Landscape Design Ideas 2023
High-quality landscaping brings tremendous benefits, such as reducing stormwater runoff, improving air quality, and creating a relaxing outdoor space.
However, getting the design right in 2023 can be challenging.
That’s where this page helps. We explore various landscape design options from Mass Lawn Pros you can use to improve your exteriors with ease.
Plantings
Installing new plantings is an impactful way to transform your landscaping. These options help to add texture, brightness, color, and extra dimension to your outdoor space.
Customers can choose from an enormous array of plantings, including flowers, trees, and grasses. Options include:
- Annuals – plants that last for one growing season and then die. These might include pansies, snapdragons, or petunias.
- Perennials – plants that return every year, offering long-lasting color and texture. Examples include catmint, daylily, tickseed, and Shasta dairy.
- Shrubs – small woody plants that grow for many years, offering privacy, hedge screens, and borders. Examples of shrubs to use in Massachusetts landscaping include barberry, juniper, bayberry, and azaleas.
- Trees – excellent plants for adding texture, shade, and character to your landscaping. Good trees to plant locally include red maple, American basswood, and American beech.
- Grasses – plantings can also include grasses, which we consider in the lawn install section below.
When selecting these, consider sun exposure, water requirements, and soil type. Some plants will only grow in specific conditions. Mass Lawn Pros can help you choose plants that thrive locally if you get stuck.
Sod Installs
Sod installation is another excellent way to improve your exterior landscaping. It helps you establish new, verdant lawns quickly.
Again, professional contractors, such as Mass Lawn Pros, can help. We can assist you in determining which type of sod to use for your lawn.
Sod installs begin with removing existing grass, weeds, rocks, or debris from the installation area. Professionals then loosen the top 6 to 8 inches of soil with a rototiller or a garden fork and add compost, sand, lime, or sulfur if needed to improve the soil quality and pH level. They then lay the sod and water the area thoroughly.
Lawn Installs
Lawn installs are another excellent landscape design idea for 2023. However, they also require careful planning and installation.
Contractors, such as Mass Lawn Pros, offer various kinds of grass depending on the climate and soil and your personal preferences. Options include:
- Cool-season grasses, which tend to grow best in northern states with mild summers and cool winters, like Massachusetts
- Warm-season grasses, which thrive in hotter regions with mild winters (examples include Bermuda grass, zoysia grass, St. Augustine grass, and centipede grass).
- Traditional grasses, which can adapt to various climates and are low-maintenance and environmentally friendly
Installing a new lawn requires two main steps.
- Site preparation
- Seeding
The first step requires clearing the area of any weeds, rocks, debris, or old turf and testing the soil quality to see if it can support grass. Contractors will sometimes level and grade the soil surface to give seeds a greater chance of success.
The second seeding step involves spreading grass seeds over the intended lawn area and then watering and covering it to maximize growth. Some contractors may also lay sod rolls at this stage, depending on soil quality. The covering protects seedlings from birds and erosion, facilitating germination.
Mulch Installs
Installing new mulch is another excellent landscape design idea for 2023. This popular material offers innumerable benefits, including:-
- Enhanced regulation of soil temperature
- Reduced soil erosion
- Weed suppression
- Improvements in overall landscape appearance
Contractors offer two types of mulch: organic and inorganic. Organic is natural but breaks down over time, meaning you’ll need to replace it. Inorganic lasts much longer but can lead to surface run-off.
When choosing a type of mulch, you’ll need to consider your landscape’s needs. Organic mulch comes in various forms and is ideal for improving soil quality. Inorganic mulch is better for people who want longer-lasting solutions.
Options include:
- Wood chips – a popular choice for covering the soil around trees and shrubs
- Pine straw – an excellent option for flower beds that suppresses unwanted weeds
- Stone – an inorganic option for areas with high foot traffic, such as walkways or drives
Contractors, such as Mass Lawn Pros, can offer professional advice on which type of mulch to choose for your needs. They can also guide you on maintaining your mulch once installed so it lasts longer.
Garden Design And Planting Services
In summary, Mass Lawn Pros offers various garden design and planting services to help your landscaping look its best. Find out more by contacting us today.
