Mulches and Fill Materials
Another aspect of landscaping are the borders and decorations that make the garden unique and interesting to you and your guests. After your flower beds are shaped, usually after the first buds are forming in the early spring, make sure to fill those beds to help protect the young plants getting ready to grow. We offer a landscaping service to deliver and spread mulch. However, if you do it yourself, you should follow our tips to make things a little easier.
Use a product such as mulch or pine straw in gardens, flower beds and along tree bases. They serve as an attractive necessity. Plants with root systems need the insulating quality. Plus, these fill materials help keep moisture from evaporating too quickly and help control weed growth. Commit to replenishing these landscape products annually. Wait until the perennials have broken through the surface and do not cover them with mulch. If you are mulching in the fall, discard dead annuals and allow leaves that fell to stay down and be mulched over.
If you decide to do the landscaping work yourself, one trick is to use a pitchfork to scoop mulch instead of a shovel. Shovels are heavy enough without the added weight of mulch. Another good tool if no pitchfork is available is a plastic snow shovel. You can scoop twice as much and the plastic keeps it light. Second, if you can, dump large quantities into the landscape garden and then rake it into place rather than one shovelful at a time. Third, buy in bulk. Avoid bags that are expensive and awkward to work with. If you only need a small amount, go in with a neighbor and have the truck dump half at your house, half at his house. Plus, that will get the attention of the other neighbors and put the pressure on to shape up their own yards.
Borders and Design Materials
Borders are the most common, making it simple to contain a garden and a chosen fill material. This is especially nice when a bed runs alongside a lawn. Keeping the lawn out and the mulch in can be challenging unless care is taken to prevent it. Borders come in all price ranges and styles. Another way to enhance the appearance of your landscaping design is with ornamentation. Although too many decorations can look overdone, strategically placed items make great eye-catchers and conversation pieces. Look around your neighborhood for ideas.