Landscaping Planning

Prepare for your next landscaping project by discovering our planning ideas & tips.

S22 E16: Jenn Nawada helps renovate and firescape a front yard
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How to Firescape a Yard to Protect Your Property and Community

Learn how to firescape your yard with our guide and expert insights from TOH's Jenn Nawada to help protect your family and community.
S21 E16, Jenn Nawada learns about landscaping on wetlands
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What You Need to Know About Wetlands to Master the Habitat

Learn more about wetlands from This Old House expert Jenn Nawada and our detailed guide so you're ready for this habitat.
Rock garden created using a variety of landscaping rocks and plants.

Types of Landscaping Rocks and How to Use Them

With so many choices, selecting the right landscape rocks for your home can be difficult. We walk you though the options in this guide.
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Best Landscape Fabrics (2024 Guide)

The best landscape fabrics in 2024 are the ECOgardener Weed Barrier, Dewitt Landscape Fabric, and Mutual Industries Geotextile Fabric.
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All About Holly Bushes

Landscape contractor Jenn Nawada explains how to identify and care for holly plants and incorporate them into a landscape.
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Budget-Friendly Landscaping Projects

Does your yard need some attention? Here are some budget-friendly landscaping projects to improve your outdoor space.
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How To Create a Vertical Garden for Small Spaces

Watch as Ask This Old House landscape designer Jenn Nawada installs a vertical garden to maximize space for a homeowner.
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How To Create a Desert Landscape

Ask This Old House landscape designer Jenn Nawada heads to Phoenix to recreate the desert in a homeowner’s front yard.
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How to Create a Drainage Swale

The plant-populated channels can redirect storm water to specific locations
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Small Evergreens, Big Impact

Combine dwarf conifers in pots for a fresh look—and year-round color
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Ask Roger: Using Landscape Edging

Learn about landscape edging with expert tips from This Old House landscape contractor, Roger Cook, and discover how to enhance your outdoor space.
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All About Garden Fountains

Adding the pleasing sights and sounds of flowing water to your backyard can transform it into a relaxing retreat
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CHECKLIST | Get Your House Ready for Spring

Add these tasks to your fix-it list to smoothly transition your home from winter to spring and keep everything running in top shape for the warmer months.
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All About Shade Trees: A Comprehensive Guide

Planting a shade tree can boost property values, lower energy costs, and leave a lasting legacy on your property.
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How to Choose and Use Shovels and Other Digging Tools

Hole-digging advice with This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook
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All About Groundcover

Whether you’re looking for the best low maintenance or fastest growing groundcover for your lawn, these plants offer solutions to barren spots and spaces.
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11 Ways to Save Water, Time, and Money on Your Landscape

If you're not irrigating your lawn, flower beds, and container plants using the most targeted, time-efficient methods possible, you're wasting water—and money
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Everything You Need to Know about Landscape Lighting

Our experts share how to light the outside of your house, from selecting the best outdoor lights to proper installation and maintenance.
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Fall Landscaping Checklist for DIYers

Fall is the ideal time to prep your yard and garden for spring. Follow our DIY fall landscaping checklist with expert tips from Roger Cook.
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Carts and Wheelbarrows

From trash to topsoil, everything travels more quickly when you stick a wheel underneath it
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Which Grass Is Best for Your Area?

Our guide will help you choose the best grass type for your lawn based on your local climate and soil conditions.
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The Ultimate Guide To Creating and Maintaining a Perfect Lawn

In this guide, we provide expert tips on the fundamentals of growing a lawn: how to plant grass, when to mow, how much to water it, and more.
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Working with a Tree Removal Pro

Dead and diseased trees are not only a hazard that could crash through your roof—they also steal water and light from the rest of your yard
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Yards Without Grass: Design Ideas for Your Landscape

Transform your yard into a beautiful, eco-friendly space and give yourself a break from high-maintenance lawns with lawn-less solutions.
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Don't Just Jump into a Water Feature

Fountains, ponds, even faux streams are great additions. Just consider resource maintenance before you build.
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Drought-Resistant Ornamental Grasses

These ornamental grasses aren't only easy on the eyes, they're easy on the water bill, too
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Mulch Materials

This gardening essential not only neatens up your yard, it also helps conserve water and discourages weeds.
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Made for the Shade: A Guide to Thriving Low-Light Gardens

Shady spots in your yard don't have to be empty. Learn everything you need to know about planting a shade garden in this guide.
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How to Choose and Use a Leaf Blower

Leaf blowers are a must for homeowners, but deciding on a type can be tough. In this guide, we discuss how to choose and use leaf blowers.
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May Is for Mulching: A Guide to Spring Garden Care

In this guide, we break down how to properly mulch your garden, and tell you why May is the best time of the year to do it.