Rich, colorful landscape design not only creates a beautiful environment but also increases your home’s curb appeal. Creating a beautiful, colorful landscape is easy, no matter where you live. Whether you live in a tropical climate, like Florida, or the Southwest desert, you’ll find colorful shrubs and other plants adapted to your climate.
Know What Grows in Your Region
The most important thing to consider is the types of plants that will grow and thrive in your region. Commercial landscaping focuses on plants that are adapted to the climate and easy to care for. Take notice of the plants that your city has planted, as well as the landscaping around office buildings and shopping centers.
Also, a visit to a native plant nursery or a botanical garden can give you plenty of ideas. By using native plants, you’ll reduce the need for soil amendments, and your water usage. Native plants are ideal if you want to create an environmentally responsible landscape.
Consider Shape, Texture, Color, and Size
Creating a beautiful landscape is an art. Like any art form, you’ll need an appealing mix of shapes, sizes, textures, and colors. Generally, you’ll place the taller plants in the background, with smaller plants up front. For example, you could create a natural fence with tall, graceful bamboo.
In addition to color, you’ll also want to consider shape and texture. For example, shrubs such as elderberry, spirea, and dwarf willow have an attractive, feathery foliage. If you live in the high desert, rabbit brush has attractive, feathery, sage gray foliage, topped with deep yellow flowers in the fall.
Visit a Nursery for Plants and Shrubs
If you plan on planting a large area, look into a wholesale plant nursery. You can save a lot of money with a plant nursery that specializes in wholesale shrubs for landscapers. Moreover, a wholesale nursery is likely to have the shrubs and plants you’ll find in commercial landscaping. They may also be able to give you advice on what and how to plant in your region.
Consider Your Architecture and Neighborhood
Blending your shrubbery and plants with the style of your home and the surrounding neighborhood is also something to consider. For example, roses could be a good choice if your home and neighborhood have classic architecture. On the other hand, more exotic shrubs and plants could be a good choice for a more contemporary look.
It will take some thought and planning, but a gorgeous, colorful, natural landscape is not out of reach.
