Are you dreaming of lush, fragrant plantings that create an oasis of calm and a personal escape? Is it time to expand your entertaining alternatives to serve your societal way of life? Or is it just time for a fresh look? Winter is the ideal time to do a bit of research and design your own project. It always pays to put pen to paper before the shovel hits the dirt!
1. Identify Your Disposition
To take advantage of your real estate, create it to best suit your lifestyle. A development program that promotes a happy engagement with your outdoor environment is the goal.
Ivy Street Style
How will you use your outdoor space: to relax, entertain or create edibles? Do you require room so children can play? Do you need a safe area for pets? Where will you store your camper and canoe? Address each these difficulties with your design, and prioritize them.
Jocelyn H. Chilvers
How you’ll keep your outdoor space is lifestyle driven as well. Every landscape requires care to keep the plants healthy and the hardscape looking its finest. Consider your time and abilities for maintenance when planning your new yard.
High-maintenance landscapes are for dedicated gardeners and plantaholics (and you know who you are!) Who like to work from the lawn.
Low-maintenance landscapes are for those who enjoy being outside and doing a bit of puttering.
No-maintenance landscapes are if you will seek the services of a professional care company.
Outer space Landscape Architecture
2. Identify Your Design Style
A seamless transition from your home’s interior to its exterior is created in the architectural and interior design style — from line, shape and colors to textures and construction materials — is echoed from the outdoor spaces.
B. Jane Gardens
Whether it’s modern, rustic, eclectic or traditional, the appearance that provides you pleasure and the area that you live in should notify your choices.
Discover landscape design fashions
David de la Luz
3. Develop a Plant Palette
you might not know a lot about plants however, but you can begin by making a record of plant characteristics that you like. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Native for your regionFragrantDrought tolerantAttracts birds and butterfliesColorful foliage (be specific)Deer resistantEdibleShowy flowersEvergreenAutumn colorYou can then cross-check these with a listing of plants that are best suited to growing in your area. The local extension support is a great resource for this type of information.
Huettl Landscape Architecture
4. Do a Reality Check
Before you get too carried away with the specifics of the undertaking, make certain you understand the parameters — do not think of these as limitations — that you have to work within. You’ll save time and money in the long run if you deal with these problems up front:
Your budget. Just how much are you comfortable spending today, or over the course of a couple decades, to execute the design? Which are the maintenance expenses? It’s always best to look to a comfort level. Homeowners association rules and regulations. These may range from minimal plant dimensions to paint colors for garden structures to fence positioning and styles. Zoning and building codes. These laws frequently concentrate on safety — when to put a railing on a deck, or the maximum height of a street-side fencing, for example.
Jocelyn H. Chilvers
5. Work With a Pro
A simple consultation or training session with a landscape professional may be all you have to proceed with a small project. Larger, more complicated projects, particularly the ones that involve hardscape components, will benefit from the wisdom and experience of design and construction experts.