How to Landscape Around a Deck for a Better Backyard

 Jul/10/2020      568 Enhance your yard with beautiful landscaping around your deck

You’re probably spending a lot more time at home due to the pandemic, noticing things that never bothered you before. If you’re finding your yard boring, you can liven it up with the right landscaping. Frame your deck with your favorite flowers, shrubs and lighting for an enhanced outdoor experience.

Here are some simple tips for landscaping around a deck you can follow or hire a professional landscaping contractor.

Step 1: Choose Your Plants

The first step is to choose the plants you want to frame your deck. Start by selecting larger shrubs or small trees. Then move to smaller perennials, your favorite flowers and ornamental grasses to fill around the larger plants. Select plants that will grow in the amount of sunlight your home gets.

Step 2: Create Your Layout

Once you’ve chosen the plants you would like to use, arrange them in a rough layout around your deck. This will help you determine where to put the border. You can use a hose as a temporary border or use landscape paint to define the area.

Step 3: Time to Dig

Digging is one of the hardest parts of landscaping. Dig up the existing grass that lays within your border. You don’t need to dig deep. Use the blade of the shovel to dig about an inch under the grass to cut the roots. You just want to loosen the grass enough to expose the soil.

Step 4: Position Your Border

Once you have removed all of the grass within the border, it’s time to install your landscape edging to define a border and keep grass from growing back. Dig a shallow trench a few inches deep. You can create a border using pieces of plastic or rubber. You can connect pieces using connector tubes. To secure the border, add soil into the trench. The top of the border should be an inch above the top of the soil.

Step 5: Cover Soil with Landscape Fabric

Don’t forget to cover your soil with landscaping fabric to minimize weed growth. You can skip this step and hope your mulch prevents weeds from growing. If you do choose to use landscape fabric, place it so that it fits the entire space. Use landscape fabric pins along the borders to help hold it into place.

Step 6: Confirm Final Layout

Create your layout with your plants still in their nursery pots. Place larger plants close to your deck and smaller plants towards the border. Choose a variety of textures to make your arrangement interesting. Leave enough space between plants, so that they have room to grow.

Step 7: Time for Planting

When you’re pleased with your layout, cut a holes in your landscape fabric and dig holes in the soil where you want the plants to go. Fill in gaps around plants. Once everything is planted, water each plant.

Step 8: Add Mulch

Mulch can be used to tie the layout together. Create a 2-inch layer with the mulch of your choice. Spread your mulch evenly, so that no fabric shows.

If you’re not sure what plants to choose, a professional landscape contractor can help. Request quotes today from HomeContractors101.