New plants in a garden patch

6 Secrets of the Professional Landscaper

Hey, hey you. Yeah, YOU.

Do you want to have the best-landscaped yard on the block?

If you answered yes (and I’m sure you did), then…whoa. Put away your wallet and put down that professional landscaper’s business card.

We’ve got the secrets to a fantastic looking yard that the pros don’t want you to know about. Best of all, you don’t need to spend a ton of money to achieve your dream!

Say NO to the mower bag

If your lawnmower comes equipped with a bag to collect grass clippings, ditch it. You might have an eye for perfection that will feel slightly miffed by the sore sight of grassy piles on your pristine lawn, but those clippings are actually beneficial. Earthworms and microbes love to snack on those clippings, boosting your lawn and soil’s overall health and lushness.

Window perks

Got big windows in your home? Then certainly the view is important. If you’re looking out over a city or street, this is a good chance to make your lawn the focal point from indoors. Plan your landscape design to incorporate the view from inside with flowers, manicured beds, and special displays, such as sculptures. Add a birdbath or hummingbird feeders and you can enjoy breakfast while watching the birdies enjoy theirs!

Stones upon stones

A low maintenance exterior design trick that offers a bunch of curbside appeal is a bag of natural river stones. Smooth and vibrant, these tumbled stones can be installed in no time, virtually anywhere in your yard. They are useful for making a stone garden path or lining the pool, patio, or hedge. Use them to spruce up the base of a tree trunk look or around a fire pit. Let your creative juices flow!

Be careful what you mulch with

Red mulch is a landscaping favorite to cover tree exposed tree roots or make a garden pathway look more distinctive. But, be wary about what you choose, as some types of red mulch can contain arsenic and toxic chemicals that are dangerous for pets and children (and your soil!). Instead, read the labels and opt for organic mulch.

No more bagging leaves

As a kid, nothing was worse than spending the weekend doing yard work, raking leaves, and then struggling to get every little piece into a bag. If you thoroughly dislike dealing with leaves, then try this hack instead. Mow over them so they become small fragments that cover your lawn. They will break down over time and discourage weeds from growing.

lythrum salicaria

Don’t buy the pretty, purple plant

Like a siren leading sailors astray, the lythrum salicaria or “purple loose-strife” is a beautiful flower that is sold in many nurseries to this day. Don’t fall prey to its good looks. This is an invasive species that spreads like wildfire and chokes out native plants.

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