Utah Landscaping Ideas

Landscaping your yard can be a fun and rewarding experience. By choosing different plants and decorations, you can make your yard unique and beautiful. What about landscaping when it comes to Utah’s climate and weather?

Difficulties with Utah Weather

Utah has a desert-like climate that can produce hot, dry summers, and cold, dreary winters, which means you need to take into consideration what plants will thrive and which won’t.

What are good landscaping ideas to use for your Utah yard? We collected our best tips and advice from years of landscaping our own Next Level Homes. Feel free to use these tips for your own yard.

Hot Summers

Utah is known for having hot summers, with temperatures often rising to 100 degrees Fahrenheit or more for days on end. This gives you two choices to care for your yard, water more, or find different landscaping alternatives. 

Watering more can help, but that extra water also means extra money coming out of your pocket. Looking into different landscaping alternatives can help with that monthly water bill, but it’s important to know what types of plants to look for.

It can be frustrating to figure out how to landscape your yard in a place with hot summers, but with our best tips, you’ll have a beautiful, thriving yard in no time.

Snowy Winters

Utah’s four seasons also bring cold winters with a lot of snow and ice. Although certain types of plants can grow and survive during the winter, there are many that can’t. Instead of wasting money and time each year replanting trees, bushes, and flowers after winter ends, you can look for hardy plants to beautify your yard.

Winters don’t just cause problems for your plants. If you ever have a sprinkler line that freezes and cracks during the winter, you can spend a lot of time and money to fix the break. So keep reading on for tips to take care of your entire yard, both above the ground and below.

Landscaping Problems Caused By the Weather

You, unfortunately, can’t change the weather, but you can prepare for it. The best Utah landscaping ideas are those that take into account potential weather problems and solutions. Here is a list of landscaping problems caused by the weather to look out for:

• Dry spots on lawn or garden caused by heat and lack of water
• Flooded yard caused by too much rain or snow melt
• Sudden cold weather ruining plant and fruit/vegetable growth
• Freezing temperatures that can kill plants

This list doesn’t include every potential landscaping problem you might run into with Utah’s ever-changing weather, but it can help you identify some major issues you could face if you don’t landscape correctly. 

For our best landscaping inspiration and tips keep reading below.

Landscaping Ideas for Utah’s Climate

Just because Utah’s weather can be difficult to work with sometimes, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a well-kept and beautiful yard you can be proud of. We have six landscaping ideas you can use on your own Utah yard today. Check them out below and see which ideas you’d enjoy in your own yard.

Use Plants Native to Utah

One way to assure you have a yard with plants that will survive Utah’s weather is by using plants native to the state. Native plants have adapted to years of climate hardships and can make great additions to your yard. From requiring less water to surviving through cold winters, this list of native plants to Utah are as hardy as they are beautiful.

• Serviceberry – This unique plant grows up to 10 feet in height and 8 feet in width. It produces beautiful, white flowers in the spring, purple berries in the summer, and turns breathtaking shades of blue-green, red, orange, and yellow in fall.
• Crisp-Leaf Wild Buckwheat – This bush can grow up to 3 feet in height and produce delicate flowers in a variety of colors. The Buckwheat turns red during fall and through winter.

Scarlet Globe Mallows – This gorgeous plant grows well in dry, sunny climates and produces red flowers with soft, feathery leaves.

Limit Greenery with Stone Paths

Keeping a lawn green can be a major task. It requires a lot of care and attention and, in Utah, a lot of water. One way to limit the amount of grass you have to water is by using stone paths throughout your yard. Stone paths can help break up your yard into different sections and provide simple walkways. Try using stone paths to add some variety to your landscaping.

Xeriscaping

Xeriscaping is the process of using certain plants that require very little water to landscape your yard. From certain cacti, ground cover, trees, and bushes, you can create a beautiful yard that doesn’t require a lot of water. This means less watering and more savings!

Sprinkler System

Your sprinkler system is a major part of taking care of your yard. The right layout and sprinklers can either fail to take care of your landscaping, or they can help your yard thrive. With Utah’s cold winters, aim to bury your sprinkler pipes 8 to 12 inches deep to avoid freezing. Where reasonable, use a slow drip sprinkler system to help water settle deep into the soil and roots of your plants.

Make the Most of Patios

A well-designed patio can add a lot of visual appeal to your landscaping. It can also help save on watering your yard. Patios help to bring part of your home out to your yard. You can add seating, a fireplace and barbecue, lighting, and potted plants for a look completely your own. You can also add covering over your patio for extra shade and comfort during the warm Utah months.

Mulch to Retain Moisture

Mulch is a simple way to keep your landscaping strong and healthy. Mulch absorbs water, as well as traps it under the soil so your plants don’t lose water to evaporation. Consider placing mulch in your garden areas, using it for walkways, and surrounding your trees with it. It’s an inexpensive, yet pretty way to keep your yard well-kept.

The best landscaping is one where you can save money. There are multiple ways you can save money with your yard, some of which we already mentioned above. Below you’ll find even more landscaping tips that will add a unique look to your yard and also save you money in the long run.

Artificial Grass

Artificial grass can save you a lot of money each year by not having to water or install a sprinkling system. Now you may think of astroturf when you think of artificial grass, but there are better, realistic-looking options available today. You can use artificial grass throughout your entire yard, or in specific places where you don’t want to have to worry about watering regularly.

Patios

One of the best qualities about patios is that they last for years and years to come—longer than most plants you’ll have in your yard. It may be an investment at first, but by saving money on watering and additional landscaping you would have done instead, the patio will pay for itself quickly. Plus, it’s a great way to spend time outside and enjoy your yard.

Low Water-Absorbing Plants

The more plants you add to your yard that don’t require much water, the happier you’ll be when your water bill comes around each month. Low water-absorbing plants place roots deep into the soil to collect moisture and water and don’t require as much watering as your typical yard will. Save water. Save money. Go to your local nursery and get low water-absorbing plants today.

Need Landscaping Advice? Let Professionals Help!

Landscaping can be a lot of work and maintenance. Our team at Next Level Homes has been landscaping our own beautiful Utah homes for years, and we know a thing or two about what works and what doesn’t. So why not upgrade your yard AND your home? Click on the button below to schedule an appointment with one of our friendly team members and they can help find the right home with the perfect yard for you.

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