The Valentines have been opened, the rose petals scattered, and the chocolates picked over. Now, a new love affair begins as the promise of spring prompts an overwhelming desire for reinvention.
Homeowners in Maryland and Virginia soon will be turning to their lawns and gardens – and pools – for a sunny reprieve, particularly after enduring the frigid and frost-covered late winter months along the East Coast.
Quality landscape design and construction can transform neglected yards into breathtaking utopias. But it’s not easy. Regardless of project size, designing a beloved home space can be a monumental undertaking, and because of this, is subject to various oversights.
If landscape design and construction – whether DIY or professionally contracted – is on your horizon, consider the following suggestions:
- Choose plants wisely. Immaculate gardens and plantings are tantamount to any aesthetically appealing landscape, but when it comes to selecting the perfect foliage for your home, one size does not fit all. Placement, color, and size are important factors to keep in mind when establishing your layout. Examine the architecture of your home and purchase plants that are complimentary. Variety is the spice of life, and also the seeds of a thriving garden. Color is essential, but too much can become gaudy. Plan ahead for seasons, so that your surroundings are plentiful no matter the month. Consider native plants, shrubs, and trees, which provide a beautiful haven for birds and butterflies, and protect the environment, as well.
- Let there be light. After toiling on your garden throughout the day, ensure that your hard work is still enjoyable when the sun goes down. Solar lighting is cost-effective and easily installed along driveways, paths, and patios, and simultaneously serves as an added safety feature, helping to guide nighttime visitors to your new oasis.
- Consider all vantage points. When brainstorming your landscape and construction design, map out all perspectives in advance. Survey the area in question from every conceivable angle – indoors, outdoors, across the street, and even from above. How does your house factor into your blueprint and in conjunction with any proposed additions? The kids’ playhouse? The pool? How about surrounding homes? Does your design infringe upon your neighbors’ views? Keeping peace with the Joneses is often far more important than keeping up with them.
- Make room for masonry. Ornamental yet essential, hardscaping – patios, stonework, brickwork, retaining walls, and more – can provide a punctuating personal touch to the design of your dream home.
Thorough planning is the key to exquisite landscape and construction design, and qualified craftsmen can help you build your paradise. McHale Landscape Design serves counties throughout Maryland and Virginia. Our signature design-build-process places clients at the center of the planning process, and ensures that all team members, from carpenters to construction workers, collaborate as a single entity. Contact us today to discuss falling in love with your new environment.
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