Homeowners are often reluctant to spend time and money on landscaping work as it may not be a necessity. But simply leaving it unkempt and neglected isn’t a good idea either. A badly maintained garden can bring down the entire aesthetic of your home, and it doesn’t help to improve the value of the property.
View this project by SQFT Space Design Management
Even if you don’t plan to sell, improving your garden to make it visually appealing and comfortable enough for you to spend your time in could help you to fall in love with your home all over again.
Here are some handy tips to keep in mind when planning a garden remodel:
1. Focus on upkeep and maintenance
Grand garden designs are fine and all, but nothing beats an easy-to-maintain garden! Thus, before deciding on grass, soil, plant types, water features, and paving, consider the amount of time and money you’ll be willing to spend on garden maintenance.
View this project by Klaas Interiors Sdn. Bhd.
For larger gardens and more complex fixtures (e.g. high-foliage plants, fish ponds, and other water features), you may need professional aid like grass cutters and pool cleaners to maintain the area. If you are planning to DIY, be sure to factor in the cost of equipment you may need, such as motorised lawnmowers, as well as other supplies like fertilisers and automated sprinklers, etc.
2. Use landscaping to hide exterior flaws
If the front of your home does not look its best, consider a fresh coat of paint, in addition to prepping it up with a killer garden! Deflect blemishes on the home with a garden trellis and use climber plants such as bougainvillea, morning glory, and glow vine for that pop of colour. All these plants grow well in Malaysian weather and are widely cultivated here.
View this project by InD'finity Design
You can also use your garden to solve temperature problems caused by our warm tropical weather. Discuss your options with a landscaper to plan the selection and placement of shady trees and other deflective plants to help block direct sunlight.
3. Don’t forget lighting
Install lighting for your garden so that you can show it off and enjoy it at any time of the day! Choose lighting tones that imitate warm and gentle illumination, similar to that of campfire luminosity (roughly a colour temperature of 2,700K to 3,000K LED). Do also opt for a mix of lighting fixtures that can add to the theme of your garden landscape, as well as to layer lighting.
View this project by Torch Empire
Consider path lights for a paved pathway, as well as low-voltage floodlights and bollard lights around bushes and heavier shrubbery. If you have small trees in the garden, think about adding fairy lights around the trunk and branches - this creates a soothing, romantic effect. Larger gardens could also do with more imposing lighting fixtures such as a vintage European and Victorian lampposts (double lamps on a single post are interesting as well).