Bringing Nature Under Control: How Landscapers Operate

Have you ever wondered how landscapers seem to be so good at bringing nature under control? If so, you’ll love what we have in store in this guide. It looks at some of the techniques and tactics the pros use on the job so you can implement them on your own property. 

Use Retrofitting

One of the things that the pros do is use retrofitting. Instead of starting from scratch, they use what’s already in the environment to reduce costs and capitalize on existing structures. 

What’s nice about this approach is that you can use it to create just about anything, including things like permeable pavements, rain gardens, and pollinator habits. 

Retrofitting also makes the landscaping feel more natural. You’re working with what’s already there instead of trying to force it into a different shape that it just doesn’t want to go into. 

Create A Seasonal Timetable

Another thing you can do is create a seasonal timetable. These are handy because they allow you to stay on top of maintenance work, preventing any aspect of the landscaping from getting out of control or becoming unwieldy. Elements you want a regular timetable for include things like mowing, pruning, and fertilizing. These items need doing on a regular cadence every year, so don’t skip them. 

If you can add sensors to your maintenance activities, that’s also a good idea. These allow you to tailor when you do certain things, like add extra calcium to the soil or turn on automatic sprinklers. Again, these reduce the need for you to intervene directly and take a lot of the guesswork out of the work. 

Keep Things Polished

You’ll notice that when professional landscapers go to work, they’re very concerned with maintaining a polished appearance. A yard or a property that’s just been serviced always looks fantastic, with trimmed lawns and carefully-shaped bushes. 

The more polished you can keep things, the better. Maintaining pathways and getting rid of leaves or any waste is a big part of this. It’s one of the reasons landscapers are so keen on pressure washers and leaf blowers. They need tools that keep their outside spaces clear and clean-looking year-round, and you do, too. 

Don’t be afraid to invest in the equipment you need to keep your landscaping looking great year-round. If you have short-cuts in your garage, that can really motivate and incentivize you to keep on top of things and ensure that your property has continued curb appeal. 

Use Automated Watering

You also want to use as many automated and integrated watering solutions for your garden as possible. Again, the more you can pass the work over to machines, the better the results will be (and your lawn will appear more consistent). 

These days, there are countless modern irrigation systems you can explore. Some of these are drip systems that keep soil moist, while others are spray-based and respond to sensed soil moisture levels. 

Add Strip LEDs

At the same time, it can be handy to add strip LEDs. These are suitable for all weathers and can make pathways look great. 

How you implement these is essentially up to you. For example, you could wrap them around a pergola to show off its beauty at night, or you could snake them up a tree trunk. 

Just make sure that you buy the right kinds of lights for outdoor areas. Try to use lighting with energy-saving options if possible. 

Add Hardscaping First

You’ll also notice that the pros always add the hardscaping first before including other elements. This approach, of course, makes a lot of sense. You want the most destructive elements to be put in place as a foundation, allowing you to add more later. 

Pavers and concrete are the most obvious choices, but there are plenty of other options. For example, you could use geotextile fabric if you’re worried about the ground moving around. This option is ideal if you have a lot of foot traffic. 

You also could use interlocking blocks in some situations. These are superior if you need extra drainage or you want to run pipes to fuel your water filters. 

Use Heavy Machinery

If you can hire heavy machinery for your landscaping projects, that can help you get much more done in less time. These larger tools are able to save you a lot of work, especially when it comes to tasks involving moving earth for ponds or constructing retaining walls. You can sometimes do these jobs by hand, but it is much more challenging. 

Navigating Red Tape

Pros are also good at dealing with things like red tape. They understand how to work the system to their advantage, allowing them to get more done in less time. 

For example, before they even begin digging or any groundwork, they get all the permits they need. These are necessary for grading in some areas, tree removal, and putting in new water features. 

Furthermore, they are also ahead of the game when it comes to things like marking utilities. If new pipes need to go in the ground, then they always take their time to ensure that they are legal and permitted under various audiences. 

Use Proven Layouts

Finally, whenever you want to bring nature under control with landscaping, make sure you use proven layouts. If you can get everything set out in digital format before you start moving any earth, that can be exceptionally helpful. 

During the design phase, you’ll want to ensure that anything you produce has balance (similar to what the pros do). For example, you might want a retaining wall separating the patio area from the rest of the lawn. 

If you can ensure traffic flow, that’s even better. Getting things like pathways right while respecting the needs of nature is critical. 

Just make sure that data informs your every decision. If you can map the existing terrain and what the new layout will look like, that’s an excellent approach and something you want to be doing from the start.