Shrub And Annual Landscaping Can Beautify Your Property

There are many reasons to beautify a property. Creating a powerful first impression outside the building may increase sales or rental potential. Beautifying the exterior can increase pride in the building for the existing residents and create a sense of home where one may not exist. Carrying a décor theme, colour palate or feeling from the public areas inside the building to the public areas outside the building can draw in visitors and residents alike by creating continuity in these areas.

Planting seasonally, in garden beds and containers, is an easy and relatively inexpensive step towards beautifying a property.

There are many different sizes and styles of containers available for exterior planting. Styles range from the classic urn shape to very modern cubes. Many different colours and materials are also available, from lightweight resin, to concrete and iron. Choosing containers that reflect the theme or décor of the building, then planting them with flowers and other material that complement the interior décor and exterior colour scheme will increase curb appeal. Containers, planted four times per year, in early spring, late spring, fall and winter, can accent a front entrance, invite guests and residence alike into a public space, like a courtyard, or express holiday wishes.

Different types of long blooming annuals planted in garden beds in early spring, late spring and early fall can brighten an entryway, or create interest in a large expanse of lawn or in front of an existing shrub border. Annuals can be mixed with existing perennials, shrubs and evergreens to enhance a garden. By nature, annuals are longer blooming than perennials or flowering shrubs. They are relatively inexpensive to buy and plant, however, they do only last for one season.

Bringing Colour To Your Garden

An early spring planting brings the first hit of colour to the outdoors and offers a taste of things to come. Arrangements include early flowering annuals, bulbs and shrubs in flower, for example, pansies, azaleas and tulips. Twigs such as pussy willow create height and add colour and texture to the arrangement. Ivy trailing over the side of a container softens the edge and completes an arrangement. When weather permits, early spring arrangements are planted before Easter.

Late spring arrangements, planted in late May or early June, in garden beds and containers make use of colourful annuals like impatiens, begonias, million bells, and lobelia. Texture and additional colour come from tropical plants like wandering jew and spider plant and other annuals like coleus and sweet potato vine. Height, created using flowering vines or taller tropical plants like palms as a centerpiece, is a key component of each arrangement.

The colour in fall arrangements, planted in time for Thanksgiving, comes from chrysanthemums, asters, and other late blooming flowers. Grasses are often used for height. Additional colour and texture come from cabbages and kales, which look wonderful when tipped with frost. Small gourds often complete the fall arrangement.

Winter container arrangements, planted in late November, bring holiday wishes or just a hint of colour on a drab winter day. Colourful twigs, painted or natural, enhance the evergreen arrangements. Blue spruce, red berries, rose hips, pine cones and dried hydrangeas add more colour. Seasonal ornaments and ribbon complete an arrangement.

This year’s trends will see double million bells in bold colours, and plants with emerald green or variegated foliage.

Landcare’s experts designs and installs seasonal container and garden arrangements to beautify your property and complement your existing décor. They will help select planting containers, if necessary, and can design garden beds where none exists. They will also evaluate the soil conditions before planting to ensure arrangements will get the necessary nutrients from the soil to grow lush and beautiful. Some even offer fertilization programs to promote growth.