One common mistake that homeowners make is to create a raised border around a tree and then fill it in with soil to create a planting bed. The additional soil around the trunk can cause the bark to rot, leaving the tree susceptible to disease and insect infestation.
The lawn is often a poster child for how not to landscape a yard. Common mistakes revolving around lawns include: Simply having too big a lawn, to begin with. Remember, having a lot of lawn means having a lot of work. That's okay if you worship green grass and don't mind the time-sink, but it's not for everyone.
Anyone with a shady spot to fill can attest to the value of hostas. They’ll happily grow where other plants fail. To ensure your hostas thrive, avoid these common hosta growing mistakes: Slugs and snails view hostas as an invitation to the buffet table. Thick-leaved hostas are more resilient, but damage can still occur.
Also be fully aware of utility easements on your property which are provided in the event that overhead lines are one day undergrounded. Trees on or at this easement will be destroyed should this change occur.
Many foundation plantings look great at the outset but then disappoint at a later time. A common reason for this denouement is the failure to resea...
Their very name bespeaks their function: "ground covers" stay relatively low and are supposed to cover ground in your landscape that would otherwis...
Also more complex than they might at first appear are decisions regarding mulch selection and the use of mulch in your landscape. There's a lot tha...
Admittedly, this category is far-ranging, but it's too important to ignore. Nothing less than your full enjoyment of your landscape is at stake her...
Some novices in landscape maintenance pride themselves on being fastidious in running outside with their pruning shears and "staying ahead" of thei...
The lawn is often a poster child for how not to landscape a yard. Common mistakes revolving around lawns include: 1. Simply having too big a lawn,...
Shrubs can add a nice touch to your driveway, especially when they're in bloom. I'm not discouraging you from landscaping your driveway with plants...
This one is subjective. What's a "nuisance" to one person is "just nature" to another. Indeed, it's a wonder that some people bother with trees at...
As much as I encourage you to try your hand at DIY landscape projects, you must realistically assess your abilities before undertaking hardscape pr...
As I stated above, most of my advice on how not to landscape warns you of errors that are less than catastrophic in nature, although having a big b...
Common mistakes revolving around lawns include: Simply having too big a lawn, to begin with. Failing to install a mowing strip to make mowing easier. Dotting the lawn with planting circles that you then have to mow around.
The lawn is often a poster child for how not to landscape a yard. Common mistakes revolving around lawns include:
Eastern white pine is one of the messiest trees, because of its: Large pine cones. The sticky pine pitch it drips, which gets all over vehicles, etc. It's susceptibility to winter damage (think giant boughs crashing on your house) Dwarf pine trees, for example, will cause you a few headaches.
Their very name bespeaks their function: "ground covers" stay relatively low and are supposed to cover ground in your landscape that would otherwise be full of weeds. As opportunistic as weeds are, it would be advantageous to select a ground cover that's dynamic, something that will spread out and fill in an area before weeds can gain a toehold. Selecting the optimal ground cover is more complex than simply choosing one that grows robustly and looks pretty. Some do their jobs so well that they become weeds of a sort, in their own right.
A common reason for this denouement is the failure to research the mature dimensions of the plants involved. You may have fallen in love with that shrub or tree at the garden center, but your love will one day turn sour when you find that the plant has become a nuisance -- something that you have to keep trimming back because it wants to outgrow its allotted space.
When locating a plant, always factor in the role sunshine plays in enhancing a view. Some plants may look great when they are back-lit, but others may come into their own only when the sun is at the viewer's back. Also consider such factors as: 1 Where will you be standing most often when viewing the plant? Locate the plant accordingly. 2 What time of day will you be most available to view the plant? If you tend to be around the house only during the morning on the weekend, don't install the plant where something else is blocking the morning sun from reaching it.
A type of mulch that's perfectly good for use around many plants can be a lousy choice around certain others, and a mulch comprised of tiny stones can be even worse in this regard. Avoid using such a mulch anywhere where you do not plan on keeping it -- for a long time.
Too many variegated hostas make the garden look spotty. It’s better to plant in moderation and in small drifts rather than scattershot. For best effect, surround the variegated hostas with more subtle-colored hostas of green and blue-green.
Planting hostas with white variegation next to hostas with gold variegation is a visual no-no. The two compete with each other and look unnatural together.
Darrell Gulin/Getty Images. Hostas are an easy landscaping plant, so hosta care is often taken for granted. Here are 11 of the most common mistakes gardeners make when growing hostas. Anyone with a shady spot to fill can attest to the value of hostas.
The potential size of a large tree at maturity is enough to negatively influence conditions in your neighbors' yards. It may shed litter, produce hazardous branches , send roots under the fence to invade the lawn, and present a dozen other common problems that crop up on property lines. And if your neighbor has a swimming pool, consider this doubly important.
Be respectful of property lines when selecting plants. Make sure trees are planted at a suffucuent distance from patios and walkways. Guidelines for where to plant small, medium and large plants.
Vines and trees with aggressive roots are examples of plants that can mature into problems. You can avoid planting mistakes by knowing the growth habits of the plants you select, as well as their mature size.
While all trees are water seekers, there are two groups that are the biggest offenders: water lovers such as willow and drought tolerant species such as locust.
Abrasion is one of the key causes of damage to power lines, which is caused when wind moves tree branches back and forth where contacting the wires. This gradually wears away the insulating cover to eventually expose twigs to the bare copper wire.
This cypress was first cut to clear power lines but the owner has since turned the mutilated form into an attractive topiary.
Pro Tip: Vines allowed to grow up tree trunks into the canopy can kill their host. Those that climb telephone poles can be very expensive to remove. A good rule of thumb is "Never allow your vines to grow beyond the reach of your ladder.
Blame thirsty roots that draw up all the water and heavy branches that prevent sunlight from reaching the soil, making it tough for other plants to thrive. Fortunately, with the tips ahead, you can transform those desolate spots, adding color, texture, and other design elements—while maintaining the health of the tree—to make your yard the envy of the neighborhood.
A mature tree with ample headspace beneath its branches is just begging for a charming stone bench, birdbath, or hammock. If you have the space, turn the area beneath a shade tree into a delightful spot for enjoying a cup of tea and a good book after a long day’s work. Photo: istockphoto.com. Advertisement.
Whether you’re creating an entire raised bed or just tucking a few ferns here and there, the tree’s roots will continue to absorb the lion’s share of the water in the soil. Adding two to three inches of mulch around the base of new plants will help keep moisture in the soil so you won’t have to water constantly. Use either commercial mulch, such as pine straw or wood chips, or recycled dried leaves.
Deep-shade plants such as ferns and hostas can thrive nearest the trunk, while semi-sun varieties like lily of the valley and coral bells can grow under the perimeter of the tree’s branches. RELATED: 15 Plants for Where the Sun Don't Shine. Photo: istockphoto.com.
The inside perimeter of a deck built around a tree should be a minimum of two feet from the tree’s trunk to allow the trunk to grow, farther if you anticipate more growth. The inside border of a patio (because it’s solid and will block water and air) should be three to seven feet (or more) away from the tree to give the roots plenty of surface area to absorb water. Plants or rocks can be used to landscape the space nearer the trunk (see above).
Trees including white oak and hickory send down deep roots, but others, such as maple and cypress, have roots just beneath the surface, or, in some cases, even extending above the ground. Cutting into these roots with a shovel can severely damage a tree. Instead, use a hand trowel and carefully scoop out as much soil as you need to fit new plants into place. If you run into a root, stop digging and select a different spot for the plant.
Some trees, such as maples and magnolias, allow dappled sun through their boughs while others, including most evergreens, permit virtually no sunlight near their trunks. Before choosing plants, observe the amount of shade under the tree at different times of the day. Deep-shade plants such as ferns and hostas can thrive nearest the trunk, while semi-sun varieties like lily of the valley and coral bells can grow under the perimeter of the tree’s branches.