Florida landscapes change considerably over time. Plants that looked great when they were first installed can become overcrowded, palms and trees mature, irrigation needs change, and some plants simply struggle in their original locations.

A few signs that it may be time to renovate your landscaping include:

• Plants constantly needing to be trimmed to stay within their space
• Large gaps or areas where plants repeatedly struggle
• Landscaping blocking windows, walkways, or other features
• Irrigation that no longer provides proper coverage
• Old landscape beds that have lost their original shape and design
• Drainage or grading problems causing standing water
• A landscape that simply looks dated compared with the home

A landscape renovation doesn’t necessarily mean removing everything and starting over.

Often, some of the existing palms, trees, and plants are worth keeping. A good renovation can work around those established elements while removing problem areas, improving the layout, adding new plant material, and updating features such as sod, irrigation, mulch, rock, lighting, or hardscapes.

One of the biggest mistakes we see is choosing plants based only on how they look when they’re installed. It’s important to consider their mature size, sunlight requirements, irrigation needs, and how much maintenance they’ll require several years from now.

The goal isn’t simply to make the property look better on installation day. It’s to create a landscape that will continue to look good and be manageable as it matures.

We’ll be sharing more landscaping tips and examples from projects we’re working on throughout Southwest Florida.

— Lawnzcapes