September 8, 2025

October isn’t the usual time of year to make resolutions, but it is the perfect time to reflect on your landscaping successes and challenges over the past year and create a plan for improving and addressing issues for the upcoming spring. If you wait until spring – or even winter – to think about what you liked over the past season and what you want to change, it may be too late to put those plans into action. October, when your plants have died back and you can envision your whole property, is the perfect time to review the year and plan for the future.

Blue house with a beautifully well-maintained yard.

What Made Your Landscape a Success?

The end of any season is always a good time to reflect, looking back on what worked and what didn’t. Think back on the past few months. Did you take pride in your curb appeal and property? If you loved your yard over the past few months, think about why. Did you have regular maintenance that kept your yard beautiful? Invest in an irrigation system? Do you have professionals on call for your tree and shrub health? Improve your outdoor lighting?

Not everyone has the same desires for their landscape. For some homeowners they love to see a variety of garden beds with vibrant colors and different flowers blooming at various times throughout the season. Other homeowners prefer a clean and understated look, with well-shaped shrubs, clean borders, and polished hardscapes. When you think back over the past season, think about what you loved and want to keep up with next year.

Reflect on Challenges

Even if you were happy overall with how your property looked over the past year, there may have been some challenges. Did you find that after days of heavy rain, your yard had soggy spots? Were there any sparse patches in your lawn? Do you have a hardscape in need of repair? The best time to inspect your property and assess what needs to be done is in the fall, when many of the blooming shrubs and beds are entering their dormant season. Now that things have died back, you can see what needs to be done and start planning to address any challenges. If you’ve found that you’re struggling with soggy spots after the rain, you can talk to your landscape professional about drainage solutions. If your lawn has some patchy areas, you could begin to troubleshoot and find out what needs to be done. Do you want to attract more pollinators? Some plantings will bring them to your yard. Did deer and other critters attempt to make your yard a buffet? There are things you can do to repel them. Talk to your landscape professional about areas that you want to focus on improving next spring.

Goal for 2026: Beautify Your Beds

Simple or lush, colorful or elegant, your garden beds make your property stand out. While there is value in sticking with what works, now is the time to think about what you can do to enhance your beds even more. Some things to think about include:

  • How much time do you want – or want your landscape team – to spend on maintenance? Some beds require a lot more attention than others, with precise sun, water, and pruning needs.
  • Think about transitions during the season. Do you want more early blooms? If so, those bulbs need to be in the ground now. Do you want consistency during the season? Look for blooms that will continue to thrive from spring to summer. Some homeowners love having perennials they can rely on, while others like the idea of annuals so they can adjust their blooms every year.

Envision Your Perfect Outdoor Entertaining Space

Perfection may never be achieved, but that doesn’t mean you should stop striving for the ideal outdoor entertaining space for your family. Think about what the perfect patio means to you, and then start thinking about what can make that happen. Some ideas for an outdoor entertaining space your family will love include:

  • Extending the patio to allow more space for guests.
  • Adding an outdoor fireplace or firepit to extend those summer evenings.
  • Adding a water feature to beautify the space.
  • Upgrading the outdoor lighting to enhance the ambiance.

Some homeowners like to think beyond the patio. Retaining walls, pergolas, walkways, and water features can take an outdoor entertaining space from functional to exceptional. Now is the perfect time to plan. Take the time to look at your property and think about what it can become. As you develop your wish list, talk to your landscape professionals about how you can make that dream a reality.

Make This the Year You Start a Vegetable Garden

Many homeowners love the idea of growing their own vegetables, but a vegetable garden can be a significant time investment. If you’re overwhelmed about how and where to start, you will likely find you put the idea off for another year and stick with the farmer’s market for your tomatoes and basil. Yet this is the perfect time of year to start making plans. Talk to your landscape professionals about the ideal spot on your property and what you need to do to get started. Sometimes all you need is a plan, and you can move forward and make things happen.

The year may not be over yet, but as it winds down, look at your lawn before the snow starts to fly and think about what you loved as well as what else you want to do next year. With the right plan and the proper coordination with your landscaping team, your next growing season can be even better than the last.

Now’s the time to reflect, plan, and take action. Contact Twin Oaks Landscape to start mapping out your 2026 goals and get a head start on next season.