Softscaping, also known as Soft Landscaping, comprises all kinds of plants – trees, shrubs, flowers, grass – planted deliberately to enhance the beauty of a yard. It can be a time-consuming task considering that each component of softscaping requires special attention and care. Although it does not involve construction, softscaping may still be exorbitant for some.
In such cases, it becomes inevitable to gather some DIY ideas and implement them. DIY allows you to play with your creativity and feel the contentment of seeing fruitful results. It improves your garden’s aesthetic and gives you a cathartic hobby in which you can invest your time. The perks of gardening are not limited to a lawn’s beauty; they improve one’s mood and health and refresh one’s mind.
Therefore, this article will walk you through some DIY ideas that you can implement today.
TOP TEN DIY SOFTSCAPING IDEAS
We have compiled this article to give you a collection of the top ten do-it-yourself ideas. Follow these ideas to enhance the aesthetic appeal of your property.
10. Shrubbery Solitude
Frequently, a property has a lawn that lacks the essential element of privacy. While it is beneficial to have open grounds, it also falls short of providing privacy, security, and solitude. Setting up walls around your lawn will be extortionate and time-consuming. It is best to utilize softscaping ideas that you can DIY in such cases.
Shrubs are an aesthetic method to enhance the privacy and solitude of your garden. There are various shrubs that you can pick from with varying costs. The two main types of shrubs used frequently are deciduous and evergreen shrubs. It allows you to choose one that aligns with your allocated budget and desired style.
9. Control Weeds
Weeds are plants that grow in dry and hot spaces without being planted intentionally. They feed on the nutrients meant for other crops. Hence, it is crucial to remove weeds regularly and by their roots. Without proper weed removal, it will regrow and deteriorate the beauty of a garden. Moreover, preventing weed growth is just as important as removing the weed.
It is essential to invest in appropriate herbicides to stop the weed from festering. If you are not as well-versed with the details of lawn care, you can also contact professionals to take care of it for you. It takes the responsibility and burden of lawn maintenance off your shoulders. It offers you professional services that will last a considerable amount of time.
8. Make a Newspaper Wall
Enhancing the aesthetics of your garden does not need to be limited to plants. You can incorporate your ideas wherever possible. Every thought does not need to be lavish, big, or flashy – most of the time, you can utilize some otherwise useless items to make a uniquely exciting aesthetic.
Collect newspapers from your property. Ask around from friends, family, and neighbors if they have some extra newspapers lying around that you can have. Gather your stock of newspapers and select a shaded wall. You can paste all newspapers to form a nice, scribbled, and plain aesthetic wall to strengthen your garden’s beauty. Be careful about the wall you choose. Newspaper is still paper and will easily tear down itself in case of rainfall.
7. Use Artificial Flowers and Pots
There is no flower in the world that you cannot get an artificial piece of. Artificial flowers add to the beauty of a lawn just as real flowers do. However, they do not offer the same fragrant aura but will look as pretty as flowers. Using artificial flowers on a lawn allows you to beautify other spaces like furniture tables, garden ladders, and vertical gardening walls.
Artificial flowers will not wither and will only need minimal care to last a long time. Moreover, you can use any extra pots available at home and paint them to put around in your garden. Painting allows your intelligence and ideas to merge to produce something unique. Painted flower pots look nicer in gardens for their brighter colors and high contrast with the greenery around them. Interestingly, there are already-painted pots available in the market. If you need painted pots urgently or do not want to paint, buy already-painted pots to enhance your garden’s appeal.
6. Vertical Gardening
Vertical gardening adds an exciting element to a garden’s aesthetic appeal. It is refreshingly unique for viewers. Most people skip vertical gardening unless it is for growing ivy. Although growing ivy is one of the best ways to utilize walls on a lawn, there are several other ways to use vertical spaces in a garden.
You can attach flower pots as wall hangings to make use of a bare wall. Colorful flowers make the garden look brighter and more vibrant. Invest in flowers that would complement the wall. You can paint the flower pots to make the flowers stand out against the wall. Alternatively, you can also invest in artificial flowers to have lesser gardening work on your hands. It would still look as pretty, just not as fragrant.
5. Utilize Empty Corners
When we focus on garden maintenance, there is a lot of space left undecorated. It may be best to utilize those spaces to add more value to your lawn. Here are two ways you can use the empty corners or areas in your garden to enhance its appeal:
💠 Bonfire pit
Having a bonfire pit on your lawn makes gatherings a lot more fun. You can have quality bonding time with your loved ones or just a warm place to sit by and read. In any case, bonfire pits enhance the fun you can have with your lawn. Here’s how you can create your bonfire pit at home:
- Make a circle in your garden using bricks. Ensure that this is where you want your bonfire pit to be.
- Make a pile of tinder in the center of the circle. Then, make a teepee shape using tinder.
- Use kindling to pile up in a teepee shape around the tinder. Make sure to leave some space in between to let oxygen escape.
- Put the fuel log around your teepee.
- Repeat the procedure multiple times to build more layers.
- Light up the bonfire by dropping a matchstick in the middle of the brick circle, and voila! Your bonfire is ready.
💠 Barbecue rack
Setting up a barbecue rack is another way to utilize extra space in a garden. They enable you to literally “spice up” the parties held at your property. You can ask professionals to set up a barbecue rack in a corner where you can keep the garden furniture around.
It may be expensive, but it is a long-term investment. You may feel delighted to have your outdoor barbecue system for a live barbecue when guests are over at a party. Moreover, it will give your garden a unique look even if standing aside as a decoration piece.
4. Ornaments
Ponds, sculptures, fountains, arches, hanging, and bridges – you may have seen at least one of these in an organized garden. These ornaments are collectively called garden ornaments. The primary reason to use garden ornaments is to make the lawn more attractive. It gives the property more than just vegetation and greenery to look at. Often, garden ornaments look more appealing than the plantation itself.
Assess the size of your lawn and select appropriate garden ornaments. There is a large variety of local markets from which you can choose. Alternatively, many professional companies may also have access to garden ornaments. You can get in touch with the experts in the field to avail yourself of their reliable recommendations.
3. Furniture
Garden furniture is an essential component of a garden’s aesthetic appeal. It is because your lawn is the place where you connect with nature and wish to take in the tranquility peacefully. To fully enjoy a lawn’s aura, you need a place to sit back and relax. Hence, garden furniture becomes crucial to set up. Here are a few ways you can add garden furniture to your lawns today:
- Recycle old furniture: The best part about garden furniture is that you can DIY it by recycling old furniture. Find needless furniture lying around in your storeroom, such as a table or a rocking chair you no longer use. Splash new colors on it. Make it vibrant. Go for colors like yellow, red, and orange to make the furniture stand out. You can also sew cushions and put them on the chairs to make them more comfortable.
- Tires: Tire décor is simple, fun, and budget-friendly. Buy a new tire or reuse an old one. Paint the tire with vibrant colors to contrast with the garden’s greenery. Take two painted tires and join them together using a strong rope from the middle. Ensure that the string has firmly secured the two tires together. Put a puffy cushion on the cord as a final touch to mark the completion of your tire furniture!
2. Turf
When kempt sustainably, turfs offer countless advantages to the environment. Turfs hold onto nutrients and are efficient at water filtration. They reduce runoff, prevent erosion, and regulate temperature.
Moreover, natural turf enhances the safety of toddlers and children playing around due to its soft surface. It is more reliable in preventing injuries during playtime. You can contact professionals to set up the turf on your lawn or yourself. Either way, it will ensure to keep your garden in mint condition.
1. Flowerbeds
Flowerbeds refer to the area on the ground which has been prepared intentionally to promote flower growth. It is the most beautiful part of a garden – no debate. People like to plant different colored flowers in their flowerbeds to give it a striking contrast with the greenery of a garden and make the flowerbed stand out.
It is refreshing, aesthetic, and fragrant to have an organized and neat flowerbed in your garden and promote mental well-being by taking regular walks in a garden. You can start by digging out grass using a flat shovel. It is advisable to give around 10-15 centimeters around the perimeter of your flowerbed. Ensure that you attentively and carefully lift out the sod. Loosen the soil by clearing out debris. Plant your favorite flowers and be consistent with watering them. Do not forget to mulch as it keeps the weed growth under control. Lastly, add an aesthetic border to make your flowerbed look neat and organized.
THE BOTTOM LINE
“A garden is a thing of beauty and a job forever.”
– Richard Briers
To sum it up, softscaping is an integral part of revamping, maintaining, or simply enjoying being in your garden. Softscaping allows you to play with your creative side to strengthen the aesthetic appeal of your property – be it your house or your office. You can use countless methods to make your lawn prettier than it can be on its own.
This article talked about adding shrubs to enhance privacy, controlling weeds to save your garden from losing its beauty, and using garden ornaments to make the lawn more attractive. Moreover, we learned that minimalism goes a long way. You can make a bonfire pit yourself to make your parties more exciting and vertical gardening to give your lawn a unique look.
There are multiple ways you can add garden furniture to your lawn, including reusing old furniture, tire décor, and buying a new set. Soft Landscaping makes your property stand out, and it does not always need to be too expensive. You can implement numerous ideas without paying an exorbitant price for them. Sometimes the money you spend on soft landscaping is an investment that pays off in enhanced lawn beauty. In those cases, it is advisable to go for the investment!
