DIY Network

Softscape: Soil, Grass and Plantings

We all want a home that makes people admire it as they go by. A large part of a home's curb appeal is the ground around the home. Softscape landscaping includes soil, grass, trees, shrubs and other plantings. While softscape helps to give your home a unique look, it has an unseen benefit: it helps to protect your foundation from water by draining water away from the home. Most builders will hire a landscaping contractor who's knowledgeable about the type of soil, grass and plantings that's right for your climate, but you may be asked for your input. To make the best decisions, learn about the different types available, and talk to your builder about your preferences at the beginning stages of construction.

Topsoil is used for the home's finish grade, which is the base for the yard. To help drain water away from the home, a swale may be created that slopes away from the home.

Once the finish grade is in place, seed or sod is planted for the lawn, and then trees, shrubs and flowers are planted.

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Soil

Topsoil may be trucked to your home's lot for the finish grade. (Finish grade refers to the ground that's been smoothed out to make a yard once construction is complete.) As the topsoil is smoothed, the soil is sloped away from the foundation wall.

In regions with very flat land, or on a lot where the natural grade slopes toward the home, the builder creates swales to drain excess water away from the home. A swale is simply a shallow depression in the land that slopes away from the home and collects water to keep water away from the foundation.

The most common soil types are clay, sand, chalk, silt and loam.

Grass

Grass seed can be planted by scattering it over the soil, or by a process called hydro-seeding. Hydro-seeding is a fast method for planting grass seed, watering it and fertilizing it all at once. A mixture of seed, fertilizer and pesticide is sprayed on all areas needing grass.

An alternative to planting seed is to use sod. Sod is grass that's grown elsewhere and transplanted to the homesite. It's laid down in pieces that eventually will grow together. Sod is typically more expensive than grass seed, though.

Generally, there are two types of grass grown in the United States:

• Warm season

• Cool season

Southern regions of the U.S. tend to grow warm-season grasses because, as their name implies, they thrive in warmer climates. These grasses grow between mid-April and mid-October. An example of a warm-season grass is Bermuda grass.

Northern and Central regions usually grow cool-season grasses because these grasses prefer moderately cool temperatures. These grasses have been known to do well in other areas, however, as long as they're properly watered. With this in mind, their growing season is strongest in the spring and fall and slows in the summer. An example of a cool-season grass is Kentucky bluegrass.

Plantings

Plantings include trees, shrubs and flowers, and are added as the last part of the landscaping process. Not only do plantings make your home pretty by adding color and variety, the plant roots help hold the soil in place.

Trees tend to be the focal point of your yard and add to the character of your property. Select tree types depending on the amount of shade and space you want from your yard.

Shrubs create backgrounds, frame pathways, and help make a transition between treetop and ground level. From attracting birds to creating privacy screens, shrubs are an important part of your landscaping. When you select shrubs, think about their function. If you want to break up the distance between the ground and high buildings or treetops, consider a large, broad-leafed evergreen shrub. A sweet olive is an example of such a shrub. If you want a shrub that blossoms each year, consider rhododendrons and lilacs.

Soil, grass and plantings not only bring curb appeal to your home, they also help water drain properly away from the foundation, increasing your home's durability. Talk to your builder early in the construction process to find out what landscaping is being planned for your home, and what options you have available.