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This article will guide you through the process of starting and maintaining the perfect lawn for your needs.

It all starts with planning your landscape and lawn. This includes creating a map of the space you have available and considering how you will be using it. You should take into account the activities that will be taking place on your lawn and plan accordingly.

We will also show you how movement plays a crucial role in enhancing your lawn and landscape. Tips on how to plan for the movement of light, wind, water, and traffic across your lawn will be provided. Additionally, we’ll show you how lawn accents can add charm and attract visitors to your landscape.

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Choosing the right plants and grasses is as important as any other step in creating your lawn. You should select foliage, ground cover, and other plants that are suitable for your climate and soil conditions. Our recommendations for grass selection will help you select the right grass based on soil moisture, light availability, and expected growth heights. Additionally, we’ll provide tips on how to use ornamental grasses to accentuate your lawn.

Once you have completed your planning and plant selection, you will need to choose a method to start your lawn. We will provide advice on using seed, sod, and plugs, including the benefits and drawbacks of each method.

Finally, we’ll show you how to cultivate and propagate ground cover to complete your lawn.

On the next page, we will discuss how to prepare for lawn design.

For further information on lawn care and related topics, check out these resources:

• Gardening: Incorporating a garden into your home’s landscape
• Types of Lawnmowers: Choosing the right mower for your lawn

Preparing for Lawn Design

A well-designed lawn should seamlessly integrate into your home’s landscape. A careful design can ensure that your lawn perfectly supports the other elements of your home’s surroundings.

While a beautifully designed landscape may be visually appealing, it is not practical if it does not meet the needs of the people who use the property. Before creating a plan for your space, discuss with members of your household the needs and plans for using the landscape.

Using a sketch pad, plot the relationship between
indoor and outdoor space in your landscape design.

Before creating an actual plan, make a list of desired functions. Some functions to consider include sitting/dining areas, clotheslines, barbecues, dog pens, wind protection, vegetable gardens, compost areas, lawn recreation areas, children’s play areas, and firewood storage.

Sketch a simple design that shows the general location of the elements you need in relation to the house and each other. For instance, if you need an outdoor eating area, sketch it near the kitchen, and locate firewood storage near the closest door to the fireplace.

To start planning your yard and garden, use a relationship diagram and consider the amount of maintenance you’re willing to commit to. If your house is visible from a road, create a focal point by framing the view with foundation plantings. These can include small evergreens, flowering shrubs, ornamental trees, ground covers, and herbaceous plants. When choosing trees, think about shade and consider deciduous trees that provide shade in the summer and sunlight in the winter. Remember to hide service areas from public view.

Designate sections of your landscape for outdoor living, such as a service area for tools, a children’s play area, and a private entertaining and eating area. Design the latter as if it were a comfortable room in your house and make sure to accommodate the number of people who will use the space. Use screening materials and trees to provide privacy and shade.

Group related functions together and plot the relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces on a sketch pad. From the list of functional areas you need, designate space for each function in your landscape design picture. To plan for your lawn, make a list of the features you want to incorporate and create a lawn plan that takes all of your needs into account.

If you want to create a beautiful garden, start by drawing a map of your property and deciding where the new beds and plantings will go before you start buying and planting. The map needs to be to scale, which means an exact replica of your property in miniature. Many landscape designers use a scale in which 1/4-inch on the plan equals one foot in your yard. This scale usually provides enough room to show considerable detail but may require the use of oversized paper so everything will fit on one sheet for a complete landscape design picture. After measuring the yard using a measuring tape, sketch the perimeter on graph paper and draw in existing trees, shrubs, fences, and other features you intend to keep, using an overhead view. Then, pencil in possible bed outlines and imagine how they will look. Once you’ve decided on the location of the beds, pencil in the plants you want to add (at the proper spacing) and get an accurate count of how many plants you’ll need before you start shelling out any money. Plan the shape of the lawn, which is usually the biggest feature in a yard, and avoid sharp turns, wiggly edges, and jagged corners, which are irritating to the eye and extra work to mow. Additionally, you can take photos and photocopy them to sketch in prospective new plants and get a landscape design idea of how they will look. Borrow ideas from neighbors’ gardens, and visit public gardens and nurseries with display beds for inspiration. These professionally designed gardens may have the newest plants and creative ideas for combining them. Look for gardens about the same size as your yard so you can apply what you learn directly.

Lawn Traffic Flow Design

The purpose of paths, walks, and driveways is to direct and safely move traffic from place to place. Make entrance walks comfortable enough for at least two people to walk abreast (a minimum of four feet, five is better). Service and rear-entry paths should be three to four feet wide. Garden paths should be designed so visitors feel comfortable on a stroll through the garden. All paths should be flush with the ground for safety. Make sure steps and grade changes are stable, safe, and well-lighted.

In the next section, you’ll learn about the importance of movement in your landscape garden.

For more information on lawn care and related topics, try these:

The Benefits of Having a Garden as Part of Your Home’s Landscape

If you are looking to enhance the look of your home’s landscape, consider adding a garden. There are many benefits to having a garden, such as improving the aesthetic appeal of your home and increasing the value of your property. There are also many types of lawnmowers available, so it’s important to choose the right one for your lawn.

Movement in the Landscape Garden

When designing a landscape garden, it’s important to consider the movement of the sun in relation to the garden’s features. This will help you decide where to place and what types of plants to choose. The sun rises north of the east-west line during the summer, exposing all sides of a house to sunlight. In the winter, the sun rises south of the east-west line, producing longer shadows. Choose plants that are best suited for the natural effects of exposure.

Water gardens and plants that move with the wind can add interest and attract visitors to your garden. Scent is also an important factor to consider when designing your garden. With these tips, you can create a beautiful and inviting landscape garden. For more information on lawn care and related topics, check out our resources.

Gardening Ideas

• Enhance your home’s landscape with a beautiful garden.
• Determine the best lawnmower for your lawn type.

Adding Lawn Accents

Adding lawn accents is an excellent way to spruce up a garden and add a focal point. A birdbath is a great option as it attracts birds to your lawn and adds color and life. You can use a large terra-cotta flowerpot saucer filled with fresh water as a birdbath. Birds enjoy it because it’s like a puddle and not too deep. Place the birdbath on a paved terrace or another visible area to enjoy the splashing and carrying on of birds. Change the water every day to keep it clean and prevent mosquitoes from breeding. You can use the old birdbath water to water your plants.

The next section provides information on choosing lawn grasses and foliage.

Choosing Lawn Grasses and Foliage

Choose plants for your annuals garden that have colorful foliage, fruits, or seedpods. Use the charts provided to help you select grasses, bushes, and foliage that can add to your annuals garden. The first chart indicates appropriate soil moisture levels, the second chart indicates appropriate light levels, and the third chart indicates the expected height of each plant.

The table below shows different types of plants that can be grown as annuals. The table is divided into three columns: “Full Sun”, “Part Shade”, and “Full Shade”. The first row contains the names of the plants, while the following rows show whether each plant can grow in the specified type of light. Some of the plants listed in the table include geraniums, impatiens, ornamental peppers, and snow-in-summer. The table also includes a note at the bottom that “Bulb” plants are marked with an asterisk and have different light requirements. Examples of bulb plants listed in the table include caladium and begonias.

The table shows a list of plants and their characteristics, including height and whether they are vining or annual. The first section lists plants such as Impatiens and Love-in-a-Mist, while the second section lists plants like Coleus and Geraniums. The table also includes a note that some plants are bulbs and a few examples of bulb plants are listed. Some plants are marked with an “x” to indicate their characteristics.

The table lists various ornamental plants such as Impatiens, Job’s Tears, Gourds, Love-in-a-Mist, Moses-in-a-Boat, Ornamental Cabbage, Kale, Ornamental Corn, Ornamental Peppers, Perilla, Polka Dot Plant, Quaking Grass, Snow-in-Summer, Wheat Grass, and Wild Oats. Their cultural recommendations are general and it is important to consider local requirements. The article suggests planting white and green flowers with ornamental grasses and foliage in the annuals garden. The following section discusses the use of ornamental grasses in lawns and how they can add grace and interest to gardens. Ornamental grasses are available in different colors, textures, and sizes and can be used for screening, accent, focal point, or to frame a view. Some ornamental grasses are perennials while others are treated as annuals. Cool-season grasses grow during the cooler parts of the year and some stay green throughout the winter. The article also provides links to related topics such as gardening and lawn care.

Cool-season grasses grow quickly and bloom early in the season, offering a fine display through winter. On the other hand, warm-season grasses remain dormant during winter and grow rapidly in hot, long days. Ornamental grasses can be clump-forming or spreading, and they require little maintenance. However, over-fertilization can result in tall, lush growth that may require staking. Grasses can be used as edging plants, ground covers, screens, or specimen plants. They are also well suited for container growing, but some varieties may be invasive in certain regions. To plant a lawn from seed, refer to the next section.

Planting Lawn Seed

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• Choosing the Best Lawnmower for Your Lawn

When planting a new lawn or renovating an old one, it’s crucial to consider certain factors before scattering grass seed around. Choosing the right type of lawn seed is vital, and proper planting is essential for a healthy lawn. Additionally, keeping pests away from the growing grass is important. Read on for numerous useful tips.

Starting a Lawn from Seed
To begin, decide on the type of grass you want to grow. Most lawn grasses are cool-season varieties that green up early and may go semi-dormant in hot, dry summer weather. Warm-season grasses, such as Zoysia, green up later but thrive in the hottest summer weather.

There are two types of lawn grasses: bunching and creeping. Bunching grasses slowly spread outward from new shoots at the base of the plant, while creeping grasses spread by sending out rhizomes or stolons, which are stems that creep along or just below ground level, forming a new plant at the tip. Both types of grasses form thick mats when well-maintained. Creeping grasses form a better turf for high-traffic areas. You must also consider the climatic zone you live in, as not all varieties will grow under all conditions.

Next, have your soil tested. Inform the soil test lab of the type of grass you plan to grow, and they will recommend necessary soil amendments. If called for by the soil test report, add lime and fertilizer.

Grade the soil, level hills, and add topsoil to low spots. Avoid using subsoil on the top surface; turf grass needs well-drained soil for roots to grow. Construction debris below the surface prevents roots from growing deeply, which can create dead spots in the lawn. Cultivate the soil thoroughly, remove rocks, roots, clods, and debris, and use a garden rake to fine-grade the area. Roll the soil lightly to prevent uneven sinking. If you’re renovating small patches of an old lawn, follow the same steps on a smaller scale.

Once the soil is graded, it’s time to sow seed. Sow cool-season grass in early fall so the grass has four to six weeks to establish before frost. Spread the seed with a hand spreader at the recommended rate found on the package. Use a garden rake to gently work the seed into the top 1/8 inch of soil; seed planted too deeply will not germinate. Roll the area with a lawn roller to ensure good contact between the soil and the seed.

Lightly mulch the seedbed with clean, weed-seed-free straw, leaving half the soil exposed. The straw will shade the soil and seedlings, preventing them from drying out too quickly.

Keep the top layer of soil evenly and constantly moist. Heavy watering with a sprinkler is not useful because seed will easily wash away. Water with a fine spray several times a day until the seedlings become strong enough to withstand regular irrigation.

In the next section, you’ll learn how to use sod to start a lawn.

For more information on lawn care and related topics, try these:

The article includes two sections on lawn care: “How to Install Sod” and “How to Plug a Lawn”. The first section explains how to establish a new lawn quickly by using commercially produced turf called sod. Sod is available in cool-season and warm-season varieties and can be installed by unrolling strips and tucking them into place without stretching or overlapping them. The article also suggests filling in any visible joints with topsoil and watering the lawn regularly until the roots are established. The second section covers how to establish rapidly spreading lawn grasses like Zoysia and Bermudagrass by planting pieces of sod, or plugs, 12 inches apart. The article advises using a board to space the plants and watering them until they become well established. In both sections, the article includes images to illustrate the process.

Gardening Tips

Make Your Garden Beautiful with Ground Covers

If you want to utilize all of your garden space, planting ground covers is a great option. A healthy ground cover should establish a strong root system. Ground-cover plantings should be evenly thick, and you can achieve this by setting plants in place at regular spacing. Follow these tips for easier and trouble-free planting:

• Use landscape fabric instead of plastic to reduce weeds in large plantings. Landscape fabric allows free air and water movement, which is important for the growth of the plants.
• Hold barren soil in place with burlap when planting ground cover on a slope to prevent erosion.
• Set ground cover plugs in place using a wire grid stretched over the bed for fast, easy planting.
• Encourage ground covers to spread by layering stems as they grow.

Once the ground cover establishes a strong root system and is able to secure nearby soil from erosion, you can gradually enlarge the openings and allow it to spread until it fills out the slope. You can also get ground covers for free by asking a neighboring gardener or groundskeeper at the park for some starts.

Some ground covers, such as pachysandra, are easily rooted just by covering barren portions of the stem with soil. However, for harder-to-root ground covers like wintercreeper, you can remove a small piece of bark from the bottom of the stem and treat the opening with rooting hormone before covering the stem with soil.

Choosing the Best Lawnmower for Your Lawn

When it comes to choosing the best lawnmower for your lawn, there are several factors to consider. You must consider the size of your lawn, how often you will mow, and the type of grass you have. The most common types of lawnmowers are push mowers, riding mowers, and zero-turn mowers.

Push mowers are best for small lawns, while riding mowers and zero-turn mowers are better for large lawns. If you have a hilly lawn, a zero-turn mower is a better option because it provides better stability and control. For a lawn with obstacles like flower beds and trees, a riding mower with a smaller turning radius is the way to go.

During autumn leaf drop, it can be challenging to remove leaves from thick ground covers. One solution is to spread netting or old sheets over the cover to catch the falling leaves. This method allows for easy gathering of all the leaves in one move and keeps the ground cover neat. Allowing the leaves to sit and mat on the ground cover bed can create unhealthy conditions.

If broad-leaf evergreens experience winter burn and grow brown and unsightly, there is still hope. The roots are likely still alive and will produce fresh green growth in the spring. To rejuvenate winter-burned ground-cover plantings, mow off the old leaves. This will give the new leaves ample space to grow and keep the bed tidy.

For further information on lawn care and related topics, consider exploring gardening as a way to add to your home’s landscape or discovering which type of lawnmower is best for your lawn.

FAQ

1. What are the basic requirements for growing a healthy lawn?

To grow a healthy lawn, you need to ensure that your soil is well-draining and has the right pH level. Most grasses prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH of around 6.0 to 7.0. Additionally, make sure to choose a grass variety that is suitable for your climate and soil type. Water your lawn deeply and infrequently to encourage deep root growth, and fertilize it regularly with a balanced fertilizer. Finally, mow your lawn to the appropriate height and avoid cutting more than one-third of the grass blade at a time.

2. When is the best time to plant grass seed?

The best time to plant grass seed depends on your climate and the type of grass you are planting. In general, the ideal time to plant grass seed is in the early fall or spring, when temperatures are mild and there is plenty of moisture. This allows the grass to establish a strong root system before the hot summer months or cold winter weather arrive. However, some warm-season grasses, such as Bermuda grass, should be planted in the late spring or early summer.

3. How often should I water my lawn?

The frequency of watering your lawn depends on the type of grass, soil type, temperature, and rainfall. In general, most lawns need about 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week, either from rainfall or irrigation. It’s better to water deeply and infrequently, rather than shallowly and frequently, to encourage deep root growth. Water your lawn early in the morning to minimize water loss due to evaporation, and avoid watering in the late afternoon or evening when the grass is more susceptible to disease.

4. How do I control weeds in my lawn?

The best way to control weeds in your lawn is to maintain a healthy, thick grass cover that will outcompete any weeds. This involves proper watering, fertilization, and mowing practices. Additionally, you can spot-treat weeds with a targeted herbicide, but be careful not to damage your grass in the process. If you have a severe weed problem, consider removing the existing grass and starting over with a new lawn.

5. How do I know when to fertilize my lawn?

You should fertilize your lawn when it’s actively growing and in need of nutrients. This usually occurs in the spring and fall, depending on your climate and grass type. Choose a balanced fertilizer with equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and apply it according to the package instructions. Avoid over-fertilizing, as this can lead to excessive growth and weaken your lawn’s root system.

6. What is the best way to mow my lawn?

The best way to mow your lawn is to keep your mower blade sharp and set to the appropriate height for your grass type. Most grasses should be mowed to a height of 2.5 to 3 inches, but check with your local extension office for specific recommendations. Avoid cutting more than one-third of the grass blade at a time, as this can stress your lawn and lead to brown patches. Additionally, vary your mowing pattern each time you mow to prevent soil compaction and promote even growth.

7. How can I improve the drainage in my lawn?

If your lawn has poor drainage, you can improve it by aerating the soil, adding organic matter such as compost, and creating a slope or installing a drainage system. Aeration involves removing small cores of soil from the lawn to allow air, water, and nutrients to penetrate the soil more easily. Adding organic matter can help improve the soil structure and increase its ability to hold moisture. Finally, creating a slope or installing a drainage system can help divert excess water away from your lawn and prevent waterlogging.