Even if you love your garden’s landscaping design, chances are that after a few seasons you’ll notice that it could use a spruce. If you’re not ready for a total overhaul of your landscaping, there are some relatively easy updates you can make to your outdoor space that have a dramatic impact on how it looks.
We’ve transformed the gardens of many homes on the Mornington Peninsula and we know exactly what types of maintenance and upgrades will give you the biggest bang for your buck. Here are some ideas for projects that will only take a weekend but will give your garden a new lease on life.
- 1. Prune trees and most other plants during autumn and winter
Pruning shrubs and trees not only creates a tidier appearance, but it also can revitalise plants, keep them healthy, and improve their flowering and fruiting.
Different plants will have different needs, but many plants can be pruned in autumn once they have finished flowering or fruiting. Flowering shrubs like hydrangeas can be dead-headed in autumn, and you can give hedges a light trim.
Many plants, including rose bushes, should only be pruned in late winter while they're dormant. Trimming them before then may stimulate tender new growth that could be killed off when the temperature drops.
- 2. Mulch
Many of our clients have learned never to underestimate the power of a fresh layer of mulch around a tree or shrub or in a flower bed when it comes to freshening up a garden.
Over time, mulch breaks down and loses its original appearance and effectiveness. Fresh mulch brings colour and contrast to your garden, helps define beds, and discourages weeds to create a cleaner look.
While there are aesthetic reasons to use it, mulch has plenty of practical benefits as well: it protects plants’ roots and lower stems from cold (and from heat), helps the soil retain moisture, prevents soil from eroding from around plants, and even provides nutrients to plants as it decomposes.
- 3. Paint or repaint your boundary fences black
This is one of our favorite “bang for your buck” ideas. Everyone knows that painting the walls inside your house is perhaps the simplest and least expensive way to transform the appearance of your home. Well, the same goes for your garden.
If you have fences or decorative dividers, try painting them black. This will create a sophisticated backdrop to show off your plants, pavers, and other decorative elements in your garden. If your boundary fences are already black, a fresh coat of paint will likely make a bigger difference to the appearance of your garden than you realize.
- 4. Clean your paving, driveway, and house entry
Your driveway, walkway, house entry, and any other areas that are paved, concreted, or tiled become gradually dirtier over time, and because this happens incrementally, it’s easy for homeowners to overlook. Like the proverbial frog in the pot of boiling water, it’s hard to notice when something is happening very gradually.
A pressure washer can make concrete and hard surfaces look brand new again. Pressure washers can be rented or you can hire a service; if you choose to rent one, keep in mind that too high a pressure can etch the surface you use it on and could potentially make driveways and walkways look worse. It’s always best to test a small area first.
- 5. Replace plants that are overgrown or aren’t thriving
If you’ve made an investment in plants for an area of your garden, you may shy away from the idea of taking them back out. But sometimes it’s best not to force something that isn’t working.
If you have plants that are overgrown and you struggle to keep them contained and tidy, or if some plants simply aren’t flourishing where they’re planted, it may be time to pull them out and start over. Consider replacing them with low-maintenance plants that don’t require frequent watering, fertilising, and other attention to thrive.
The most beautiful gardens have the right plants–in the right places. You won’t enjoy spending time in your garden if the plants are unhealthy and struggling. Consider an entirely new planting plan to revitalise your garden. For expert input on a fresh new look for your garden, call on the expertise of an experienced professional landscaping company.
- 6. Add a pot to your front entry
A potted plant–we like two, on either side of the door–adds colour and a touch of nature to your entry.
Plant a pot of bulbs, if you have a sunny spot ready for spring. They will turn into a beautiful riot of colour in the spring without any work on your part. A fern works well for a shady spot, but keep it well-watered.
Pick a plant that will thrive and grow in the spot you have chosen, as choosing the incorrect plant can be costly. It’s important to know how much sun your porch area gets, and remember that plants in pots dry out more quickly that plants in the ground.
- 7. Add a pot to your front entry
Edging, like mulch, is one of those elements that make a huge difference in the overall look of a garden by setting off and defining a bed. The right edging can add crispness, shape, and emphasis to your garden.
If you don’t have edging, consider adding it. If you have timber edging, which tends to decompose over time and become less noticeable, consider replacing it with steel or with a simple dug edge.
Steel edging is long-lasting and is available in a variety of colours. It can also be bent into curves to fit the shape of your beds. Dug garden edging has the benefit of being free–all you need is a spade and some elbow grease.
- 8. Change the look of your pathway or top up organic pathways
If you’re looking to refresh the whole aspect of your garden, just changing the look of your pathways can do the trick. Consider swapping out paver materials–composite for stone, or vice-versa–or changing paver colours or shapes.
If you’re using gravel or mulch to line your pathways or as a setting for paving stones, think about trying a different colour or size of the same material, or replace it entirely. You might try grass instead of gravel, or sand instead of mulch.
Topping off your pathway, by adding new gravel, mulch, or other material, can also bring new life to a garden.
- 9. Add a focal feature
As landscape design professionals, we know one of the biggest temptations when landscaping is to try to give every feature of the garden equal emphasis. But as in interior decorating, the lack of a single focal point can make a space feel cluttered and unplanned.
To refresh your garden’s landscaping, try adding a feature that draws the eye, such as a small tree, water feature, or feature rock.
Water features in particular have the advantage of being relaxing and meditative, and can even create an oasis for animal life.
- 10. Reevaluate your potted plants
It’s easy to forgot that over time, potted plants can use up many of the nutrients in their soil and the soil itself will deteriorate in quality.
Take a look at your potted plants–they may need to have their potting mix removed and replaced with fresh soil. If the plants have grown, you may need to upgrade them to a larger pot. Even if your plants don’t need to be repotted, treating them with an appropriate fertilizer will help them thrive and put on new growth, including blooms.
When You Need More Than a Landscaping Refresh
The solutions above are simple ones that require a few hours and a little hard work, and they’re perfect if you’re mostly happy with your garden and simply looking to give it some overdue attention and renewed visual interest.
What if your garden needs more than a little touch-up? At Foliage Landscaping, we’ve transformed the outdoor spaces of many Mornington Peninsula homes. Whether you’re dreaming of a backyard sanctuary for peaceful retreat or the perfect patio space to host your family and friends, we can create a personalised design plan customised to suit your budget and vision.
Once you’ve approved the design, our construction crew carries it out–including clean-up–leaving you with the oasis of your dreams. If you’d like to make your garden into a space that you and your family and friends love spending time in, request a quote from our team.
