10 Landscaping Secrets From the Pros

Evergreen shrubs retain their leaves or needles all year long, so they’re constantly providing cover and color. "This gives you some interest even in the winter," says Rich Cording Jr., co-owner of CLC Landscape Design, Inc., in Ringwood, N.J. He says evergreen plants advantageously placed near the house, such as in front of corners, can help soften the vertical lines of the house, giving it a more inviting appearance.

"For 12 months out of the year, you soften those vertical lines," Cording says. "With evergreen material, you’re always going to have curb appeal."

Instead of trampling down the lawn, resulting in a makeshift path of dead grass between your patio, fire pit, and garden, create an attractive walkway using concrete stepping stones, natural flagstone, decorative brick, or crushed stone. "It’s all about connecting elements in your landscaping to pull those elements together," says Craig Trenary, owner of Terra Forma Design in Bloomington, Minn.

Trenary advises constructing a pathway, walkway, or any other landscaping feature from material that’s the same or similar to what’s used on the exterior of the house, such as a brick or stone, because it will tie the path aesthetically to the home. Or use the material to provide a striking edging along the walkway.

A simple way to make a statement with your lawn is to plunk down a giant rock or two. We’re talking about the kind of rocks that are too big to fit in your truck bed. "Having a certain type of boulder in the landscape will break up the monotony with a different material," Trenary says.

Not sure what type of rock to get or where to put it? Trenary says to ask a pro. "It gets you going on the right path," he says, adding that a consultation with a landscaping expert can cost $35 to $90 for an hour. Bringing in pictures of the yard and even measurements can help the pro make recommendations for your property.

One way to add pizzazz to the landscape is to build a berm, a mound that you can cover with a rock or flower garden. Berms add color and texture to an otherwise flat, plain lawn with colored stone, flowers, or foliage. They can also add height by being built as a mound. You can place them anywhere, although they’re especially effective in corners of the lawn.

"I find that the corners are often unused areas of the landscape," Cording says. "A berm can let you arrange flowers in the lawn on an unused space.

A water feature, even a small, self-contained unit that stands alone on a patio, should look like it belongs in its surroundings, Trenary notes. "You can use natural stone to build it up," he adds. "You can use the same stone or material that you find on the house."

However, Trenary advises not to use too many materials or the effort may backfire. "A good rule is to use no more than three elements in one area, or the area can get too busy and work the opposite way for you."

Installing a patio near the edge of your lawn, away from the house, provides an outdoor escape. Concrete will do, or you can use stones or pavers. Building it near trees or tall flowers gives the area some privacy, while chairs or benches let you sit or lie down to read or nap.

"You want to keep it 6 to 8 feet from your property line," Cording says. "You can maximize it because it is usable space. You can leave the house and have flowers around you on a patio."

Cording encourages homeowners to choose a diverse range of plants that bloom at different times so ornamental leaves will be visible all season long. Otherwise, if all the flowers bloom at the same time, they’ll look attractive during that time frame but will lack color the rest of the year. Cording, for example, likes to use the perennial Rozanne geranium because it blooms from June through October.

Local lawn and garden centers typically sell old-fashioned wagon wheels, split-rail wood fencing, and other materials that deliver a rustic appearance. "Depending on the look you want, you can get it in different elements," Trenary notes. "You can creatively incorporate these elements into the landscape to achieve the look you want."

Landscapers often add edging around flower gardens, the house foundation, and sometimes sidewalks and driveways. Installing the edging in creative curves instead of perfectly straight lines adds appeal and character. "I really enjoy creating those long, serpentine edges," Cording says. "You really just improved the edge of the [garden] bed."

The edging is permanent, so it enhances the landscape all year long. "The edging is there 12 months out of the year, so it is always adding a subtle, very attractive feature," Cording notes. "This is an easy way to go from boring to beautiful."

Attractive landscaping deserves to be seen after hours, which is where landscape lights come into play. The lights play many roles, from adding to the home’s attractiveness to illuminating steps and sidewalks for safety to showcasing points of interest in the landscape. Placing lights alongside paths and walkways is one of their most common uses, although that doesn’t mean they have to be set in straight lines at prescribed intervals. "Don’t feel like you have to follow the straight lines," Trenary says. "You can place them on alternate sides of a sidewalk to break up a line."