July is the perfect time to think about landscaping projects. Your spring cleaning garden planting is complete, and now you have all this time on your hands! Before you put any big plans into motion, it’s a good idea to do a thorough, thoughtful evaluation of your landscape. 

Landscape Evaluation Is the First Step to Planning Your Design

Whether you’re figuring out how to start landscaping from scratch or hoping to update an existing design, your landscape has unique elements and features that you should examine. To ensure your plans are successful, they need to be realistic and compatible with the terrain. 

Identifying potential problem areas can help you either solve those problems or find creative ways to work around them. If you go ahead with a big project without taking the time for evaluation, a small problem could turn into a big, expensive one. 

Cover All the Bases by Following These Steps for Landscape Evaluations

Don’t be intimidated—performing a self-evaluation of the landscape is easier than it might sound! You don’t have to be a professional to get a good idea of the conditions of your landscape.

First, Evaluate the Levelness of the Landscape

Is your yard sloping? That can create issues for several reasons:

• Plants at the bottom of the slope may suffer from soggy soil, as water will drain in that direction. 
• You can’t put a pond on a slope.
• Structures like gazebos will need pillars or foundational piling to make them level.
• Extreme weather may cause landscape instability and erosion.

Luckily, there are many creative ways to work around a sloped yard; in fact, it can set the scene for some really distinctive contemporary designs! Levelling the landscape in tiers can create multiple hardscapes and garden areas of different heights, and the results are often quite breathtaking. Retaining walls can help stabilize terrain and create more room to dig out space and level the terrain. 

So, if you’ve got a sloped terrain, don’t let that discourage you from going forward with a landscape overhaul. It may take a bit more effort to work around, but the finished product will be absolutely gorgeous. 

Test Your Soil

The texture, nutrient density, and pH level of your soil all affect the growth and health of your landscape plants. Before investing in a bunch of beautiful new trees and shrubs, you want to ensure their new home is up to their standards! A soil test can determine whether you need to amend the soil with organic material like compost and manure, fertilizers, or pH adjusters like dolomitic lime or elemental sulphur. 

What Needs Repairs or Replacements?

Old hardscapes like pavers, concrete, or wooden decks can incur damage over the long term. Identify any problem areas, missing bricks or nails, rotting wood beams, or anything else that looks amiss. Test irrigation systems, check pond equipment, and make sure any outdoor fireplaces or ovens are clean and working correctly. 

Ask Yourself: What Do I Want Out of My Landscape?

Everyone has different tastes, and the style and atmosphere of your space are ultimately up to you. The functionality of your landscape is also a factor—do you want it to be a space for entertaining and having big parties, an eco-friendly permaculture paradise, or a cozy, serene space for you to unplug and relax? Creating a landscape design is hard to do if you’re unsure of what you want, so take some time to evaluate your own values and what you want to achieve with your space. 

If you’d like a professional opinion on your Ontario landscape and what kind of plants and installations will work well in your space, contact Eising Garden Centre to speak with our landscaping team! We provide onsite consultations, professional installations, and expert advice to help make your dream landscape design a reality. 

There are so many gorgeous trees to plant in Southern Ontario, but waiting for them to reach maturity can be a real test of patience! If you want shade and high-impact colour in your landscape ASAP, opt for fast-growing varieties. With vibrant foliage, gorgeous texture, and shade from the hot sun, these beautiful, fast-growing trees will dramatically boost your property value and curb appeal. 

Discover the Best Fast-Growing Shade Trees for Southern Ontario

Here are six-star performers that never fail to amaze us with their impressive growth speed and stunning displays!

Autumn Blaze Maple

This mega-vibrant maple features those signature lobed leaves that we can't resist. They emerge as rich emerald green, then transition to a brilliant blazing red that lights up the landscape. Under ideal conditions, this powerhouse can grow as fast as 3–5 feet per year, making it one of the most fast-growing trees in North America! At maturity, Autumn Blaze Maples reach 40–55 feet tall with a 30–40 foot canopy. Plant it 15–20 feet from your home to prevent the roots from causing foundation damage.

Tulip Tree

Ah, the Tulip Tree—a stunning sight to behold! Yellow-green blossoms flushed with orange emerge through May and June, making this flowering tree a real showstopper for Southern Ontario. Its maple-like foliage transitions to a sunny yellow shade in autumn, casting a beautiful golden glow across the landscape. This behemoth can reach up to 70–90 feet tall, but its canopy only spreads about 40 feet wide, so it isn't too difficult to accommodate in a standard-sized yard. You can expect your tulip tree to grow over 2 feet per year if it's planted in full sun and has moist, well-drained soil full of compost and essential nutrients.

Regal Petticoat Sycamore Maple

Bring spectacular prismatic colour to the landscape with this fast-growing, two-toned maple tree! Also known as the Planetree Maple, this magnificent variety has foliage that emerges as a soft olive green tinged with burgundy. As the leaves age, they change to a deeper, glossy green with rich burgundy undersides and a luxurious, velvety texture. In autumn, the leaves turn gold with salmon pink undersides! 

This manageable maple only reaches about 40 feet high and 30 feet wide, and you can rely on it growing at impressive speeds! The Regal Petticoat Sycamore Maple is incredibly pollution tolerant, so if you live in the city centre, it's a perfect addition for smaller, urban yards. 

Brabant White Cedar

On the hunt for fast-growing evergreen trees in Ontario? The Brabant White Cedar is a fantastic choice. It has that distinctive, nostalgic cedar scent and beautifully textured foliage that remains lush and green all year. They only reach about 15 feet high and 6 feet wide, creating a lovely columnar shape that makes them ideal for border planting. Create a cedar privacy hedge all around your property instead of a plain old fence—you'll love the feeling of being surrounded by vibrant greenery! These beautiful cedars grow 2–2.5 feet yearly, so they'll be nice and tall in no time. 

Eastern White Pine

A classic evergreen pine featuring that signature pyramidal shape is iconic. The Eastern White Pine has soft, slender blue-green needles, creating a wispy, whimsical look. They reach 50–80 feet tall at maturity, with a 20–40 foot spread. Eastern White Pines only need a minimum of four hours of direct sunlight per day, so if your yard is a bit on the shady side, you'll have no trouble with this fast-growing tree. You might not believe it, but this incredible evergreen can grow as fast as 5 feet per year!

Krauter Vesuvius Flowering Plum

Looking for an ornamental tree that makes a statement? The Krauter Vesuvius Flowering Plum explodes with sweet pink blooms every spring, followed by deep purple foliage that lasts all through the summer! It reaches 20 feet tall and only spreads 15 feet wide, so it's an ideal choice for front yards or smaller spaces—just ensure it gets full sun! Its growing speed maxes out at about two feet per year under ideal conditions, so you won't have to wait long for this phenomenal tree to have a big impact on your landscape. 

Discover ever more fast-growing trees in Ontario by visiting Eising Garden Centre! From evergreens to maples, fruit trees, and so much more, there is no shortage of options for growing here in Simcoe.