Landscaping Ideas: How to Embrace Your Lawn and Garden

One way to survive the cold weather is to plan your spring landscaping tasks. Sometimes, just thinking about tending your yard in the warm spring breezes can help you overlook the frozen tundra outside your window. If you begin planning now, you have a great chance of creating the yard of your dreams.

Clean-up

First, make a list of the tasks you need to accomplish as soon as spring comes to stay. After cleaning all the winter debris from your yard, including downed branches, leaves, and paper bits, you will want to "cut back" your perennials to about two inches above ground so they will grow back healthier than ever. If you have damaged trees from the winter weather, schedule an appointment with a tree trimming service.  Do not perform regular pruning on your trees or bushes in the spring, however. You need to take care of that task later in summer or the fall.

Planning

Now is the time to plan any changes, both big and small, to your current landscape. During long cold evenings, you can shop online or through catalogs and begin to plan your dream yard. Draw your outdoor space as it is now, and then begin adding and subtracting plants, pavers, and accessories. Determine which plants will thrive in your climate, and be certain to choose flowers, bushes, and trees that are resistant to the pests in your area. You can also benefit from adding a landscaping app to your smartphone or computer, which allows you to more easily adjust your plans.

Of course, you need to develop a reasonable budget for your project so you can choose the most cost-effective way to beautify your property. You can pass many happy hours snuggled up on your sofa as you plot and plan your outdoor glory.

Planting

Although you will probably buy many of your new flowers and other plants, you can grow some annual varieties indoors from seed. You can purchase special seed-starting soil that is available in bags or in "pellets." You can start them in any container with drainage that has been properly cleaned and sterilized. As long as you provide them with enough light, warmth, and water, you should begin spring with a fantastic array of seedlings for your landscaping efforts.

If you cannot actually work the soil now, you can prepare for a spring full of planting and other yard work to improve your property. With the proper planning, you can hit the ground running and have a lovely yard by the time late spring and summer hits.