When most people think of landscaping, they think of green grass and trees, with maybe some potted plants in the corner. But your yard doesn’t have to be filled with one color only; it can include flowers, trees, bushes, and shrubs of many different colors to create visual interest throughout the seasons and make your home more welcoming and aesthetically pleasing.
However, adding color to your yard can seem like an overwhelming project if you don’t know where to start. That’s why you can hire professional landscapers mississauga or try to do it all yourself.
Start With Foundation Plants
A foundation planting is a group of shrubs and/or perennials that is used to frame a house. The plants in a foundation planting are usually evergreen, which provides year-round interest, and they are often low-growing so as not to obscure windows.
To add color to your foundation planting, choose plants with colorful foliage or flowers. Some good choices include azaleas, rhododendrons, and daylilies. You can also add color by using annual flowers in beds or pots near the foundation of your home. Be sure to choose annuals that will thrive in your particular climate.
Some favorites include impatiens, petunias, and marigolds. If you have an area where water collects after it rains, consider adding bog plants such as monkey grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) or lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina). Bog plants like moist soil, tolerate wet feet well, and may need less frequent watering than other types of plants.
When choosing flowers to plant in moist areas, keep in mind that pansies are a good choice because they have thick leaves that protect their delicate blooms from being damaged when splashed with water. Other flowers that are good for this type of setting include hollyhocks, primroses, and lilies.
If you want to brighten up a dark corner near your front door, consider placing forget-me-nots or geraniums there. Forget-me-nots have pinkish blue blooms that last all summer long; geraniums come in many different colors but often have rose-colored blossoms.
Add Shade And Texture Plants
A little bit of shade can go a long way in adding color to your yard. Consider adding some shrubs or trees to create areas of dappled sunlight. Then, add in some lower-growing ground cover plants for a pop of color.
Hostas and ferns are all good choices. Be sure to mix them up so you don’t end up with one solid green swath. Shrubs such as lilac, hydrangea, boxwood, privet, and viburnum will give you more bang for your buck because they grow quickly and provide year-round color.
For the best effect use them in masses at the front of a garden bed or on a perimeter fence where they will have plenty of room to spread out. If you need something less aggressive but still colorful consider using hardy flowering vines like wisteria.
Finish With Accent Plants
After you’ve added some color to your foundation plantings, it’s time to add some accent plants. These are the plants that will really stand out in your landscape and add that extra pop. To choose the right accent plant, consider the color of your home and trim.
You want something that will complement your home, not clash with it. Also, think about the size of the plant and how much sun and water it needs. Once you’ve chosen the perfect plant, make sure to give it a good home in your landscape. Prep the soil well and add a layer of mulch to help retain moisture.
Water your new plant regularly so it can become established. If you’re adding a shrub or tree to your yard, be sure to leave plenty of space around it so that the roots have room to grow.
Seed Or Plant?
One of the first decisions you’ll need to make when adding color to your yard is whether to seed or plant. Seeding is generally cheaper and easier, but it takes longer for the results to show.
Planting gives you instant gratification, but can be more expensive. If you decide to seed, be sure to choose a high-quality grass seed mix that contains a variety of colors. Remember to water regularly so the seeds have enough moisture to germinate and grow strong roots. Once they sprout, you should give them less water so they stay green instead of turning brown.
Plants are a great way to add lots of colors all at once, but if you’re looking for something cheap and quick, try seeding! To start, create small depressions in the ground with a trowel and sprinkle the seeds in there. For large areas, rake the dirt into furrows (rows) to help scatter the seeds more evenly over a wider area.
Water lightly after planting to keep the soil moist but not saturated. Keep in mind that plants will take months before their colors pop and change your landscape significantly. Be patient!
Plant According To Your Light Source
One of the most important things to consider when landscaping with color is the light source. Different plants thrive in different lighting conditions, so it’s important to choose plants that will do well in the type of light you have available. If you have a lot of sun, for example, you’ll want to choose plants that can tolerate full sun.
Tips For Choosing Plants
Here are some other tips to keep in mind when choosing plants for your landscape
- Pay attention to the frost zone in your area and choose plants accordingly. Some may be seasonal while others grow year-round and can handle all types of weather.
- Consider what blooms and fruits you enjoy so that you know what types of flowers or fruit trees to include in your garden.
- If space is limited, consider planting more low-growing groundcovers like ivy or periwinkle instead of larger shrubs or trees; these plants need less water and maintenance than taller varieties do. You also don’t have to worry about them overshadowing other plants in your yard.
- Eliminate any dead patches on lawns and replace them with flowering perennials that bloom at different times of the year such as daylilies, forget-me-nots, daffodils, pansies, tulips, lilies, and lavender.
- Plant shade tolerant bushes near windows if you have south-facing windows or places where direct sunlight hits.
Final Thoughts
Adding some color to your landscaping project requires a bit of creativity, but it’s a great way to liven up your yard in a way that will have people taking second glances at it.