5 easy-to-do weekend landscaping ideas and tips

Nice landscaping not only welcomes you and your guests, it boosts your home’s value. Here are five easy-to-do landscaping ideas and tips you can complete in just a weekend.

Before you dig in, you'll need to assess your reasons for landscaping.

• Do you plan to sell your property and want to add value to your home? In general, property values of well-landscaped homes are up to 20 per cent higher than non-landscaped ones. Or, do you just want to create a more enjoyable living space?

Your personal motivations for landscaping should guide you through the process.

Secondly, determine your budget and your skill set up front.

• There is no point in taking on a large project if you don’t have the appropriate budget and skills to complete it.

Assess the area you plan to landscape for issues that may impact your plans either positively or negatively. That includes exposed tree roots, steep grades, uneven ground, water pooling or flooding.

• You may need to come up with some creative solutions or workarounds to accomplish your ideas.

Remember, a productive garden also depends on healthy soil.

• A garden with too much sand will not hold water efficiently enough to nourish plants, while one with too much clay won’t provide enough air to allow plants to root.

If your grass could use a makeover, it may be time to resod.

• The larger the area, the more time-consuming this can be, but it’s simple, and once complete, you’ll revel in the green of your brand-new yard.

Beyond being aesthetically pleasing, the shade trees offer as they grow can help keep your home cooler during hot summer months.

• Tree roots can upset paved pathways and house plumbing, so plant large trees at least 20 to 30 feet away from these areas.

Stone pathways are one of the easiest to make since the space between the stones means you don’t have to have each one perfectly level to the next.

• Position each stone around two feet from the centre of the one before it and cut the soil to size.
• Dig out the grass and soil underneath and place the stone back in the newly sized hole. You can add a layer of sand to help hold it.
• Remember that the top of the stones should sit about one inch above the soil.

The edges along driveways, sidewalks and in front of porches or decks are perfect for florals.

• If you want to refresh current beds, add some new plantings and a fresh layer of mulch.
• Of course, beds aren’t restricted to just flowers and shrubs; you can create a decorative border with any landscape material such as pea gravel, sand or colourful mulch, which require little maintenance.

Landscaping can be a fun outdoor activity. Time yours right and utilize these ideas and tips, and you’ll be able to enjoy the whole season.