could waste your time and money.
DIY Landscape Design Issue #2: Garden Decoration Overload
A common DIY landscape design mistake is adding too much garden decoration. Having a statue or cute landscaping ornament can be cute (or even chic!), but a little goes a long way. Too much and you’re running the risk of hurting curb appeal by making your landscaping look stacky or cheap.
A landscape design professional knows how to let the landscape installation speak for itself. They’ll be able to share landscape ideas to boost curb appeal and make your yard the envy of the neighborhood!
DIY Landscape Design Issue #3: Mowing Too Short
One of the most common DIY landscape design fails and guaranteed ways to kill your lawn is mowing the grass too short. It may sound counterintuitive at first, but the fact is cutting your grass too short can result in preventing root growth and having it scorch in the summer sun. This will leave unsightly dead patches in your yard and we don’t want that!
A landscape design professional will know all about summer lawn maintenance for Albany’s weather (and the entire Capital Region) and what landscaping services will keep your yard manicured and thriving all year long.
DIY Landscape Design Issue #4: Using the Wrong Plants
One of the easiest pitfalls of DIY landscape design is using the wrong plants. How can you use the wrong plants, you ask? It’s easy, really. Different plants require different levels of maintenance. Some may require full sun while others prefer mostly shade. Similarly, different plants and flowers also require different watering schedules.
A landscape design professional will know which plants thrive in what conditions when they start creating a plan for your landscape installation. They’ll be able to recommend pops of color for visual interest or plants that meet your preferred level of maintenance requirements so that your yard stays looking its best. Using the wrong plants may cause them to look terrible, which hurts curb appeal and can be an eyesore.
Pro Tip: Different types of grasses also require different levels of maintenance and thrive better in certain areas. Check out our guide to which grass is right for Upstate NY lawns for more info!
DIY Landscape Design Issue #5: Landscape Feature Installation Problems
Last, but certainly not least, in our exploration of DIY landscape design bad ideas that can hurt curb appeal is improper installation of items like garden water features. They don’t call them landscape design professionals for nothing! Letting a professional handle water feature installation is always a good idea. Your landscape design professional will know the perfect way to install a water feature to add value to your home and how to maintain a water feature after installation (the job’s not over just because the water is running!).
While we’re all for weekend warrior projects to spruce up your home, DIY landscape design can be a bad idea that hurts curb appeal. Instead of risking your time, money, and heartbreak, let a professional handle landscape installation to keep your home looking incredible (we happen to know the best landscape designers in Albany and the Capital Region!).
Want to get a jumpstart on planning your next project? Check out our Project Planner to help you plan and budget your landscape installation. You can submit the plans directly to us and one of our landscape design professionals will contact you right away to get started bringing your vision to life better than you could ever imagine!
For more landscaping tips and inspiration, check out these resources:
- 8 Pond and Water Feature Construction Inspirations
- Tips for How to Landscape The Front Of Your House
- 7 Ways Landscape Design Can Transform Your Backyard
- 10 Tips for Garden Care
- Landscaping Around Trees: Practical Tips and Inspiration
