Refresh your landscaping
Landscaping can increase your home’s value and boost curb appeal, but even the best landscape design won’t last forever—and when you need a redo, it’s an investment.
The average homeowner spends between $1,300 to $5,600 to landscape their yard. This adds up if you’re regularly renovating, but luckily, the big projects are few and far between. Here’s what you need to know.
A handful of smaller projects can refresh your backyard landscape almost the same as a large-scale landscape renovation. Before you get started, ask yourself whether you need to entirely replace your landscaping or just give it a facelift. Replacing a few shrubs will be a lot easier on your budget than changing your entire landscape design.
The truth is that as long as you regularly maintain your outdoor space, elements of your landscaping can last for years. Instead of a total replacement, a local hardscaper in your area may be able to fix cracked and weathered hardscaping.
Instead of splurging on new trees every few years, a tree service near you can help ensure your plants will live a long life. Even pruning, weeding, and raking can dramatically clean up an untidy garden.
The truth is that sometimes we just get sick of looking at the same old flower beds and need a change. You can update your landscaping as soon as you start itching for a new design. Beyond your personal taste, there are some things you will probably need to redo on a regular basis. Here’s what you can expect.
Few landscaping elements need to be redone every single year, but as most gardeners know, annuals require some maintenance. Annual plants only live one season before they die back. Most often, we see springtime annual flowers—and you’ll need to replant a new batch right after the last frost (though, it depends on your climate).
Most landscaping tasks fall into the range of renovating every few years. For example, you’ll need to replace your mulch when it starts to look washed out. Though a gravel path can last 100 years without a full replacement, you’ll need to refill the gravel every couple of years.
You’ll also probably want to uproot deteriorating plants that are no longer aesthetically pleasing. Every few years, perennial plants like to be divided to keep them vigorous as well.
Some landscaping elements you’ll want to renovate every few years include:
Re-filling gravel pathways: 2–5 years
Resealing pavers and concrete: every 2–5 years
Replacing mulch: every 4–7 years
Replacing deteriorating perennial plants: every 3–10 years
Replacing broken pavers and stones: whenever stones are cracked or loose
Seeding your lawn: whenever areas start to look patchy
You can stretch the time between installation and renovation by hiring a local landscaper to perform regular maintenance.
Some landscaping elements are hardy. They may last indefinitely or only need a full renovation every decade or more. For example, the best driveway materials (think: pavers) can last more than 50 years.
Replacing your patio: every 10 years
Replacing ornamental trees: every 10–15 years
Replacing artificial grass: every 10–15 years
Replacing patio furniture: every 10–15 years (depending on quality)
Replacing your driveway: every 10–30 years
Of course, most of this depends on the materials and your maintenance. For example, an asphalt driveway can last 30 years if meticulously maintained.
The best time to redo your landscaping depends on your climate. In most of the United States, landscaping projects are best saved for the spring so plants have the summer and fall to get acclimated to their new home.
“Winter is a great time to think about landscaping and to plan ahead, especially if you want to work with a professional company,” says Tara Dudley, Angi Expert Review Board member and owner of Plant Life Designs.
Though you can theoretically start hardscaping projects in the winter, keep in mind that it’s not easy digging into frozen ground.
When it comes time, renovating your landscaping can seem like a huge task. It’s best to break it up into manageable chunks. A great local landscape design company can help you plan a new space, but if you’re doing it on your own, map it out by area. These tips can help.
How can you use what you already have? Take a look at your existing plants, stones, pavers, and boulders—can you move them or rearrange them to create a new-to-you layout?
Are walls crumbling? Are gates sticking? Have shrubs or weeds grown over pathways? Are walkways cracked or loose? Are there ways to make my landscape easier and safer to maintain? Fix what’s broken first.
Trees and shrubbery are usually an investment, so pick native plants that will naturally thrive. Natives are much more reliable and more likely to come back year after year than non-native plants.
Flower beds with mulch are a simple idea that adds instant curb appeal. Consider low-maintenance landscaping ideas that will keep your property looking sharp without much effort.
Hardscaping can bring value to your landscape by transforming it into an outdoor living space. Choose your hardscaping wisely and always think about how you’ll use it.
