If you are interested in updating the way your home looks, a great place to begin is in your yard. You can improve your home's curb appeal by fixing up the yard, and it can make your pleasure in the property increase. Your options are to use grass to produce a classic look, or to use gravel to accomplish a modern look. You need to consider what type of outdoor living space you want and which is more practical for your individual lifestyle.
A big part of this question will depend on your region's climate. If you reside in a dry area of the country, you will have to invest in an irrigation system to keep a lawn alive. You can taper this use of resources by planting the suitable type of grass for your region of the country. Also, if you live in an area that has recurring tornadoes or other wind storms, blowing gravel can cause damage to your home or other property so it is a bad idea in these regions.
Your Yard Can Look Awesome
No matter what material you select, your yard is going to want your attention. Do not pick gravel because you think it requires no work. That simply is not so. Course gravel will last a little longer, as smaller gravels tend to get moved and lost easily. You will have to put additional gravel in place from time to time. There is also the work of picking up gravel from places it ends up where you do not want it to be.
Another aspect to maintaining gravel that many people have misunderstandings of is that weeds are easier to do with in gravel. The disadvantage with gravel is that you can not just run the lawn mower over it. Rather, the weed will have to be removed by hand or doused with a chemical weed killer. If you place your gravel on top of a weed cloth, this will greatly reduce the amount of weeds that you end up with. Choose a cloth rather than plastic, because plastic causes water to puddle. If a weed does appear, you will want to continue to treat that area with a weed killer so that you do not end up with more than one weed coming up in that spot.
Your Yard Usage Makes a Difference
Think about how you intend to use your yard. Do you have pets that require grass, or children that might get hurt if they take a tumble on gravel? It is tough to play sports on gravel as well. If you have a patch where people tend to walk, however, gravel is great at handling high traffic. You will not have to worry about your gravel getting muddy when wet or dusty when dry, and it can also be used to make extra parking if you need that as well.
Whichever you choose to use, it is going to make a big difference to the overall appearance of your home, so decide carefully. How will your choice complement the overall style of your home? How will it look in the style of your neighborhood? Laying down either gravel or turf is a big job, so be sure of what you are doing, and don't wait until it is too late to change your mind.
Gravel Vs. Grass
Previous post: Give Your Lawn The Correct Amount Of Watering
Next post: Practicing Good Lawn Care Education
