Is a New Landscape Design on Your List This Year? Consider These 4 Landscaping Ideas in the Overland Park, KS, Area

When considering a new landscape design in the Overland Park, KS, area, there are a variety of landscaping ideas that can inspire you, as you look into both beautifying your outdoor spaces and making them more functional. With the right combination of greenery and style, your landscape can serve a wide purpose and also be a showstopper.

A Rain Gardens

A variety of shrubs and flowers specifically planted to collect stormwater runoff is considered a rain garden. The runoff may pick up soil along its way to this garden, as well as sediments and chemicals. By acting as a filter in this way, a rain garden can effectively create clean water to support the landscaping. In addition to filtering rainwater runoff, rain gardens can provide localized flood control, attract native birds and insects, and are easy to maintain.

So what makes an area ideal for a rain garden? There are some important considerations to ensure a rain garden will be effective and will not negatively impact surrounding features. Rain gardens should generally be fed by a downspout, not be located near any utilities, and be placed at least 10 feet from buildings with basements. Additionally, trees should not be included in a rain garden as they tend to absorb more water than other plants. Consult with your landscape contractor on the best location for plants to include in your rain garden.

An Edible Garden

For a landscape that is especially delightful, you could try an edible garden. This area of your landscape could be designated for a variety of herbs, vegetables, and fruit-bearing plants that can spice up the look of your outdoor spaces and what you cook up in your outdoor kitchen.

When creating an edible garden, there are many delicious plants that can replace traditional landscape greenery. Blueberry bushes or large herb plants can replace short-lived flowering bushes. Fruits and vegetables that grow on vines can be paired with fences to create more defined areas while rainbow chard, pepper plants, and salad greens are great ways to add a pop of color to a space.

Sustainable Landscaping

Sustainable landscaping is a step toward lowering your carbon footprint and making your home more eco-conscious, while still maintaining a beautiful yard. Using native plants is a great way to build a beautiful and sustainable landscape. Native plants have evolved to thrive with minimal human interference. They create long-lasting root systems, tend to be resistant to local pests and weather, and also tend to better support the local insect population. A landscape’s focus on native plants tends to be considered more energy efficient, as less water and treatments are necessary to make such plantings thrive. Using deciduous trees to block sun and large evergreens to break up wind gusts takes advantage of the natural benefits of beautiful local foliage.

Defining Your Outdoor Spaces

In addition to the use of retaining walls to establish different activity areas in your landscape, introducing more natural elements can create a similar effect. By strategically placing trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses, and flowers, your paths and privacy will reflect a natural appearance. Trees provide shade and noise abatement, shrubs and perennials are lovely borders for paths that give an extra pop of color, and ornamental grasses would add texture to your landscape that could be especially beautiful in the fall.