If you’re at least a little bit familiar with gardening lingo, you’ve probably heard the word ‘landscaping’ But what, exactly, is this strange art? Landscapers seem to mention all sorts of things when talking about their trade, from growing masses of beautiful plants to shaping hedges, to getting colourful fish for their ponds, or even erecting a new fence. It is, in fact, all of these things. Landscaping is a broad art that encapsulates the entire terrain of a piece of land. It means to purposefully design, create, and maintain an entire landscape with the aim of bringing forward aesthetic beauty, both from natural sources such as plants and wildlife, and from manmade elements like ponds or stoned patios.
If you’re looking to completely redesign your garden, turning perhaps what is currently a mostly bare lawn and unused patio space into something you can really appreciate, that would be landscaping. Alternatively, you can take up specific parts of landscaping to help improve a garden in a less drastic way or to give yourself a project outdoors. Check out some examples of what landscaping entails below to find out if any could benefit your garden.
Landscaping is much more than gardening, but gardening is definitely a huge part of it. After all, what would be the point of creating a beautiful space outside if you didn’t seize the opportunity to appreciate the beautiful feats of nature? Growing bright and vibrant florals to produce specifically planned displays, or cultivating trees to grow larger and larger every year until they rise impressively above the entire space will provide amazing visuals and scents, as well as create a sport for a natural ecosystem to thrive. Landscapers will often not be found without their secateurs and shears so they can weed away unwanted shoots and prune back unruly branches to keep their florals and foliage looking pristine.
Building a pathway that winds through your lovely floral displays allows you both a place to step freely without fear of ruining any of your hard work and can bring a real elegant touch. These paths can lead up to or away from a fuller patio area, designating a specific spot for relaxation and enjoying company. Patios are a great spot to place any furniture so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy your stunning garden, and maybe even eat a spot of lunch.
Landscaping highly utilizes different elements within the craft, and a pond or water feature easily brings water into the equation. Ponds offer an opportunity to bring more wildlife into your garden with fish and can be a lovely, quiet spot to sit. A water feature like a fountain or waterfall can bring a bit more of a dramatic flair and will send the calming sound of running water across your garden, perfect for anyone looking to create a true space of peace out of their garden.
Creating a definitive border around your outdoor space will create a neat and complete sense while partitioning off different sections of your garden allows each element to truly shine. Garden edging can help control your flowerbeds and plant life, creating a border that they can’t grow beyond, while trellis’ offer a great opportunity to section off areas for privacy by trailing crawling plants up and through them. This also has the benefit of bringing a real classic rustic vibe to your garden and will help those private corners feel all the more special.
As you can see, landscaping has many components that cover all areas of the garden or land. If you're looking to take on some new projects and want to make the most of warm weather, consider taking on each component yourself. It'll be cheaper than hiring a professional, where you'll be charged for materials, hours and labour. You can find all the materials you'll need across our Garden Department, and get some great inspiration from our articles!
