Landscape improvements enhance the quality of life

That has certainly been the case for Adam Hambleton, owner of Hambleton Services, a top-ranked landscape design and installation company headquartered in Maggie Valley.

“My business has experienced a big increase, especially in outdoor patios, lighting and shrubbery installation,” Hamblelton said.

“The value of quality time is priceless. When customers invest into spaces that are inviting and fun, the creative side gets fueled. The family and friends get to spend their nonrenewable resources — time — with one another,” he said. “Plus outdoor improvements may increase the equity of the home, decrease the amount of maintenance needed, or increase the salability of the home.”

Shop local

For many homeowners, the addition of a variety of plants provides the starting point for creation of a backyard paradise.

“A nice landscape can increase the value of property far more than the cost of the plant,” said Josh Sorrells, co-owner of Cold Mountain Nursery in Canton. “Proper plant selection will allow plants to be in flower almost year around. Plants can provide more privacy and also act as a wind barrier for energy saving.”

It is important to choose locally sourced plants, Sorrells said, and most reputable nurseries have staff to help pick plants to best suit your property. “Be aware that not all plants sold locally may thrive in this area or your site,” he said. “Remember Western North Carolina is in a higher elevation and requires cold-hardier plants than the Piedmont and Eastern North Carolina.”

The most popular native plants for WNC landscapes are dogwood, rhododendron, redbuds, maple, itea and oaks, Sorrells said. “However, there are many other plants that are well-suited for WNC that are not native. Sometimes, native plants may not be the best for a specific area.”

Homeowners should avoid invasive plants such as English ivy and Bradford pear trees, which can displace local species and disrupt the ecosystem, he said. A complete list of invasive plants is available through the state’s agricultural extension centers.

Avoid the ‘crewcut’

The mountains of WNC can be a magnificent backdrop for a backyard getaway, but sometimes trees and limbs obscure the view.

It is important that homeowners refrain from “tree topping,” which is the drastic cutting of major limbs of the tree at its crown. Some locals refer to the practice as the “Haywood Crewcut.”

A better way to get that coveted view is to selectively trim limbs from large trees to create a “viewshed,” said Lloyd Anderson, owner of Southern Tree Care in Clyde.

“Topping can put trees at higher risk of disease and insect infestation. It also can promote decay, sucker growth and structural compromise,” Anderson said. “Selective removal of limbs to obtain the view is healthier and less invasive. It causes less trauma to the tree.”

Anderson has a conservative philosophy to tree removal, taking down mature trees only when they are damaged or represent a potential hazard to nearby structures.

“Trees are great for the environment, providing shade, erosion control and aesthetics. There are usually other options that can save the tree and avoid removal,” he said.

Anderson also recommended that homeowners have trees on their property assessed every two to three years — more frequently if there are concerns about safety or the health of the trees.

“Maintaining trees is important for the health of the trees and safety for enjoying your yard. Healthy, beautiful, well-maintained trees are an asset to your landscape and property value,” he said.

What to do about slopes

While the mountains can provide incredible views from a backyard, they also can present landscape challenges because of the steepness of slopes.

Properly installed retaining walls are one way homeowners can “cope with the slope” by terracing to create more level outdoor space or preventing erosion through hillside stabilization.

Ryan Endres, owner of Greenscapes, a Buncombe County-based landscape company that serves much of WNC, has made a business out of replacing failing retaining walls.

“Homeowners should always use a professional to build a retaining wall because, if built wrong, it can fail and cause multiple problems. Doing it right costs less than doing it over,” said Endres.

A variety of materials — natural stone, prefabricated concrete blocks, wood — can be used for retaining walls, but Endres favors stone.

“My preferred material is natural. One, it looks so much better than block or anything not natural. Two, it doesn’t rot, so it stands up forever. My personal favorite is boulders. With boulders, you don’t use cement or anything. You just stack them up, and they give the most natural look out of any of the materials,” he said.

Endres’ crew, which includes third-generation stonemasons, has more than 100 years of combined experience in rockwork. “We all have a passion for stone. The beauty of the work is unimaginable and the look on customers’ faces is what makes it worth it.”

Water features

Those looking for the ultimate finishing touch to transform average outdoor space into a backyard resort should consider adding a water feature to their landscape.

“The sound of running water is very therapeutic. Studies show it reduces stress and anxiety,” said Brian Hoagland, owner of Hoaglandscape, a company based in Gaston County that has completed projects across North and South Carolina and Tennessee. “Nothing brings in nature like a water feature as well, especially birds. Water features provide a focal point in the landscape where you and your visitors just can’t resist exploring.”

The mountain environment of WNC is tailor-made for pondless water features, said Hoagland, a former sports editor at The Mountaineer and ex-NASCAR public relations guru before switching gears to a career as a landscape artist.

“A pondless waterfall is perfect for sloped landscapes because they look like mountain streams,” he said. “A pondless waterfall is a stream of waterfalls that fall into a reservoir edged by rubber liner that has several cubes atop it to help retain more water. The cubes are hidden by gravel, so the water just disappears into the gravel where the pump is also located and it just recirculates.”

In addition to providing a serene backyard environment through the sights and sounds of rushing water, pondless waterfalls do not entail a lot of upkeep, Hoagland said.

“There is very little maintenance with a pondless waterfall. When the leaves come down in the fall, you can simply turn it off and then blow out the leaves with your leaf blower and turn it on again,” he said. “String algae can be a nuisance but is easily controlled with an auto-doser that adds ingredients to the water to prevent algae from growing.”

While some major outdoor projects are complex and should be completed by landscaping professionals, homeowners can easily tackle such tasks as planting shrubs and flowers, spreading mulch or pine needles, building beds for plants, creating lined walkways, and trimming and pruning bushes.

Whether a recent retiree, a remote worker laboring in a home office or a weekend warrior, a beautiful backyard space offers a relaxing respite from the stresses of life.