How to Easily Update Your Landscaping
Spring Has Sprung
With the abnormally warmer weather we were having in Minnesota, in the month of March, I am getting the landscaping itch. I’m looking around my exterior getting super excited to give it a facelift this year; both with paint and plants! If you remember my project list for 2022, I broke down these details and more, and wanted to bring you along as I start to plan out my “curb appeal” refresh this spring!
Landscapers: Hire a pro vs. DIY
First things first! You may be thinking to yourself, is she going to hire out this landscaping work, and the answer is some. Landscapers are already getting booked out through the middle of summer, and I know that many plants need to get rooted prior to the scorching Minnesota heats. (Anyone remember the 100+ degree weeks we had in June last year).
Anyway, my plan is to get on the landscapers schedule to have them install a flagstone path. Currently I don’t have a walking path (besides grass), between my backyard paver patio and my side gate leading to the front yard. It’s not technically necessary, however it would be nice, and CenterPointe Energy dug up my yard when they had to move my gas meter outside (long story). So….to help clean up the yard, level out the grading, and add a little pizazz, I’m going to hire a landscaper to do that heavy lifting.
Curious to know how much it will cost? My initial quote was just under $3,000. This included labor and materials. All things considered knowing how time intensive leveling the ground would be and how bad my back is/how heavy the stones would be, I will happily pay the experts to take care of this portion so that it’s done right!
Shop this post
The best Plants for my yard
As for the remainder of my landscaping, I am going to tackle the front yard with the help of my parents. I have a few ideas on the layout I could use. The question is, how complex do I want to get? That is still to be determined, but I wanted to share with you some of my favorite selections I’ve made thus far!
I am doing a bunch of research to better understand what type of plants first and foremost work well in Minnesota. From there I’m picking out some of my favorites, and then I will work around placement. You see half of my yard is in direct sunlight, and the other half is under the awning of a 100+ year old silver maple. The wingspan on that bad boy is large and in charge, and doesn’t leave much sunshine to the little fellows below. With that being said, once I narrow down my preferences on appearance, I’ll then organize my final layout and see how things shake out. A little backwards I know, but I care more about the style of plant, and then can create symmetry through repetition if needed.
Top Favorite plants for Northern Climates
Quick Fire Panicle Hydrangea
Peony
Fluffy Western Arborvitae
Siberian Iris, arborvitae
Lilac Tree
Poppy Flower
Another important reminder when selecting plants for landscaping is what time of year they bloom. You will want a mix of spring, summer and fall to ensure your yard is looking good year round. Adding in some pines that do well all year and don’t change in color is a great way to offset plants that might bloom and stick around for shorter periods of time.
Stay tuned for how things shake out. I’m either going to be very happy with myself, or it could go terribly wrong. Either way, I’m sure it’ll look a bit better than what I’m currently working with ;) Now I just need to talk my parents into coming up to help!
Wish me luck!
Jen
