Landscaping a Parade Home

There are lots of considerations when landscaping a new home—especially one that will appear in the 2016 Holland Parade of Homes. Bosch’s Landscaping installed a few great features at such a home in Savannah Lakes that showcase some basic design principles. We installed plants, applied bark mulch, and hydro-seeded the lawn to provide attractive surroundings for the house.

The home was on a rather steep slope, which presented some challenges. To screen off the open area under the upper-level deck, we planted Emerald Arborvitae. These shrubs will help shield the deck supports and lower level entrance from view, and will eventually grow taller to provide some privacy for the deck area as well.

In another spot we softened the look of a cement patio area with blue fescue. This low-growing grass has a lovely aqua color that gives off a cool feeling and is an alternative to the normal greens of grass and other plants. They will not overwhelm the small planting space or spread over onto the patio, so this is a good choice for this commonly used area.

We were concerned that runoff on the steep slope along the side of the house might wash the mulch and dirt down and build it up to the level of the siding. This could cause water to wick up under the siding to the wood and insulation underneath, which might lead to problems with mold or rotting.

To prevent this, we formed a small retaining wall out of boulders midway along the slope. This was an inexpensive solution that also had a more natural look than a cement structure. It should slow the flow of water down the hill. An ornamental tree and small shrubs will visually fill the section above it, and their roots will help stabilize the soil as well. The final touch was finishing off with bark mulch that allows water to quickly seep into the soil to keep it from running off, and also sets off the planting area visually from the lawn.

You may not have a parade home, but maybe you just built a new house and have a bare lot to deal with, or maybe you need to sell your home and want to spruce up the environment around it. We can construct a landscape design that fits your needs and your budget, and still incorporates the basic principles that lead to a pleasing prospect. Call Bosch’s Landscaping in Holland, MI today at (616) 399-6861 and talk to one of our designers about what we can do for you.