2 minute read
OUTDOOR OASIS
LANDSCAPE FOR HEALTHY LIVING
BY DAVID PAYNE
SOME MAY THINK OF LANDSCAPING SIMPLY AS A WAY TO INCREASE CURB APPEAL. SOME MAY THINK OF IT AS ARTISTIC EXPRESSION.
Others may consider it a method to increase the economic value of real estate. I challenge you to think about the true benefits of landscaping and its unmitigated ability to improve your health and environment.
Access to green space, even if it’s just sitting quietly in your backyard for twenty minutes, is a proven way to reduce stress by quieting the mind and lowering blood pressure. Imagine designing a space of total immersion for your family just steps from your home, accessible whenever needed.
Investing in water features to soften the sound of the neighbor’s noisy dog or planting a row of quick-growing shrubbery such as holly to screen a busy road enhances the peaceful mood in your outdoor spaces. Planting the right trees and shrubbery in proper spaces in the yard has the added benefit of purifying the surrounding air and decreasing the effects of urban pollution by increasing oxygen levels in the air—a win-win for your family and the environment.
Designing and installing a beautiful lawn surrounded by landscaped beds is an enjoyable way to add recreational space in the backyard. From a game of badminton to a spot for your outdoor yoga practice, it can be a private meditative space in a busy suburban setting; an oasis in a hurried workday cycle. Landscaped beds planted with perennials and colorful annuals create beautiful garden scenery, and the softness of a lush lawn can calm the mind and literally cool the body. Lawns can be much cooler than hardscaped
spaces, even cooler than the soil, while simultaneously reducing erosion.
Maybe you rarely use your patio or deck because you feel exposed. Landscaping is the best way to add privacy and bring beauty to these spaces. A landscaper who specializes in mature screening solutions can provide results in no time, creating a quality entertainment space for your family and friends to enjoy without the inquisitive eyes of neighbors.
An attractive, accessible, and highly enjoyable yard is possible, regardless of the space available. A landscaper skilled in design and mature-tree installation can help you invest in your outdoor environment so it makes a large-scale impact on your quality of life. After all, your health is an investment, not an expense. u
DAVID PAYNE is the owner of Home & Garden Landscapes and can be reached at 919-801-0211 or HOMEANDGARDENLANDSCAPES.COM.
