I’m not much of a planner, and this lack of forethought is reflected in my gardening style. My flower beds are in a constant state of change depending on what new plants I acquire each season. Many are planted and moved several times before they land in a suitable spot or die. To avoid making the same mistakes that I do, here’s some easy, home landscaping tips that I’ve learned from experts over the years.

Start With a Plan

One of the first things a professional designer would do is draw up a plot survey of your backyard and front yard. This is something you can easily do yourself.

• Draw a bird’s-eye view of your property.  Note the placement of all the man-made features (called hardscape) such as buildings, fences, driveways, stonewalls, etc. Boulders, trees, and large shrubs combine with your hardscape to form the “bones” of your landscape.
• Using graph paper helps, but you don’t have to agonize over exact measurements, a sketch that is roughly in proportion will be fine.
• Make sure to include the location of your well, septic system, or any buried utility lines. Orient your lot on the compass and note where your sunny and shady spots are.

Make a Wish List

Once you know what you’ve already got, you can move on to making a list of what you’d like to have. How do you want your garden to look? Start with a few general goals. For example:

• Do you want privacy for a patio area?
• Do you want to screen an ugly view?
• Is your top priority curb appeal/resale-value or a more private (patio) display?

If you already have flower beds, note the successful plants and fill in the blank spots.  Start with the colors, heights, foliage, and bloom time you will need to get the desired look. This will help guide you when you are plant shopping. If you know that your garden lacks color after July 4th, limit your choices to later blossoming plants instead of buying more spring bloomers.

Be sure to make the most of what you’ve got already. Don’t try to change a dry, rocky spot into a vegetable garden. Instead, use it for a rock garden planted with sedums and hen and chicks, which can thrive in the tough conditions.

Choose Your Style

Your garden should complement your home’s architectural style. Gardening is just like decorating the inside of your house.   Instead of fabrics, paint, and furniture, you will be using color, texture, shape, size, and placement of plants to create a mood.

• Formal: Straight lines; symmetry; and elegant focal points like statues and fountains, manicured lawns, and pruned hedges define this style. Color is secondary to structure, and the mood is refined and serene.

• Informal: This style is a balance between the formal and natural styles. It involves lots of curves and colors, lush growth, asymmetry, and natural-shaped trees and shrubs. The mood is comfortable and relaxing.

• Natural: This style imitates nature, is low-maintenance, and should blend in with the surroundings.  Natural could be anything from a wildflower meadow to a bog. The mood can reflect untamed chaos or just energetic, natural abundance.

Assessing Your Needs

If you have young children or grandchildren, you’ll need areas where they can play. Same for pets. Look to incorporate “bulletproof” plants that can take some abuse, like low-growing sedum or ground phlox, which can both take some trampling

Don’t be discouraged by a small garden space. There are tricks you can use to make small plots seem larger.   You can line up paths, gates, and trees to create sight lines that allow the view to flow from one area into another. Beware that having many small groupings of different colored flowers can make a space seem cluttered.  Try grouping similar colors and textures together to really open up a small space.

 

• Create your own getaway spot. Use larger shrubs and ornamental grasses to cordon off an area for rest and relaxation, like this secluded bench. Here, you can watch over the garden and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Hardscape, Then Plant

It’s tempting to start your design with the plants, but my easiest home landscaping tip is that it’s best to tend to your hardscape first. Once that’s in place, you’re ready for the fun part: planting!

• Start by planting trees or shrubs. Begin from the house and work outward. Remember to plan for the mature size of the trees and shrubs to avoid having to move them later, when they outgrow their space!  Plant deciduous shrubs in front of evergreens to change the look seasonally. And don’t forget to pick some shrubs for winter interest, too, such as witch hazel or forsythia.

Borders, edges and slopes

• Lay out potential flowerbeds with a hose or rope. A few gentle sweeps look more natural than many sharp curves. Borders are usually planted against a wall, fence, or hedge and are viewed from one side only.

• Define the edges where your flower garden meets the lawn. A physical barrier made from metal, vinyl, granite, or brick will help to keep grass from encroaching into the beds. Plants in the foreground can be left to spill over this edging, softening the look.
• Layer plants according to height. Repeat drifts of similar plants throughout the garden to give it rhythm. Large blocks of one plant will make the most impact when viewed from a distance rather  To combine plants effectively, take into consideration their size, shape, leaf color and texture, flower color, and visual weight. Loose and open or heavy and dense?

• Bold-leafed plants like hostas combine well with finely textured ones like astilbe. Blue-green, chartreuse, bronze, burgundy, and silver-leafed plants liven up the garden even when they are not in bloom.

• Remember that hot colors appear to advance while cool colors recede into the background. White can separate clashing colors and will brighten up a shady spot.

In Conclusion

Armed with a realistic and well-thought-out landscaping plan, and these tips, you can spread out the work and expense over several years. Take it one step at a time to keep your project from becoming overwhelming. Remember, this is supposed to be fun! You are creating a space for you to enjoy. Small steady improvements over the years can transform your yard into the paradise you envision.

 

Source:  Landscape Design: Ideas and Advice for Beginners | The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Related: How to Plant a Chaos Garden – TUTORING YOU