Landscaping is both the art of designing an outdoor space and the space itself. A new house on a dirt lot looks stark and unappealing, but landscaping with plants and shrubs will make a huge difference.
Landscaping usually involves planting things — trees, ground cover, flowering plants — as well as installing features like paths, walls, fences, and patios. Landscaping for a house might include planters of herbs, a cozy shade garden, or even a fire pit to gather around. The landscaping at your neighborhood strip mall is quite different, involving lots of mulch and sturdy shrubs. The Middle Dutch roots mean "land" and "condition."