This Bob Vila article explains the ins and outs of tree landscaping. They write that carefully positioned trees can save up to 25% of a household’s energy consumption for heating and cooling. The U.S. Department of Energy also reported that the proper placement of just three trees will save an average household between $100 and $250 in energy costs annually! A well-planned landscape can reduce an unshaded home’s summer air-conditioning costs by 15% to 50%.  Trees help during the winter, too, by acting as windbreaks to protect your house from bitter, low-wind chill breezes.

This is also great for the environment.  Bob Vila writes, “Trees and vegetation control erosion, protect water supplies, provide food, create habitat for wildlife, and clean the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen.”

Planting trees is a relatively affordable and easy way to gain long-term protection of your house.  Not only do trees provide privacy, but they can save you some money on your energy bills!

First things first: figure out a design for your lawn and garden. What do you want it to look like? What are your favorite types of flowers and plants? Are you allergic to anything? If you figure out a color scheme, your lawn could look perfectly organized and coordinated.

Danny Lipford has this great list of landscaping tips to prepare your lawn and garden for the spring:

1. Prune your shrubs and remove any deadwood.
2. Inspect your garden for any needed structural repairs and finish any jobs you started last fall.
3. Remove dirt and debris from drainage ditches, gutters and planting beds, clear brush and undergrowth, and cut back dead foliage.
4. Turn your compost pile, or start one up now.
5. Get rid of weeds and protect your garden from pests.
6. Once your soil is dry, add a couple of inches of compost or your favorite organic mix to your planting beds.
7. Even out your mulch with a rake to about 2 to 4 inches.
8. Service your gardening tools, clean out empty flower pots, and prepare other miscellaneous objects sitting in your shed.
9. Clean out and inspect birdhouses and feeders.
10. Get your lawn ready by correcting and reseeding it.
11. Start seeds indoors for later planting in the garden, repot houseplants if needed, and prune any dead foliage or overgrowth.
12. Plan for the coming year by inspecting your garden and seeing what more you can do for it.

With spring comes a sense of change and rebirth – use it to your advantage! Think creatively and colorfully, and educate yourself on aspects of landscaping. Make your lawn and garden into something you can truly be proud of and keep them healthy and growing all season long.

Article originally posted here: http://www.homeremodelingct.org/article_view.php?articleid=12