May 29, 2020

How Can DIY Landscaping Can Go Wrong?

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Professionals make landscaping look effortless-with manicured yards, beautiful plantings, and seamless hardscapes. However, anyone who has attempted their own yard care knows it's tough work. Aside from being physically demanding work, it takes skilled knowledge to get the best look. So, we put together a few ways we often see DIY landscaping gone wrong and homeowners should know about.

Washed Out Bark-Mulch

The idea of installing bark mulch may seem basic. However, this seemingly simple project involves skilled preparation and application to planting beds. All too often, we see bark-mulch applied lumpy that spills into lawn and walkways. Arguably, bark-mulch installations are 50% bed preparation and 50% application. If done correctly, bark-mulch adds beauty and improves the health of your yard.

Lack of Planting Design

One of the biggest mistakes we see DIY'ers do is install plants and shrubs simply because they like them. This approach can cause problems in a few ways. First, a plant or tree planted in the wrong area can create problems. Such as a tree that gets too large for a space or unsuitable lighting conditions for the selected plants. We often say "right plant, wrong spot." The second most common problem we see is a hodge-podge of plants. A yard without a planting plan often looks cluttered. Having a planting design creates a professional clean look

Wonky Walkways

Adding a walkway may seem like a simple enough process. However, we've seen many wonky pathways, with pavers and stones shifting and breaking from being installed incorrectly. Stable hardscapes require a skilled hand, with a lot of unknown preparation needed. The earth has significant movement caused by freezing and hot temperatures, hence walkways become wonky when installed incorrectly

Falling Walls

Sadly, we all too often see dropping, collapsing, and sinking walls. Homeowners put all that work into installing a wall only to watch it crumble. Improperly installed walls are not only unsightly; they can also be dangerous. Permanent structures such as these take years of skill and training to build correctly.

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Erica Mooney
Email Erica Mooney

Erica is an avid lover of the outdoors, and transformed that love into a partnership running Valley West with Ryan 2012.

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