If you have read Green Fingers and Grit by Anita Davies, you’ll know everybody has a shade of green on their thumb, no matter how ‘urban’ they claim to be. Man, by nature is designed to plough the earth, so when push comes to shove, you’ll find yourself grabbing a hoe or rake, or whatever you find around.
Is your front yard as pretty as you’ll like it to be? Maybe it could use some brushing up, and I don’t mean regular lawn mowing. Any kid can pick up a lawn mower. This weekend, try sprucing up your garden and you’ll be delighted with the result. Here are some DIY landscaping tips that could help.
Analyse yourself
Not all fingers are green- some are greener than others. So, do a self-analysis to determine how much you will put into landscaping by yourself. You don’t want to go far and find out that you have outdone yourself. Start from a few good basics. Do a short research in the introduction of how certain plants grow under different soil conditions, so that you can take a more deliberate approach. If you are quite familiar with different soil types, then you can start off well with a DIY landscaping immediately.
Determine your style
Depending on the present condition of your front yard and your expected outcome, your gardening style may define how much or how little you are able to achieve with DIY landscaping. For example, some people may be satisfied with minor adjustments to what they already have. Otherwise, you can begin with a few flowerbeds on the side-lawn. Using a spade, create mini soil mounds for your flower seeds (which can be purchased at your local florist). More formal landscaping such as clearing shrubs and complicated bed may require muscle work of professionals.
Clear the clutter
It may seem complicated to attempt your own landscaping activity, but one way to simplify it is to look at your yard as a palette. To do that, you have to rid of the big offenders from the path. You can start by clearing the clutter or overgrown shrubs. It’s a big task but something you’ll feel very proud of afterwards. Even the little changes you make can let you see your landscape with a fresh set of eyes and set up a vision for the kind of garden you want.
Allow your garden to grow with you
A garden for a family of young kids will surely differ from that of empty nesters- and it’s fine. It is true that younger families with little kids may not have time to prune as a family whose children are away at the University. Depending on your family needs, dedicate a certain number of hours on weekends (or during the week) to tend to your plants regularly.
Must do activities
- Always dress the part: wear an old pair of jeans, gloves, boots, cover your hair (if necessary) and so on.
- Have a handy water-can for small seedlings- you don’t want to drown them with a hose.
- Use a pair of shears to prune out-grown shrubs regularly and maintain levelled hedges.
Some people prefer to have professionals start up their landscape and proceed to maintain it themselves from there. Whichever you choose, ensure that your green fingers are busy every weekend.
