From Lawn to Landscape...enhancing mother nature's gifts

Your lawn is the canvas; your landscape is the finished work of art. A well-designed landscape can bring you unending pleasure on many levels. Your community enjoys the view, you increase your property’s resale value and the colorful birds of the air seek sanctuary in your yard. The cardinals, chickadees, finches and other birds specific to your locale are feeding in the spring, so be sure to have plenty of Lyric Wild Bird Food on hand. Hours and hours of enjoyment are yours when nature is your entertainment.

So you have a lawn and it’s beautiful. Planting trees, shrubbery and plants around the lawn may seem pretty straightforward. But if you attempt this without a plan, you may end up with less than picture-perfect results.

On the other hand, if you spend some time organizing and laying a design on paper, creating a visual  representation of your property with key yard-house-people relationships in mind, the result can be astounding! Most importantly, you’ll want to organize your plantings and decorations to ensure maximum usefulness as well as aesthetics. Every entrance and exit to your home will be enhanced if the function and decor are properly designed.

Being realistic is also a key to successful landscaping that has long lasting beauty. With the vast array of plants, flowers, trees and decorations available on the market today, it’s easy to overdo it. So keep in mind that you also want to reduce the maintenance of your landscape so that it’s practical. If in your design, you consider the time and resources you have, this will help you enjoy it for years to come without regrets.

Some varieties of plants or other materials in the landscape may take up a great deal of space and leave little room for people, and that’s another great reason why planning is essential---to make your landscape livable. And for your landscape plantings, our line of Woodace Tree, Shrub and Plant fertilizers will keep your new and established floras and evergreens healthy and strong throughout all of their growth stages.

Landscape Design Basics…

Most homeowners are not experienced landscape designers, but the “do-it-yourself-er” and even the amateur gardener can very adequately design their own outdoor environment by following a few important principles:

First, observe and analyze the habits of all who will be using the space, including adults, children and pets. List their needs, desires, and activities. Figure out about how much space each of their activities requires. Also pay careful attention to the view in and around your property and to the ecology of the site, for a “greener” way to landscape.

Recognize that the art of landscaping differs from other forms of art because it grows and changes from season to season. A newly landscaped property will hold a promise of blooms and views to come and may look a bit scant at the start. But with time, each specimen and flower bed will grow to fill its intended space and add a variety of color and texture for every month of the year.

In your plan, consider landscape construction too, where walls, pathways, water features lighting or other accents may add symmetry, depth, drama or just another level of enjoyment. For example, a trellis brimming with vines and flowers can be a welcoming entry or a dramatic exit to a garden or pathway. After all that work, decorating with comfortable benches will be a welcome site for the weary gardener or admiring guest.

Finally, consider landscaping to attract birds. Every species of bird has its own unique food requirements, and these may change as the bird matures and as the seasons change. Plant the trees, shrubs, or flowers that will provide the fruits, berries, grains, seeds, acorns, nuts, or nectar they crave. Want more birds? Position plenty of feeders using our Lyric Wild Bird Food for all four seasons and provide a constant and fresh source of water. A frog pond, water garden, or bird  bath will be most effective if the water is dripping, splashing, or moving. Trees, shrubs, tall grass, and bird houses will provide excellent shelter for the birds and protect them from predators. Include a wide variety of plants in your landscape plan to attract a greater number of bird species that will amaze the avid birder.

Using both Greenview lawn and landscape and Lyric Wild Bird Food products, in concert, will make it easy for you to transform your landscape into a work of art—one that will become more than something to admire. It will be an extension of your living space—a true outdoor adventure where you can appreciate and share the wonders of nature with family and friends throughout the year.

Content courtesy of Texas A&M and Baltimore Bird Club.

Images courtesy of By Design Landscaping, Superior Landscaping Solutions, Bird Watchin and Landscape Design Advice.

Submitted by J. Weinmann