Landscaping can change the way your whole home looks. Best of all, you can do it yourself, saving you money on paying others for their labor.
For five DIY Florida landscaping ideas that will revamp your home’s look, read on.
1. Choose the Right Plants
You want to draw people’s attention to your front door with focal plants. The right plant for your yard depends on how sunny (or not) it is.
For sunny yards, consider planting African irises, magnolias, or pineapple guavas. In less sunny yards, bromeliads, gardenias, and ferns are all good choices.
Plant beds require less water than grass, so limit the amount of grass that you use to that needed for recreation and the like.
2. Draw in Wildlife
If you do landscaping the right way, you’ll attract some beautiful butterflies and other insects. These friendly critters will beautify your Florida landscape.
All you have to do is give them water, food, and cover.
For water, provide a small pond or birdbath. For shelter, set up a brush pile, birdhouse, or bat house. Trees, shrubs, and vines can serve as food, nesting areas, and cover.
3. Don’t Underestimate Mulch
At first glance, mulch might not seem to be that important, but it is. If you want fewer weeds on your lawn, then mulch properly. Mulch will also reduce stormwater runoff and erosion, in addition to retaining soil moisture.
Once or twice annually, apply mulch so that there are then two to three inches of it. Keep it two inches away from plants’ bases to protect them from diseases.
You don’t always have to buy mulch. Consider natural alternatives like fallen tree leaves, bark, pine needles, and melaleuca.
4. Deal with Pests Responsibly
A great way to beautify your home’s landscaping is to rid your yard of any pests. There is, however, a right and wrong way to do that.
Pesticides aren’t always necessary. They can harm good insects and get into waterways. So, let some insects live because they’re not all bad.
Use the least toxic pesticides, like insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils. Apply these only where necessary.
5. Compost and Recycle
Like in other areas of your life, recycling is beneficial for your yard.
After mowing your lawn, leave grass clippings on there to recycle nitrogen. Pine needles and fallen leaves can serve as mulch under your shrubs and trees.
Finally, put your kitchen scraps (excluding animal products) and yard waste into a compost pile. You can then use the compost as mulch and natural fertilizer.
If you think you’d need any help with these DIY landscaping ideas, check it out.
Florida Landscaping Ideas
Florida is a wonderfully unique state, and so are Florida landscaping ideas.
Improving your home’s landscaping doesn’t have to be a costly, professional task. You can do it all by yourself, with some easy but highly beneficial ideas.
For more ideas for your lawn and other spots outside of your home, explore the Garden & Patio section of the site.