• A beautiful landscape complements a beautiful home.girl?¡äs hands with shears image by svehlik from Fotolia.com
  
  An innovative home landscaping project can revitalize and beautify a home, increasing its value and curb appeal. Effective landscaping designs incorporate both functional and picturesque elements that work in tandem to accentuate the home's features. A creative homeowner uses design ideas that achieve this balance.
  
  

Landscaping on a Budget

• Gorgeous gardens don't require a lot of money; they require resourcefulness and ingenuity. Something inexpensive like painting several garden items the same vibrant color can create a striking continuity that all visitors will find memorable. "Better Homes and Gardens" suggests painting doors, fences and garden furniture in rich colors like magenta, teal, sunny yellow and brick red---choose a color that best suits your personality.
  
  

Fabric Fun

• Infuse your landscaping design with fabric and rejuvenate even the dullest garden area. Transform a decaying garden bench by covering it with a bold-colored fabric and matching pillows. While durable exterior-quality fabrics resist fading and mildew, those on a budget can scour fabric stores for eye-catching clearance materials.
  
  

Crushed Stone Walkway

• A crushed stone walkway complements almost any landscape and can last for decades with regular replenishment. This type of path permits a lot of flexibility and can be as free-form as desired. Construct a path that is at least 36 inches wide to allow two people to walk alongside each other with ease. Use precut, pressure-treated log sections to edge the sides of the path.
  
  

Landscaping a Small Space

• When working with a small space, take a minimalist approach to make the most of the landscape. For example, while large container gardens can make a great impact, smaller portable containers can make an equally striking impression without wasting space. Be sure to select colorful containers for pizazz. Keeping clutter out of sight is another way to maximize a landscape. Hiding tools and other items behind a bamboo screen is a chic way to make the landscape appear larger. Additionally, hanging mirrors in strategic locations of a garden can amplify the effect of your most cherished blossoms.
  
  

Lighting

• Create the impression of a naturally moonlit landscape. To do so, illuminate walkways and low-level planters and mount lights in trees, aiming them both up and down.