10 Landscaping Mistakes That Can Make Your House Look Cheap, According to Designers
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Like your home, your garden is a reflection of your personal aesthetic. But sometimes outdoor spaces can start to look a little less than stellar. Besides detracting from your home’s value, landscaping ideas that look cheap aren’t inviting. “Your home is supposed to make you feel good,” says landscape designer Kat Aul Cervoni, founder of Staghorn NYC and The Cultivation by Kat in New York and Connecticut. “You should want to spend time in your garden and outdoor spaces.”
Over time, every landscape—no matter how carefully planned—needs a reset. Plants mature and some die. Our needs change. Our tastes change. “Once a season, step back from a broad vantage point and take a hard look at your landscape,” says Cervoni. “Ask yourself: Are there any maintenance issues? Does anything look like it’s dying? Does your garden feel cluttered and overgrown?”
It's not only about appearances. Outdoor spaces help us feel safe from the chaos of the world in general. “The past few years have shown many people the value of having green space around our homes,” says landscape designer Jodie Cook, ASLA, owner of Jodie Cook Landscape Design in Orange County, California. “People want to experience something that feels like ‘real nature’ in their own back yards.”
If you’re not sure how to evaluate your space, a landscape designer can help you take a fresh look at your garden. “Life is fast-paced, and we all need an inviting and relaxing place to unwind,” says landscape designer Kristian Thiem, owner of Tidal Creek Designs in Charleston. “A designer can talk to you about what you like and don’t like to create an outdoor environment that not only improves your home, but also enhances your quality of life and expands your living space.”
From hardscape that hasn’t aged well to structures and shrubs out of scale to the design, read on to learn what landscape designers say makes your landscape look cheap—and learn what you can do about it.
Overly Pruned Shrubs
Topiaries in pots flanking the front door are fine, but shrubs pruned into unnatural hot dog and gumdrop shapes—not so much. “Pruning shrubs into these weird shapes doesn’t look appealing,” says Cook. “Instead, choose plants that will mature into the size and shape you want for the space, so you don’t have to hack them into unnatural shapes if they start to encroach. This also reduces maintenance in the long run.”
Undefined Landscape Beds
“Garden beds that are not edged or that have edging that’s askew or not installed properly screams 'cheap,'” says Cervoni. Instead, opt for metal edging, which lasts for years and looks tidy, or spade edging, which allows you to change landscape beds' sizes and shapes as the plants mature.
Hardscape That Hasn’t Aged Well
Some types of pavers lose their pigments over time, especially those that are brown or red. “If the color doesn’t go all the way through the pavers, the surface fades to an ugly pink or salmon color,” says Cook. Instead, opt for pavers that have yellow or gray undertones, which tend to age better than other pigments.
Out-of-Control Plantings
"Trees and shrubs planted too close to the house look awful,” says Thiem. “Unfortunately, builders do it all the time, and then you have leggy, overgrown foundation plantings blocking windows and light.” Make sure your plants are manicured, or if they’ve have gotten too huge, replace with a more appropriately sized dwarf or compact variety.
An Abundance of Garden Décor
A cool orb, a stone pagoda, a unique wind catcher? These items of garden décor are fine, but not all together in a big, messy hodge podge. “Make sure you choose one special piece to display, instead of an assortment of items, which tends to look too busy,” says Cervoni.
Garden Elements That Are Not to Scale
Scale refers to the size of landscape elements in relation to their surroundings. “Scale is different outdoors, and items tend to disappear if you don’t size up and overscale them in the garden,” says Cook. This concept applies to all aspects of the garden, including plants that are too small or too big, planters that are not the right proportions, paths that are too narrow, and structures that are too short or unexceptional.
Dead Limbs, Trees or Shrubs
It should go without saying, but any tree or shrub that’s not healthy and thriving should be removed immediately, says Cervoni. Beyond aesthetics, it’s about safety. If you can’t bear to part with a tree because you have a sentimental attachment to it, consult a certified arborist to see if it can be shored up or pruned to restore its health and vigor.
Poor Lighting Design
Lighting looks most tasteful when it’s neatly spaced and understated, and not so bright that it annoys your neighbors. There’s also no longer a trend for putting your house on display by spotlighting it. Instead, consider accent lighting a single focal point, such as a magnolia tree, says Thiem. Or add professionally installed low-voltage lighting in landscape beds, walkways, or on deck posts.
Too Many Colors
Avoid unnatural-looking mulch colors, such as hardwood that’s been dyed jet black or rusty red, which are not shades seen in nature. Ditto for too many flowers in a rainbow of colors. “It tends to have an ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ kind of look, instead of presenting a cohesive design,” says Cervoni.
Artificial Turf
It may not be cheap, but it looks cheap! While artificial turf first became popular in some areas of the country about 20 years ago, interest has ramped up in the last decade. But just say no, because it's ugly and not a sustainable material. “It’s plastic, it leaches chemicals into the ground water, it gets too hot and creates urban heat islands, and it retains odors if you have dogs,” says Cook.
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