Which Landscape is Best for You?

Starting a landscape design is both very exciting and very scary at the same time. With a potential 28% increase in property value, it is one of the best home projects to jump on! Getting started might be the hardest part with so many things to decide such as which plants you might want, if you want a lawn, if you want to entertain, what style you want, and soooo many more!

When you’re planning on designing a new yard or redesigning an existing yard, there are many factors to consider and it can get overwhelming fast. Influential factors can be anything from pet ownership, kids playing in the yard, wanting to entertain outside, creating a relaxing place for you to escape to, and how much time you must give to your yard. You want to know that your new yard is going to not only fit your existing lifestyle but the one you might have 5...10...even 15 years down the road.

Moon Valley DESIGN PROCESS

Moon Valley Nurseries knows how time-consuming and stressful the design process can be when you tackle it on your own. We have always tried to help every step of the way from the moment you walk into our nursery to the moment we drive away from your freshly planted new yard! You can find our expert designers available at every nursery location for in-store and at-home consultations. From planning to free planting, we make sure we have everything covered for you!

Tropical

The Tropical landscape style is one of the most popular designs for yard renovations. This design is known for full, tropical plants that can take you away to another world – the more plants you have, the closer to paradise you are! You can fill your yard with palms like Mexican Fan, Piru Queen, and King Palm to add breezy sounds into your yard that will make you think the beach is only blocks away (unless you are one of the lucky few that ARE only blocks away). For some contrast to palms, the Indian Laurel (ficus nitida) tree not only does the job, but it makes for an impressive focal point for your yard as well. If are you also designing around, or near, a pool, it will only add to the tropical feel you create. While you might think a luscious green tropical yard would be a lot of work, palms are very strong and low-maintenance trees.

Mediterranean

While a Mediterranean styled landscape has similarities to a Classic style, such as neat rows and symmetry, that’s where the likeness ends. The biggest difference is that the Mediterranean style creates a vision of an old European countryside in the hills and mountains of Greece or Italy. This style is great for a look that is simultaneously casual and sophisticated. To create some focal points in your yard, we recommend Italian Cypress and Fruitless Olive trees. The latter also make amazing shade trees when spread throughout your yard or around borders. Roses and Azaleas will add a lot of color to your yard and help break up the texture. We recommend planting these to create accent colors all over your yard.

Classic

The traditional look of the Classic style is the most common type of design used nowadays. As mentioned above, it shares some similar features to a Mediterranean yard such as creating mirrored symmetry and having tons of green foliage spread out throughout the yard. However, a yard with a classic style will have a more formal look than the others mentioned here. Trees we recommend to create a lush, green look are the Majestic Ash, Tipu, and Live Oak. These trees can also be planted so that they are focal points for the yard itself. This type of look is usually filled with plants to emphasize the greenery, but a splash of color never hurts! Tecoma shrubs will add a bit of color and be used as a small shrub or large hedge, depending on the variety.

Modern

This style of landscape design has a history that goes back to the 1960’s, when the focus was more on linear design, clean cuts, and an overall organized aesthetic in the design. A great option for a focal point and if you’re looking for more shade in your outdoor space is the Japanese Privet tree, which offers a wide-spread canopy. The modern design is at its best when it can be aesthetically pleasing AND functional at the same time and our Indian Laurel Columns (ficus nitida), THE Hollywood Hedges, check both of those boxes with their ability to grow into a large living privacy wall that can create walls in your yard or borders for your property. For a bit of color, add some roses in symmetrical areas, such as walkways or sitting areas.

Moon Valley Nurseries is your one stop shop for all your landscape needs. Our experts have decades worth of experience and they will be able to assist you with any projects or questions you may have. Remember to change your watering schedule as we enter the winter and be sure to come by your nearest Moon Valley Nurseries locations and check out these trees! It’s not too late to take advantage of our #FreeFallPlanting.