(BPT) - Choosing the right materials and incorporating well-planned design features can enhance the appearance of your landscape while reducing the effort needed for maintenance.

"Adding mulched areas around shrubs, plants and trees, as well as creating access pathways, are key design elements we use to enhance the beauty of a landscape," says Lavonne Thompson, owner of Gabby's Gardens in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.

Many materials can help keep your landscape looking beautiful, such as mulch, landscape rock, flagstone steppers, concrete pavers and natural stone. To create and maintain a professional look for your landscaped areas, Thompson recommends these elements:

• Create distinctive borders for garden beds, tree rings and other landscaped areas using natural stone, concrete pavers or edging. It will make it easier to mow around plus add definition, texture and color.
• Construct paths using natural stone steppers, concrete pavers, mulch or landscape rock. Not only do these materials create visual interest and define walkways, but they also improve accessibility.
• Use mulch, landscape rock or gravel to give landscaped areas a finished look. "Mulch adds interest and gives a clean, finished appearance that enhances curb appeal," says Thompson.

Maintenance of mulched areas can be a challenge with thunderstorms, critters, traffic and falling leaves. To keep landscaped areas looking beautiful and minimize seasonal maintenance, Thompson uses NorthRock^® Landscape Loc Mulch & Rock Bond, an environmentally friendly compound that can be applied to keep mulch and landscape rock locked in place.

Landscape Loc helps to prevent mulch movement from rain, wind, critters, mowers and blowers, while allowing the treated area to freely drain and breathe. It is safe for soil, groundwater, wildlife, people, pets and plants.

"Landscape Loc is a great product for when we are refreshing clients' projects in the spring," says Thompson. "It is essential in sloped areas and gardens to prevent mulch from moving out of place."

Landscape Loc can be used on landscape rocks that are 1/2" or smaller. It can also be used to control dust from gravel, sand, pebbles and light rock on walkways and driveways as well as to control erosion around those areas. The more porous the rock, the better Landscape Loc will bond. For denser rock, a heavier application is required.

Using a fan tip sprayer, apply Landscape Loc when refreshing and cleaning up landscape areas. It lays down white and dries clear, enhancing the look of mulch and other ground cover. Landscape Loc is available at Amazon and local retailers in one- and five-gallon containers or as a concentrate to mix with water. Watch an application of Landscape Loc Concentrate at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOdssqFrQVY.

"It's great that Landscape Loc goes down white before drying clear," says Thompson. "That way if you are called away for a moment, you can pick right up where you left off."