Get matched with top landscapers in Westover, MD

The best way to landscape your front yard on a budget is to invest in hiring a professional for hardscaping—things like upgrading walkways, redoing driveways, and installing partitions around garden beds. You can often do the softscaping yourself—think laying down mulch, caring for your lawn, removing weeds, and planting flowers and shrubs. It’s also almost always worthwhile to pay a professional for routine yard maintenance, as this dramatically improves curb appeal and delivers above 100% ROI in most cases.

Yes, you can put topsoil over sand to encourage grass growth. The topsoil will help to improve water retention and promote grass roots’ development, making it a recommended step of the seeding process. Adding a layer of topsoil will provide additional nutrients to the sandy soil, helping the grass grow and remain healthy through many seasons.

Hedge plants are available in almost every size, from seedlings to fully mature, six-foot-tall shrubs. Planting smaller plants is much easier and more cost-effective. However, it can take years for the plants to reach maturity and create a full hedge. Garden centers and specialty retailers sometimes offer three to four-foot wide plants that you can simply plant next to each other for an instant full hedge.

The best type of rock for landscaping depends on your specific project and needs, as different rocks are suited for different applications. For covering large areas or creating an affordable driveway, consider gravel, but note that it can wash away in flowing water. For water features, river rocks are a good option. Flagstone and cobblestone are ideal for aesthetically pleasing patios and walkways. If you are building a stone wall, fieldstone or small boulders are up to the task. Large boulders and landscape rocks work well as statement pieces, to fill empty space, or to indicate boundaries, but be mindful that they can overwhelm smaller gardens. The best approach is to first define your landscaping project and then select the rock type that best fits that purpose.