Landscaping can make your home stand out and create a welcoming streetscape. Whether you decide to work with a professional or opt for some DIY landscaping projects, you can easily add curb appeal and upgrade the look of your yard.
What makes a plant a good candidate for your landscaping project? If you live near Annapolis, we recommend choosing low-maintenance perennials that will do well all year round and come back year after year.
Freeze-resistant plants like cypresses, spruces, lily-of-the-valley, Siberian iris and coneflower will make great additions to your low-maintenance landscaping project.
You should also add some plants that have a long blooming season, so your flower beds have a spark of color whenever able. Options include candytuft, barrenwort, daffodils and hibiscus.
Don’t hesitate to add a few statement plants to your landscaping for more curb appeal. Trees and larger shrubs are great for framing the features of your home, including your front door, and are more visible from the street.
Create layers by mixing taller shrubs with flowers and ground cover plants. Canna lily and forsythia are ideal for adding some vertical shapes to your landscaping projects.
Add some ground cover with plants that do well in the shade, like coral bells, primrose, foxglove or Japanese forest grass.
Create a balance between the living and nonliving components of your landscaping project by choosing the right hardscaping elements.
Hardscaping can add practical features to your yard, for instance, with a path that leads to your front door or around your home. Or, design a rock garden or add potted plants to a deck or patio. These elements can also add structure with flower beds or edging.
Play with textures, colors and shapes when choosing hardscaping elements. There is a wide range of options to explore, from brick and stone to wood and tile.
Lighting can also make hardscaping stand out, especially if you light from below. You can use large boulders and decorative sculptures in your hardscaping, and strategically highlight them and ornamental trees.
Besides being beautiful, landscaping can have practical benefits. You can turn the outdoors into an extension of your home by integrating livable spaces into your project. Creating a deck or patio with comfortable seating is a popular trend, but you can also explore options like pergolas or gazebos.
You’ll get the most out of this outdoor space if you add a few privacy features. Consider fast-growing shrubs like arborvitae or Canadian hemlock, or a privacy screen.
Shade is another important component you can introduce by planting aspens, oaks or maples. While you wait for these trees to grow, consider awnings and trellises.
Whether you decide to plant or choose to hire a landscaper to help with your garden design, make sure to review the list of Maryland’s Problem Plants. This will make sure that you’re keeping your yard free from unwanted volunteer plants and helping the native plants and animals in our local ecosystem.
Landscaping is an important step for making a house feel like a home. If you’re selling your home, landscaping for more curb appeal is key. And if you’re thinking about relocating to a new home and you’d like to live near Annapolis, Koch Homes is the award-winning home builder for you.
We build exceptional new homes that mix the comfort of a modern house with the lifestyle of a welcoming community. Get in touch with us to learn more about our current and future projects!