Selecting a Home for Backyard Gardening

Everyone has different criteria for buying the home that is right for them. One of the perks of owning a home is that there is an increase in land, and the ability to do what the homeowner desires with the land. This includes gardening and landscaping – many apartment and townhouse dwellers simply don’t have the option of planting a garden or modifying their yard.

If gardening is a big priority in your life, you might even want to base your home selection on the yard layout and other outdoor factors in tandem with the home layout itself. Whether you are a gardening expert or you just want to make gardening a part of life in your new home, there are certain qualities to look for in a back yard when you are selecting your ideal gardening sanctuary.

Sunlight and water are very important for all plants, in varying levels. The best types of gardens have some southern sun exposure – does the home you are looking for have a backyard that gets a generous amount of sunlight? Or is it dark for most of the day? This will dictate the types of plants you are able to grow back there.

Also, will the plants have access to water? Can you easily install a water system or sprinkler system, or is the layout preventing water access? This can also vary on the region you are in, and even by neighborhood. Find out what the water restrictions are in the area you are looking into living in to figure out which ways you will most likely water your garden.

Layout is a top factor to consider when looking into backyard gardening. You will need to consider the outdoor space itself, as well as any current landscaping choices, pipes, or electrical lines in the ground. Either ask the current homeowner or contractor for some of the more difficult information to discover. For example, where are the trees located?

Are they going to shade the entire garden area? Would you be able to put raised beds in? Are there any physical limitations you will face when trying to build or rebuild the garden if one already exists? Are there any perennials that will need to stay in the backyard and will keep returning season after season? If so, are they ones that you can work around easily?

Soil considerations are also key when looking into your backyard gardening space. If you can get a PH tester from your local garden store and take it with you when you look at homes, you might be able to tell if the soil has the right type of PH levels for the plants you are most interested in growing.

Many plants are more hardy than you think, but since some plants are very touchy, and need very balanced soil, you will want to know if the soil is high in acid or if it is high in base. You may be modifying the soil, but if the PH is extreme on either side, you may have a lot of work cut out for you.

Access to the backyard from the home itself can also be a really important factor that not many people consider when looking for the right backyard space. If you have a great backyard, but it is difficult to get to, you might be inconvenienced by having to renovate or re-evaluate the landscaping. Make sure that you feel comfortable with the layout in terms of what you will be able to accomplish, and how you need to move between spaces.

Once you select your perfect garden home, you will not only want to garden, but you will have made it easy for yourself to do so. Backyard gardening can be so much easier when you plan ahead, and when you have the capacity to select your home based on backyard gardening factors, your garden will flourish in no time.

Brad loves gardening and learning more about exotic plants – he also enjoys writing and researching for the Manhattan Dallas Apartments complex in North Dallas.