5 Landscape Trends to Try in 2019
Originally published WB’s 2019 Q1 – Condo Connection Newsletter. All archived newsletters can be found on our WB Condo Connection page.
Plants and shrubs are perhaps the best way to create borders and define space in a community. Like fences, they need to be maintained if they’re going to do the job. Unlike fencing, your landscaping needs to be tailored to your climate as well as the time you plan to spend keeping it maintained. Consider these five landscape trends to try in 2019 to provide a fresh look to your property.
1. The Less Work, The Better
Low maintenance plants provide natural beauty and cost less to maintain. Choosing plants that are native to your area, like ornamental grasses, are a great way to cut down on watering and upkeep costs. Consider your local garden center for plant varieties that do best in your climate or keep an eye out for common plants that grow in the wild near your property. These plants will be native ones that are well adapted to area temperatures and will naturally thrive on your property.
2. Start a Garden
Planting fruits and vegetables is a great way to engage the community. Consider planting strawberries along with a border or even use herbs in a planter to provide a surprise element for residents and guests. Creating a community garden is also an excellent way to motivate residents into caring for their home and the surrounding area. Large gardens don’t have to be a substantial area of land but instead can be planted along borders and in smaller sections throughout the property. Growing food also increase the pollinators on your property, which is beneficial to all plants, but will also encourage healthy habits and education among residents.
3. Draw Attention
Choosing colourful and unique plants for the edges on your property can help draw attention to your community. There are many kinds of plants that offer stunning colour as well as impressive height. Creating an outline around your property sign will make it more noticeable to both residents and guests. Consider planting the exquisite flowers next to the mailbox center or office.
4. Define Private Spaces
Residents want both large common areas on their property, as well as smaller private outdoor living spaces. Help create a sense of definition by planting fast growing shrubs and barrier plants. These will not only help to add privacy to a patio area, but will also become a natural selling point when showing properties to potential residents. If you already have these kinds of areas on your property, consider checking on them to see if any plants are diseased or dead and replacing them with new options.
5. Lush Lawns
Creating an engaging outdoor living space is vital when it comes to welcoming new residents and keeping the current ones happy. Create a green front and backyard that people can use on a daily basis. Instead of focusing on multiple parts of the lawn, try focusing on the one main area that always seems to draw a crowd. Maintain the lawn with annual aeration and fertilizer applications to create a thick carpet of green. Use proper lawn mowing techniques. If the grass isn’t growing well, you may want to replace it with another variety. Create multiple smaller lawn areas all around the property that focus on different uses including grilling areas, lawn games, and sports courts. Whether choosing to add a garden or just upgrading the lawns to keep people happy, an improved landscape in 2019 will also help improve the value of the property.
A note from Wilson Blanchard: As always, please be sure to get approval from your association or board before making changes to your landscaping.