Most homeowners think the benefits of landscaping is simply to improve curb appeal and “Keep Up With The Joneses,” but beautiful landscape design has so many more benefits.
There’s something irresistible about the sights, sounds, and scents of nature. While most people spend the majority of their time indoors, we are still drawn to the sunshine, green grass, gorgeous flowers, beautiful plants, tantalizing aromas, and frolicking animals that make the outdoors relaxing and rejuvenating. Science has shown that spending time outdoors has a positive effect on mood and emotional outlook.
Do you have an outdoor oasis at your home? A place where you can enjoy the weather, spend time with family, enjoy a cup of coffee or glass of wine and watch the sunrise or set, entertain friends, or just relax. If not, then it is worth considering. A beautiful outdoor space can make a world of difference for your family.
Landscaping is a way to create this oasis in your own backyard. The benefits of a new landscape design and installation are numerous. In this post, we’ll be discussing five benefits of landscaping that might surprise you.
- Increased property value
- Lowered energy bills
- Improved the quality of life
- Good for the environment
- Increased living space
Increased Property Value
As a homeowner, you want as many benefits from your investment as possible. Beautiful Landscaping that is installed correctly and maintained properly can greatly increase the value of your home. Never underestimate the value of curb appeal. The first aspect of your home that potential buyers see is your landscaping. When it comes to selling your home, first impressions can be everything.
The American Society of Landscape Architects recommends investing 10% of your home’s value in landscaping. Other studies have suggested that proper landscaping can increase the value of your home by 5%-15% and homeowners who invest in landscaping for their home see a significant return on that investment.
Additionally, over 75% of the nation’s top real estate agents say that well-landscaped homes are worth anywhere from 5%-10% more than homes with no landscaping or poorly maintained landscaping.
Lowered Energy Bills
Looking for a cost-effective way to lower your energy bills? Look no further than the yard surrounding your home. Strategic planting of trees and shrubs around your property can lower your energy bills significantly.
A well-planned and thoughtfully designed landscape by a professional designer will not only take looks and curb appeal into account but will consider how your design can keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter as well.
Proper placed trees and shrubs provide shade for your home in the warmest parts of the day. By keeping direct sunlight off of your home, a properly designed landscape can reduce the heat in your attic by up to 40%! This can lead to significant savings on your summer energy bills. In the winter, properly-placed trees reduce heating costs by blocking cold winter winds.
When it comes to energy efficiency, the goals of landscaping are:
- Maximize shade in the summer.
- Funnel summer breezes toward your home.
- Maximize the warming effects of the sun in the winter
- Protect your home from cold winds
Improved Quality of Life
Landscaping improves the quality of life in cities with several physical and psychological benefits. For example, just looking at plants is shown to reduce blood pressure. Walking through a natural environment, even in the middle of a city, improves attention and memory. People living in neighborhoods with community green spaces report lower stress levels and lower healthcare costs.
Landscaping is extremely beneficial for people who live in cities and suburbs in so many ways. Public parks and green spaces have been shown to reduce stress and improve health. Studies have shown that just looking at plants is shown to reduce stress and lower blood pressure. Walking through or sitting in a natural environment improves mood, attention, memory, and recall. People living near parks, greenscapes, and community gardens report lower stress levels and lower healthcare costs.
Good For The Environment
Did you know that traditional lawn care that heavily utilizes harsh chemicals and artificial nutrients can be very harmful to the environment? MowCow Lawn and Landscape is committed to organic-based lawn care that protects the environment. We are proud to be a member of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and a Businesses for the Bay Gold Founding Member.
What this means for you as a homeowner is MowCow knows how to give you a great-looking lawn and a beautiful landscape while protecting the environment.
Trees and grass work hard to capture dust and smoke particles, remove carbon dioxide, and produce life-giving oxygen. A single tree can remove up to 26 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air every year. A single tree cancels out the emissions of a car driving 11,000 miles. Planting trees and maintaining your grass is one simple way we all can protect the environment.
Additionally, trees, plants, and grasses act as buffers against erosion and runoff, reducing the flow of sediment and pollutants into local bodies of water such as the Chesapeake Bay. MowCow designs our client’s landscapes with local needs and restrictions in mind. Not every plant will thrive in our environment. The soil, climate, and rain conditions here will not support some plants. Planting trees, bushes, shrubs, and grasses that aren’t ideal for the area will require homeowners to utilize additional resources to keep those plants healthy. 30% of the water consumed in the US is for outdoor use so the potential savings and conservation of using plants that will thrive in our area are significant.
If your home is located on a hill or part of your yard is slanted then hardscaping like patios and retaining walls can prevent elevated soil from sliding toward your home or around your property.
Increased Living Space
Even though most homeowners only consider the interior of their home when they think about their living space, a well-designed landscape creates additional living space for you and your family to enjoy. At its best, the landscape around your home is an extension of your interior living space. Windows frame views of your yard that enhance and complement the experience of your home. Adding new elements such as textures, focal points, hardscape, perennials, and flowering plants create beauty that can be enjoyed both inside and outside the home.
When planning a landscape design MowCow looks at all spaces from not just the exteriors views like the front and back doorsteps, the street, and the driveway, we also consider the look from your interior spaces as well. Additionally, we take the time to understand our client’s lifestyle so we can create an outdoor space that fits their interests and desires.
There are numerous practical things to consider when designing a landscape solution. They include:
- If there is lots of traffic between indoor and outdoor spaces then grass, mud and dirt can create a mess. A patio, deck, walkway or other raised surface is a great solution as a transition space from outside to inside and vice versa if a mud room or other space isn’t available.
- For homeowners that love to grill outdoors, the kitchen should flow easily out to the deck or patio to make carrying food items inside and outside simple and quick.
- When immature trees, bushes and shrubs are planted near the home they should be planted with growth and maturity in mind. Plants should not cover windows or block doors or walkways when they achieve full growth.
- Upkeep is an important part of any landscape design. For low maintenance homeowners, landscapes should be designed with their level of commitment and ability to maintain the landscape in mind or a budget-minded landscape upkeep plan should be part of the landscape design.
MowCow lawn and landscape provides the best lawn care services in Northern Virginia. We offer high-end, professional lawn maintenance and great service with excellent customer care at a fair price. To ensure you maintain your lawn and you do it right away, contact us to get your quote for all lawn aeration services as well as landscaping needs.
