When it comes to improving our homes it’s normal for us first to prioritise what needs doing indoors.
Decorating and renovating. Knocking out walls to create an open plan area. Transforming lofts into an extra bedroom or study. Or extending our living areas to increase square footage and accommodate a growing family or different usage needs.
It’s not until we’ve made these improvements that we look outside and suddenly realise our gardens don’t quite match up to what we’ve done indoors.
So why not include from the start, a plan to transform your garden into a space that complements your homes interiors.
Six benefits of landscaping your garden
Landscaping is so much more than just adding a few plants to a garden. It’s a considered approach to how you want to use your space so that it enhances your life.
It involves the hard landscaping aspects of dividing and shaping areas of your garden. This might be into a pergola covered patio area for seating or eating, decking for lounging or a dedicated kid’s zone complete with tree house and play area.
As well as the softer landscaping which brings the texture, colour and scents of the plants, shrubs, and trees that you then add.
Not only does this create a cohesive and beautiful green space that is the envy of your neighbours, but it also brings benefits in many other ways.
1. Creates appealing garden views
A landscaped garden provides an eye-catching view that persuades people to venture outdoors.
You’ll find that rather than sip a quick coffee at the kitchen island, the garden will beckon you outside in the mornings to sit emerged in the scents and sounds of nature. A much better way to start the day.
When guests are invited over, your garden will naturally draw everyone outside and to those areas specially created for eating, drinking and entertaining.
When the weather is cooler or wetter, you can still enjoy the view from indoors. Particularly so if your new extension or improvements include the trend towards using large glass panels or doors to make the most of glorious garden vistas.
2. Boosts personal health
If you’re a keen gardener, then spending time tending your garden is a very pleasant way of keeping active and burning calories doing something you enjoy.
But it’s not just helping your fitness levels. Landscaped gardens have several positive impacts on our physical health.
- Improved air quality – the air we breathe is improved as plants surrounding our homes help to reduce carbon dioxide, eliminate dust, smoke, and pollutants.
- Lower stress and blood pressure – studies have shown the power of nature in helping reduce the levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is linked to issues with learning, memory, weight gain and heart disease. Whether it’s gazing upon a landscaped green space through a window or being submerged in the garden – all have been shown to be beneficial in lowering stress.
- Boosted immune system – being outdoors your body naturally creates vitamin D from sunlight which is good for your immune system. But did you know that many plants put substances, including organic compounds called phytoncides, into the air that seem to also provide an additional boost. This all helps your body naturally fight off things like seasonal colds and flu.
3. Enhances mental wellbeing
As well as better physical health, gardens and green spaces are just as beneficial for good mental health.
We all know that feeling of ‘unwinding’ when you find respite from the hustle and bustle of urban environments as you immerse yourself in a green space. This could be a walk in the countryside, a trip to the beach or a picnic in a local park.
Having this green space just outside your back door is equally beneficial in providing a place of calm and solitude for those times when you need to switch off and reset.
So, what does being outside and in a green space do to help our mental health?
- Sunlight helps keep serotonin levels up, which in turn raises energy levels and reduces anxiety by keeping our mood calm, positive and focused.
- Being in a natural ‘green environment’ has been shown to help us focus better on tasks and improve our short-term memory.
- Problem solving is easier when you get ‘out for some air’. The outside world helps to engage our thoughts in a quieter way and allows our attention to refocus and think of creative new solutions.
4. Helps the environment
Landscaping is as important to helping protect the environment as it is to our health.
- A well landscaped garden can create a unique biodiverse environment that supports native flora and fauna and attracts those beneficial bugs essential to helping our ecosystems thrive and survive.
- Planting new trees as part of your landscaping project can help with the absorption of carbon and purify the air. Did you know, a ten-year-old tree can absorb 48lbs of carbon every year!
- Clever use of planting can also reduce the need for energy intensive items in the home such as air conditioning units. Instead, a thoughtfully placed tree or shrub can help provide shade in the home producing a naturally cooling effect.
5. Adds kerb appeal and value to your home
When it comes to selling, your landscaped garden could give you the edge in commanding a higher price. As well as being the deciding factor between choosing your house over another.
A well-maintained garden has been shown to attract more buyers, particularly those who are looking for the complete package of a home they can move into and start enjoying straight away.
This is where it’s just as important to make sure your front garden is equally impressive as what’s hidden from view round the back. The first impression of your home is usually formed from the front – so you need to make sure it’s a good one.
Once you’ve grabbed potential buyers interest the good news doesn’t stop there. Studies have found that a landscaped garden can increase the amount people are willing to pay for your home by as much as 20%!
6. Eliminates the hassle of extending
Another advantage of a landscaped garden is that it could offers an attractive alternative to the upheaval and costs of extending or renovating your house. If you need more room, and have the available space, then adding a garden room into your landscape design is a viable solution.
Whether you need office space, a craft room, or a play den for the kids, a garden room allows you the freedom to create a bespoke space entirely designed to your needs. And what’s more, the views are pretty special too!
Need some garden landscaping ideas?
If you’re ready to take the plunge and want to turn your garden into something very special, why not give us a call. We provide a first class garden landscaping service to homes and businesses in the Thames Valley area.
We’d love to have a chat to find out how we can help transform your outdoor space and provide ideas to release your garden’s potential.
Feel free to drop us a line ask@tvlandscapes.co.uk or call 01628 629720.
