The Time Is Now: Make Gardening and Landscaping Your Hobby This COVID-19

What has been an activity that you have tried during your time in quarantine? Many people have begun or rekindled their hobbies during this time. It includes landscaping and gardening. The hype of making landscaping and gardening their new COVID-19 hobby is intense.

Those who have spent some time with landscaping and gardening have seen benefits. Instead of staying idle, doing garden or landscape work helped them be active. It also helped them improve their property look and value. Others have seen health benefits, especially for their mental health.

The Difference Between Gardening and Landscaping Services

One misconception people have about gardening and landscaping is that it’s the same. Both activities aim to maintain and cultivate pleasing outdoor spaces. You also encounter plants in both gardening and landscaping. You also consider planning and maintenance in both fields. In so many ways, many people pursue these as either a profession or a hobby. But there is still a difference between landscaping and gardening.

Landscaping moves around the activity of planning and creating outdoor places. They incorporate different styles and textures and bring it all together. You can use living elements like trees, shrubs, lawns, flowers, fruits, and vegetables. You also add hardscaping through rocks, fences, pathways, and water features like fountains.

Gardening is more about getting down and dirty. You are more involved in the care of the plants themselves. You start with planting, weeding, cultivating, replacing, then harvesting the plants. While landscaping can be a time-based project, gardening is an ongoing process. Your success in gardening comes from your continuous care and nurture of your plants. Horticulture is a mix of both disciplines.

Landscaping Ideas To Get You Started

It might seem scary at first to try landscaping yourself. It is a natural response when you are about to try something new. But to get somewhere, you have to make the first step. You can start landscaping as a hobby. Who knows if, along the way, you discover that you have a real passion for landscaping?

Consider this: will you stay on your property, or do you plan to sell it afterward? It is an important initial decision. It can affect the direction of your landscaping as a whole. If you stay on your property, you can landscape based on your tastes and needs. With those who will sell later, you will need to cater to the ideas of the public or potential home buyers. It might need more special curb appeal features to up your property.

Ideas For Landscaping Basics

As a beginner landscaper, you will need to start with the basics first. With more time you have in your house due to the pandemic, you can help ease any project you start. Here are five ways you can begin landscaping as your new COVID-19 hobby.

1. More questions to ask yourself – Planning with care will always make the difference. It would be best if you determined your needs, wants, and conditions. Do you have kids, and do you want them to enjoy this space too? Will you be landscaping in a shady or sunny area? What types of activities would you have in this space? Will you be able to give the same kind of attention to your landscaping even after the pandemic is over? You can start a simple sketch of your landscaping vision. You can gather ideas based on your conditions and preferences.
2. Small and steady does it – You might have seen a lot of shows that do landscaping makeovers. You can draw inspiration from these, but you should remember that you are still a beginner. Starting small is okay for you. You can start with simple landscape gardening like a little flower bed or a vegetable bed. You can also look for online classes or courses that focus on growing and landscaping. You can also observe other people’s landscaping for more ideas. There are also trends that you can consider, especially if you want an up to date landscaping.
3. Know Your Focal Point – Focal points would tie your landscaping together. Look around your garden and see what’s already there. Your focal point can be a fountain, sculpture, tree, or some shrubs. It can also guide where you will put plants that you want for your landscaping.
4. Invest In Quality Materials – It also helps to know your budget for your hobby. Make a plan and have a budget you can stick to. You will need to buy tools, plants, and other materials. Be willing to spend more on where you need it. Cheap tools or plants can lead you to spend more unnecessary cash. Tools you will need are spades, hand trowel, digging fork, hoe, pruners, shovel, and garden rake. You can also invest in loppers, Hori Hori knife, and a wheelbarrow.
5. Remember, change is inevitable – A lot of things can change even in your landscaping and gardening. There are different seasons, and the weather is unpredictable. Some trends change and dictate what’s in or out (if it matters to you). Your tastes and wants can also change. Be ready to embrace change and work your way through these changes.

Types of Landscaping To Try

There are many landscaping and gardening styles that are available to act as your guide. Your gardening interests can help you decide on a method that works within your space and budget. Here are styles according to HomeAdvisor that you can start on.

• English Garden Style
• Oriental Landscape
• Woodland Landscape
• Formal Landscape
• Informal Landscape
• Xeriscape Garden
• Organic Garden

Starting a new hobby is always a good idea. Hobbies like gardening and landscaping have become more prevalent during this COVID-19 time. It’s a great way to channel your time and skills while staying at home. Consulting with experts about landscaping and gardening can also help you get started. At Big Easy Landscaping, we have professionals that built their expertise for years. Our experience in working with locals helped us know what works here in New Orleans.