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Count down – Week 2
This week’s article is a continuation of last week’s 10 biggest mistakes homeowners make in their outdoor spaces. I’m doing this even though I got an earful from my neighbour when she read my number eight: a ban on red mulch.
In all fairness, it has taken me years of trial and error to put together this list, and I figure I’ve made every one of these mistakes several times on my own, which is why I feel safe sharing them with you.
Coming in at number seven is our desire for the big yard.
I’m not sure where the idea started that a bigger yard is a better yard or that a bigger lawn is a status symbol. Maybe it has something to do with keeping the neighbours as far away as possible. Unfortunately, in our efforts to keep the large lawn, we started pushing elements to the edge of property lines. Even today I see homeowners with a yard that is defined by a fence on all sides, several gardens pushed up against the fence and a large lawn down the middle. There is nothing inviting about a space like this. It is just like being at a high school dance and no one is on the dance floor, they are all on the wall trying not to be noticed. Instead, consider adding elements to the centre of your space. Items like a deck and a pergola, or a small patio with chairs. By creating a focal point in the centre of the yard instead of on the wings, you visually push your neighbours away because you eye moves to the centre, instead of the edges.
Number six is the dreaded front flowerbed. Every single house in almost every single neighbourhood in Canada has a garden jammed up against the house under the front windows. Very few of these are actually successful, because this is a challenging spot for plants to grow. They get less rain because of the roofline, and the soil is often the worst in the yard because of the home construction. Instead of placing the garden tight to the house, move it out by two or three feet and put a band of gravel behind it. The gravel allows you access to the home for things like cleaning windows, but it also forces you to plant forward, allowing the plants some space from the home itself. The best part, as the plants grow, no one can even see the band of gravel from the sidewalk!
Number five holds a special spot in my heart. I call it the big deck syndrome. This is when homeowners invest lots of money and build a large deck or walkout on the back of the second storey of their homes. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen some amazing constructions done by talented contractors, but eventually the homeowner is going to realize that their beautiful deck is a giant stage and they have just put themselves in full view of every one of their neighbours. Some people don’t mind the attention; while others start looking for privacy solutions right away. If you are planning one of these builds, ask your contractor to plan for privacy as part of the design. It is much easier to get them to build it right from the beginning then to try and add it on after the fact.
Next week I will tackle numbers three and four of the biggest mistakes people make outside. Hopefully your yard won’t have either of them!
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