Six Basics to Keep in Mind When Planning a Landscape Design

Are you trying to find a way to make your yard more beautiful? While mastering the art of landscape design can take several years to complete, there are some basic elements that virtually anyone can implement. Therefore, if you are planning to take on a landscaping project at your home, be sure to keep these simple things in mind.

Create Year-Round Interest

It is easy to get carried away with all of the beautiful flowers that can be grown in the spring and the summer, but you want to be sure to create year-round interest when designing your landscape layout. Remember, your goal is to have perennials as well as flowering shrubs and trees through the spring and summer, but your focus in the fall should be on foliage and your goal in the winter is to provide interest with good structure. One easy way to make certain there is something to see in your garden throughout the year is to include evergreens in your landscape design.

Add Color with Annuals

While perennials are great for providing beauty year after year, the drawback is that they only bloom for a short period of time. Therefore, you should be sure to include annuals in your landscape design in order to ensure bountiful colors throughout the entire blooming season.

Include Hardscape Features

Sure, your flowers, trees and shrubs are the central focus of your garden, but you can add interest while creating a more complete look with the help of a few hardscape featurers as well. Patios and decks, for example, help provide a smooth transition from the indoors to the outdoors. Similarly, fences help provide definition to the landscape.

Install a Water Feature

Water features help create a focal point to your landscape and they aren’t as difficult to install as you might think. In fact, all you need is a plastic liner, a pump, a fountain and some tubing. All of these items can be purchased from a home improvement store and are easier to install than you might think.

Use Layers

Layering your garden will help create interest while also allowing you to enjoy all of the beauty that each of your plants provides. When layering, your goal should be to have your tallest flowers in the back, with the next tallest in the middle and your shortest in the front.

Consider Upkeep

No matter how beautiful your garden is, you may grow to resent it if it requires too much upkeep. Therefore, when planning your design, you should try to select plants that require as little upkeep as possible. The simplest way to do this is to select plants that are native to your area. You might also want to select plants that are drought-tolerant, as they will be much easier to take care of in the summertime when the spring showers cease.

If you keep these basics in mind, you will be sure to create a landscape design that you can easily maintain and that you will be able to enjoy for years to come.