10 Simple and Easy Landscaping Design Ideas

These are 10 simple landscaping design ideas that stand out. Even though some more elaborate landscaping designs are incredible to view, sometimes less is more. Try these ideas and get creative with them to see what looks the best with your home and garden.

1) Use Mulch Instead of Grass

In your backyard, around flower beds and outdoor living areas, use mulch instead of grass for the finishing touches.

Before you lay the mulch, remember these necessary steps to prevent grass from growing through the mulch.

• Pull any weeds that are in the way of where the mulch will be
• Rake the ground for pebbles and debris
• Use a weed barrier, like plastic or landscaping fabric, as an added protection
• Lay a full 2”-4” layer of mulch and make sure to cover the entire area

Because of regular weather conditions and the wind, some mulch will move around at and eventually, and the area may start to look thin. Whenever this happens, simply fill the bald areas in with new mulch and check for any holes in the plastic underneath while you are at it.

2) Plant Lavender

Lavender is one of the best flowers to plant in your yard. Buy pre-grown lavender plants and place them along hedges or near a walkway; they go lovely with almost any color of house.

The best thing about lavender is that it grows back every year and requires very little water throughout the week. It needs watering about once or twice a week if there is no rain.

Lavender also acts as a natural bug repellent.

3) Use Perennials

Perennials, like lavender, come back every year and usually do not require a whole lot of maintenance week to week. Where you must replant annuals, perennials can stay where they are, and they grow back on their own!

Try some of these perennial plants:

• Lavender
• Monarda
• Shasta Daisy
• Hydrangea
• Lonicera
• Phlox
• Fern

4) Potted Plants

Potted plants can be just as decorative as plants in the ground. And you don’t have to use plain flowerpots either; try finding an old clawfoot bathtub, jars, or baskets that can hold soil and a plant.

Potted plants are terrific for many reasons.

They are easy to move around for redecorating or relocating, they can add a variety of color and texture to an outdoor living space or garden, and they add height to a garden area. Small plants that are directly in the ground often make a lawn feel too flat and not very decorative.

5) Collect Rainwater

Use a plastic or wooden barrel to collect rainwater and use it to water plants during dry spells.

If you make your own rain barrel, you can add a spout or a place to connect a hose to make watering easier. Otherwise, just fill a watering can with the water inside the barrel.

Be careful because not all states legally allow the collection of rainwater, but some do. It is easy to check the legality online; just ask Google.

6) Stepping Stones

Find rocks around your area or at a large hardware/lumber store like Home Depot or Lowe’s. Use them as stepping stones leading up to a doorway or for guiding people through a garden. It will not only look great, but it will also help prevent the grass from dying since most people will start using the stepping stone walkway instead of walking through the grass.

7) Use Contrasting Colors

Landscaping plants and decorations that are contrasting look very appealing in a yard because it makes some of the objects stand out better than a monochromatic landscape.

It is very simple to start setting up plants in a contrasting way.

Where there are light green bushes, place dark purple flowers, and other vibrant and deeply colored objects. Where there are dark green and brown trees, place white and bright green flowers and bushes around the bottom. Get creative with it.

8) Repeat Certain Flowers and Bushes

Although variety is a good thing, too many kinds of flowers and shrubs can start to look bad. The best way to fix this problem is to have some plants that are repeated several times throughout the landscape.

In an area of several different kinds of flowers, have a plain background of all green bushes. Also, try to use ferns and other grassy plants repeatedly throughout; the grasses will break up the color and make the landscape and garden feel natural.

9) Make a Focal Point

Design the landscape with sporadic plants and decorations, but then add one central area, whether it is large or small, to capture the attention of an onlooker immediately.

You can create the focal point with almost anything. Some good ideas are to use a large bunch of flowers, decorative wooden structures, short trees, or uniquely shaped plants that are tall.

10) Rock Firepit Area for Backyard

Around any fire pit, make a designated area of rocks. It can be gravel, large flat rocks, or small to medium-sized rocks. It makes your bonfires safer and gives a better visual to guests as to where the hangout spot is.

Use a Landscaping Design Software to Plan Ahead

Landscaping design software is a smart way to plan a landscape design. The software allows you to create stunning visuals of garden and yard landscapes in a virtual world.

It may not feel the same as designing a garden in person, but it does save much time since significant changes can happen in a few seconds rather than a few hours.

If you work for a landscaping company, landscaping design software is a must. It will cost a little bit of money, but in the end, it will save money since no time goes to waste.

Some people even feel as though they can be more creative going the virtual route rather than making small changes here and there in-person. Whether or not that is the case for you, it can still help with experimenting with harder changes since those will be extremely difficult to change in person.

If you are in the early stages of building your landscaping company, have a look at this article: Guide to Preparing an Awesome Lawn Care Business Plan