Planning for an Outdoor Wedding

A boring yard needs a facelift. Renovating the existing flower beds is an effective way to update your landscaping. A landscape installation contractor can help you with your renovation every step of the way.

1. Clean It Out

When renovating existing flower beds, it's usually best to start with a clean slate. This means removing all of the old plant material, living and dead, along with mulch and decorative items. The only exception is if there are some perennials that will be incorporated into the new beds. If the soil quality isn't very good, you may even need to remove a couple of inches of the old soil so you can start over.

2. Reimagine Edging

A properly installed landscaping bed should always have some sort of edging, for both aesthetic purposes and to prevent weed incursion. There are plenty of options available so don't be afraid to try something new. Instead of straight lines for foundation beds, add some curves for more visual interest. Then choose an attractive edging, such as bricks or natural stone.

3. Rebuild the Soil

Give the new bed the best start possible by ensuring that the soil is of good quality and nutrient-rich. This usually begins with a mixture of fresh topsoil and compost. Then the soil is tested to get the nutrient levels and acidity. These numbers are used to determine what amendments will need to be worked into the soil to make it suitable for the plants you hope to grow. 

4. Choose Foundation Plants

The fun part is choosing what plants to put into the newly installed bed renovations. Begin with the foundation plants, which are the larger perennials that will anchor the bed. Ideally, the foundation plants will provide a bit of background beauty in every season. For example, roses add summer color, hostas provide variegated greenery, and ornamental grasses supply graceful beauty in all four seasons. With foundation plants in place, the look of the bed can be reimagined each season with the addition of a few colorful annuals. 

5. Dress It Up

Finishing touches can provide some of the biggest visual impacts. Adding lighting, for example, can make your landscape impress both day and night. Water features like a fountain or small pond are another way to dress up an otherwise plain landscaping bed. Trellises and arbors, benches, and statuaries are other good ways to add the perfect touch to a flower bed.

Contact a landscape installation service to learn more.