Landscaping 101

Lesson 7: Installation Tips & Mistakes to Avoid

Mistakes to Avoid, Part II

Here are a few more mistakes to avoid. Proper planning should elminate many of these mistakes.

7) Improperly installed flagstone walkways. This is a common mistake homeowners make. For a diagram on how to properly install flagstone walkways, download this pdf file Walkways

8) Front step too small. Your front step and landing are a very important part of the first impression of your home. This area should be attractive and inviting, and also safe. In addition, too small a step makes it difficult to get in and out of your home, especially when carrying packages or other items. We recently saw a wooden front step to a new home that only had a 10” tread. Remember your front entryway should make a bold statement about your home.

9) Failure to use proper weed barrier fabric. Commonly home landscapers use a black plastic liner under mulch and around plants in their beds to prevent weeds. This does not breathe nor allow water to permeate. Always use a good quality weed barrier fabric.

10) Improperly installed retaining walls. How many times have you seen walls tilting or bowing forward or caving in because of back pressure or earth movement? Most frequently the problem has been caused by improper installation including failure to provide a proper base, the wall is too high, no deadmen or geo-grid has been provided back into the bank for stability, improper materials have been used or the wall was built with materials that are not heavy duty enough for the job.

Before ever tackling a retaining wall, do plenty of research on the internet or in books to grasp the basics. Better yet, hire a reputable professional to install your wall. One internet site with great tips on installation is http://www.sustland.umn.edu. Go to the implementation section and there is excellent literature on building several types of walls. Black & Decker also has a very good book on installation techniques, “Landscape Design and Construction”.

11) Failure to provide proper drainage away from the home. Always make sure that you have no less than a 2% slope away from your home foundation.

12) Improper irrigation or sprinkling system. There are areas of the country that have a great deal of iron in the water coming from wells. Where this occurs, it is not advisable to irrigate or use sprinklers so that water is broadcast over hardscaping such as boulder walls or outcroppings, pavers or flagstone patios. It can take as little as one season to severely stain these areas of your landscaping or even parts of your home. We encourage the use of soaker hoses where heavy iron is a problem.

13) Don’t think in straight lines. Even in formal designs circles and geometric patterns can be used. Curves and wavy lines create visual interest and movement.

14)Forgetting to landscape your front yard. You might not want extensive landscaping in your front yard, but the front is an ideal place to set the tone of your landscaping.

15) Forgetting your family’s needs. Do you need open areas for children or pets or a patio as a place for relatives to gather? Keep these in mind as you progress through your landscape design process.

16)Taking on too much! There are only so many hours in the day and everyone has a lot of priorities pulling them in many directions. It is better to have a simpler landscape and keep it up then letting things get out of hand.

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