How to Landscape a Contemporary Home

Write down a list of plants, shrubs and trees that you already have throughout your yard and make an additional list that includes all the plants you want to purchase. Many contemporary homes feature rose bushes, tulip borders, daises and other simple yet decorative plants. If you live in the desert, you may want to buy aloe vera plants and blooming cactus for your yard. Write down what you would like to improve about your home. For instance, you may just want to clean up your yard and remove excess growth on shrubs, or you might need additional plants to create the look you want.

Apply 5 pounds of weed and feed for every 1,000 square feet of lawn. Evenly distribute the weed killer and fertilizer throughout the yard and be careful not to apply too much in one area. Wait a few days to one week for the product to work and kill off existing weeds while also fertilizing your grass.

Mow the lawn so the grass stands 2 inches tall. Sprinkle additional grass seed evenly throughout the yard and apply extra seed to patchy areas with less grass. Water your lawn with 2 or more inches of water early in the morning before the sun comes up.

Use pruning shears to trim shrubs and trees already in your yard. Cut off dead branches, along with excess growth to create a clean, styled look.

Plant additional trees and shrubs, if needed, in a straight line along the fence and space small trees 3 to 5 feet apart. Some contemporary homes already have the right balance of plants, so you may only want to add trees if there are large open spaces or if you only have a lawn and a few flowers.

Plant flowers that grow well in your area along the exterior of your front yard walkway. If needed, till the soil with a garden tiller to remove rocks and loosen tightly compacted dirt. Add 5 or more inches of compost to the soil and plant the flowers in the spring.