If you own a house but find the landscaping to be lacking, there are some simple things you can do to make the landscape more appealing. The typical suburban landscape is a green lawn, mowed, with a tree here or there, and maybe a shrub or two. Go from blah to beautiful with these simple landscaping updates. 

1. Add lights. 

Lights make your landscape much more sophisticated. Use lights along the pathway to your dor, around trees in the front yard, or along the edges of the shrub bed. In the evening, the lights will give your home greater dimension and highlight the nicer features of your yard. 

2. Use rocks or mulch. 

Many people overlook the value of using other textural elements in the landscape. If everything in your yard is a plant, the textures blend together and make the entire yard look bland. When you put a boulder, a rock border, or even a bed of rocks around a tree or some shrubs, the rocks provide an alternative color that makes the green foliage pop in the summer. In the winter, carefully chosen rocks bring color to your yard when the trees and shrubs have lost their leaves. 

If you cannot afford rocks, consider using mulch as a textural and color element. Mulch can be deep brown in color, so when you add mulch to a flower bed, each green leaf and vibrant flower is highlighted by the dark backdrop.

3. Extend flower and shrub beds. 

Sometimes people make the mistake of only putting shrubs and flowers in a straight line along the wall of the house. If you extend the shrub and flower areas out, you have more room to create depth in the landscape, and you have less grass, which can break up the monotony of your yard. If you have a flat front to your house, consider making the flower beds curved as a contrast. If your house has a busy front design, use straight, simple shrub bed design to help balance the overall curb appeal 

4. Add foliage. 

Finally, you can add interest by choosing the right foliage. If you have a lot of green in your front yard, add a couple shrubs with brown or red leaves instead of green. The additional color instantly brings sophistication to your landscape. If you already have a lot of plants, hire a landscaping company to clean up the area, removing dead branches and trimming shrubs so that the beautiful shape and foliage of each plant works together. 

Contact a company, like Greatland Tree Service, for more help.