Professional landscapers often use a concept called lawn shaping when they create the flow of a lawn. A benefit of doing this includes reducing the amount of time it takes to mow the lawn.
For example, eliminating corners can cut down in mowing time because you don’t have to back up and then go forward repeatedly. Eliminating corners can be achieved with a shrub or flowers. This gives visual appeal while reducing maintenance.
If you give up 25 percent of your lawn to these corner plantings, you could save as much as 50 percent in time and energy of mowing the lawn.
Developing swaths with no corners can also save time when mowing because the narrow strips that can be located to the right of a driveway and the garage can be utilized with a ground cover that is supported with bark mulch, gravel or a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant xeriscape. Of course, these areas do not need mowing.
In addition, so-called islands in the lawn can be created using trees or flowerbeds. However, such a design may slow down mowing. To keep with the design concept and still reduce mowing time, you can create one or two large islands instead of a number of smaller ones. If using trees to create the island, you can use bark mulch or ground cover planted underneath rather than grass. So you can ignore these areas in mowing too and you don’t have to duck to avoid low hanging branches. You can add more visual appeal with tree rings that separate the tree and mulch and ground cover under it from the rest of the lawn.
Landscapers often use flagstone or brick borders to define an edge. They sink these borders below the level of the lawn so that you can easily mow over them and there is no need for trimming or edging.
How To Choose A Lawn Shaping
Selecting lawn shaping for your lawn may be easier than you might think. It depends on the way you expect to use the lawn. For example, if you use your lawn for entertaining and recreation, then it should be a large, open area like a circular or rectangular shape. These styles are ideal to accommodate games including croquet, badminton, volleyball, putting, and bocce ball.
Moreover, lawn shaping can intensify items present on the property including the house and trees. The shape can also take advantage of shaded areas of a lawn. In this case, the soil or terrain can be modified to include turf or ground cover that thrives in shade.
Selecting a geometric shape projects a sense of order. Open or free-flowing shapes appear more natural.
When selecting a lawn shape, you should take into account how much time is necessary to maintain it. This can be calculated by determining the total number of square feet to mow and the total number of linear feet to edge.
Lawn Shapes
There are four lawn shaping styles to consider – circular, rectangular, open, and free flowing.
A Circular lawn is the most formal shape. Level circular lawns are ideal for entertaining.
Rectangular lawns are ideal for recreation. This shape is attractive as an alternative because it is easy to maintain
The open lawn is considered by many as the most relaxing shape. The gentle flow of the lawn is soothing to the eye. This is an ideal shape to allow shade patterns of trees determine the shape of the lawn. This shape is also ideal for recreation and entertaining.
Free flowing lawns help incorporate pocket gardens into a lawn. This design offers five different garden areas. The shape has the illusion of not permitting one to see the whole lawn, but instead to focus on the garden or other added mysteries. Moreover, the shape helps the garden appear larger. However, you should be aware that this shape might require more edging then the other designs.
(Source: bhg.com)
