8 Curb Appeal Landscaping Ideas to Maximize Your Home's Value  Better Homes & Gardens

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8 Curb Appeal Landscaping Ideas to Maximize Your Home's Value - Better Homes & Gardens

10 Flowering Trees and Shrubs to Make a Statement in Your Yard This Spring  Better Homes & Gardens

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10 Flowering Trees and Shrubs to Make a Statement in Your Yard This Spring - Better Homes & Gardens

Homeowner horrified by gardener's reckless landscaping method: 'Rip [it] out of there'  The Cool Down

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Homeowner horrified by gardener's reckless landscaping method: 'Rip [it] out of there' - The Cool Down

Front yard landscaping with rocks and mulch: 8 expert ideas  Homes & Gardens

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Front yard landscaping with rocks and mulch: 8 expert ideas - Homes & Gardens

Homeowner met with warnings after sharing landscaping dilemma: 'You'll regret it for years to come'  The Cool Down

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Homeowner met with warnings after sharing landscaping dilemma: 'You'll regret it for years to come' - The Cool Down

Can You Get Rid of Your Front Lawn Without Offending the Neighbors?  The New York Times

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Can You Get Rid of Your Front Lawn Without Offending the Neighbors? - The New York Times

These Evergreen Shrubs Add Year-Round Beauty to Your Yard  Country Living

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These Evergreen Shrubs Add Year-Round Beauty to Your Yard - Country Living

Just as your yard has four seasons of growth and rest, it has four seasons of landscape maintenance. Of course, what's needed depends on the time of year and the type of tree or plant you're looking to take care of. These landscape maintenance checklists make the work easy to tackle, no matter what you have in your garden.

While following our guide to seasonal landscape maintenance is essential to keep your garden in tip-top shape according to its own natural course, having basic care year-round will help to make things easier for when each of these seasons comes around. Something as simple as watering when necessary, pruning, or shaping shrubs or trees, layering pea pebbles for a quick edge redo, cleaning up debris or branches, and perhaps more importantly, taking care of pests, insects, and plant or flower diseases as they come instead of just waiting for the right season to do a proper clean-up or weed-out.

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The Ultimate Guide to Seasonal Landscape Maintenance - Better Homes & Gardens

For years, many homeowners have thought of clover as a

Allison Messner, founder of online landscape design platform Yardzen, says there are plenty of reasons to consider clover as a lawn alternative. "Clover lawns require less upkeep in the way of water and mowing, don't require fertilizer, and they offer significantly more habitat value. Their seasonal blooms attract important pollinators like bees and butterflies," Messner tells House Beautiful.

But does that mean you should rip out your traditional lawn right now? There's plenty to consider first before converting to a clover lawn. Here's what you need to know:

A clover lawn uses clover or a hybrid of clover and grass instead of traditional grasses alone. "The process for seeding is very similar to that of grass seed. With lower maintenance costs, it's more economical than planting and maintaining grass turf," says Messner. Some owners also like the fact that clover can be mowed less frequently than traditional turf.

Grass has gotten a bad rap in recent years. "Grass lawns are typically the most maintenance-intensive part of a yard's landscape, requiring regular mowing, fertilization, and heavy irrigation to look good," says Yardzen's expert. "Add to that the fuel consumption and exhaust mowers produce, water pollution from fertilizer and pesticides, lack of habitat value, and major water consumption, and you've got a feature that's ripe for change."

Generally, clover is drought tolerant, so it typically stays green during dry spells with little to no irrigation (though it may die back in hotter climates during drought).

As legumes, clover is a "nitrogen-fixer." This means clover plants have a symbiotic relationship with soil-dwelling bacteria. The bacteria take nitrogen from the air in the soil and feed it to the clover, keeping it green. In exchange, the plant provides carbohydrates to the bacteria. "If you want to keep an area of green lawn, but want to lessen your environmental impact, clover is a beautiful alternative to traditional turf lawns," Messner notes.

Clover lawns also attract and support pollinators. Although, you'll need to limit mowing, which will remove the flowers that attract these beneficial insects.

In many situations, clover is not as durable as traditional grass lawns. "Tough, low groundcovers like clover make for attractive substitutes to decorative lawns, but nothing can quite take foot traffic like a lawn," explains Messner. If you have kids or pets, clover won't stand up to intense traffic like a traditional lawn.

Because clover doesn't form a dense canopy, you also may be able to see the soil in places, especially in winter when it dies back. And because it does attract pollinators, that can be an issue for people and pets playing on the lawn. For example, if a family member has a bee sting allergy, then it's probably not a great idea to plant a clover lawn.

Finally, if weeds creep into your clover lawn (we're looking at you, dandelions!), there is no selective product you can use that won't kill the clover, too.

Many experts recommend using a combination of clover and grasses. That's because clover goes dormant in the winter, so planting 100 percent clover may result in soil being exposed. Exposed soil can become a great place for weed seeds to germinate as well as lead to potential soil erosion. Microclover, which has smaller leaves, fewer flowers, and a lower growth habit compared to white clover, can be a good choice.

But to find the right seed combination for your lawn area, Messner says, "It's best to check with your local nursery or garden supplier on the variety that will thrive in your local climate and geography." Or check with your local university coop extension service for more guidance (find yours here).

When planting seed, rake up debris such as branches and leaves first. The seeds need to make good contact with the soil in order to germinate. Sprinkle seeds by hand or use a broadcast spreader to distribute them evenly across your lawn. Apply a light layer of topsoil over the seeds (but don't overdo it, or the seeds will not get enough oxygen to grow).

Lastly, like any plant, clover and clover mixture lawns will need sufficient irrigation (if you're not receiving sufficient rain) as you're trying to get it established.

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How to Plant a Clover Lawn, According to Landscape Experts - House Beautiful

Succulents are gorgeous, versatile plants that are easy to care for. Though succulents can generally be planted in most climates, they are best suited to regions in USDA zones 9 and 10 and make a fantastic replacement for grass yards in very hot, dry areas. And, of course, adding succulents to your landscape adds a unique degree of dimension and texture amidst your perennials and annuals. Whether you have a big yard or a small balcony or porch, there are plenty of ideas for creating and growing a beautiful succulent garden around your home.

"Succulents come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, offering endless possibilities for creative garden designs," says Amy Hovis, principal and owner of Eden Garden Design. "Whether used as focal points, ground cover, or accents in containers, succulents can be incorporated into virtually any garden style or theme."

Ahead, our experts share their favorite succulent garden ideas to incorporate into your own landscape design.

Greg Thomas / Landscape Design by Amy Hovis, Eden Garden Design

Designing a landscape with succulents is an easy way to create a beautiful space with minimal upkeep, such as with this modern garden, which includes a Buddha statue and a water feature. "Succulents effortlessly elevate any space with their chic shapes, textures, and hues," says Hovis. "They add an element of sophistication, layering a sleek contemporary feel to any landscape or garden project."

Greg Thomas / Landscape Design by Amy Hovis, Eden Garden Design

Landscaping with succulents offers a way to have a beautiful front yard without the hassle of continuous upkeep and constant watering. "A low-maintenance idea to provide more curb appeal is to build a rock border just off the curb and then plant drought-tolerant and sculptural plants, as well as cacti and succulent gardens for sunny areas instead of grass," says Hovis. "Succulents are generally easy to care for, requiring little attention once established."

Noelle Johnson

Have a bright-colored ceramic container that you want to show off? Plant flowering succulents with contrasting hues for a statement garden piece. "A blue planter adds welcome color when filled with the orange stems of Sticks on Fire euphorbia, and the arching stems of elephant's food (Portulacaria afra)," says Noelle Johnson, AZ Plant Lady, horticulturist, landscape consultant, and author of Dry Climate Gardening.

Noelle Johnson

If you have an unused garden fountain, consider repurposing it into a beautiful succulent planter, like Johnson did here. "An old, unused fountain is repurposed for use as a planter with golden-toothed aloe (Aloe nobilis), and ghost echeveria (Echeveria lilacina)," she says.

Greg Thomas | Landscape Design by Amy Hovis, Eden Garden Design

Adaptable and versatile, succulents are an easy addition to an existing garden or patio space. "For this project, we tucked in succulents directly into the landscape," says Hovis. The design was based on her stylish clients in their modern home. "The succulents add a sculptural element to the more wild and billowy perennials," she says.

Noelle Johnson

Made from stainless steel, galvanized planters are durable and designed to withstand various outdoor weather conditions. Planting succulents in a galvanized planter takes advantage of the width and depth they offer while giving them height to create visual layers. "Succulents, such as Blue Elf aloe, Blue Glow agave, Sticks of Fire euphorbia, dwarf elephants food, andSummer Snow prickly pear make an excellent alternative to thirsty annuals in a metal galvanized container," says Johnson.

Noelle Johnson

It's easy to add even more dimension, interest, and character to your succulent garden with fun garden ornaments, like this pigeon."Hens and chicks, along with sedums, make a textural base for a decorative stone pigeon," says Johnson.

wulingyun / Getty Images

Liven up a wooden fence with a rectangular planter box that will create more dimension in your back, front, or side yard. By planting different shapes and sized succulents with cascading foliage, you'll have a vibrant mini garden. Adding colorful kalanchoes will brighten any succulent arrangement.

Courtesy Dummen Orange

If you love vintage bins and boxes, use one to plant your favorite types of succulents. Mix and match different-shaped plants and unique foliage, like the string of pearls above, to create a one-of-a-kind garden piece.

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9 Succulent Garden Ideas That Will Add Sculptural Dimension to Your Landscape - Martha Stewart