If you want a beautiful and functional yard that will impress visitors, is enjoyable year-round, and uses natural resources that are beneficial to the native environment, considering the principles of landscape design carefully will help you to put the perfect layout together. Landscape designers have a difficult job of pulling together different elements like flowers, landscapes, and structures into a cohesive and unified whole that is not only aesthetically pleasing but functional and ergonomic.
So, before breaking ground on your next big outdoor space project, take the time to go over the following steps to ensure the success of your landscaping project. Doing so will save you time, money, and effort in the end, and will help you produce a front yard or other garden design that you love. Creating a landscape design plan is the first step, so let's look at the basic steps to take when beginning your project.
How to Create a Beautiful Yard
Every landscape designer has their own style, and yards are as different and varied as people are. Each person's ideal landscape design elements are different, and each person might see a different vision for the same yard.
However, like all art disciplines, there are some basic tips you can use to outline your ideas for the yard and decide on what materials and procedures you will use. Before creating anything or doing any installation or construction, consider the following examples of how a professional landscape designer would ensure the success of their project.
Step #1: Assess the Area
The first step towards creating a beautiful yard is to closely examine the area you have to work with. Notice its shape, its proximity to the house, the boundaries, any lighting, walkways, shrubs, and other landscape plants. It's also important to consider geographical issues like sun or shade issues, the hilliness of the area, trees, water drainage issues, and the plant quality of the soil.
Step #2: Build a Budget
Like all home improvement projects, landscape plans can get expensive quickly. Before you select plants, plan any water features, or move forward on structures, you need to get an idea of the finances and build a budget that works for you. This will make sure that you can complete your project on schedule without overspending and will help you prioritize the landscape designs that are more important than others.
Step #3: Create a Concept
Now that you've gotten a budget in order and understand the hard constraints of the site, you can begin the creative side of landscape design. This is where you can let your passion and style shine through to create the yard you've always wanted, from a country lawn feel to a desert yard xeriscape. At this stage, don't focus on limitations like tools you'll need or the yard maintenance, focus more on bringing your ideas to fruition and laying out a plant landscape you love.
Step #4: Design a Hardscape
Next, it's time to get the structural aspect of your landscape together, which includes elements like concrete, a patio, chairs and a table, a structure, and all the other shapes and ideas that complement the living aspects of a landscape plan. Try and select hardscape elements that will go with native flora, work well with existing architecture like the house, and always use materials that allow water to permeate through when possible.
Step #5: Make Plant Selections
When people talk about landscape design, they primarily think it involves picking and choosing the right plants for a space like a garden or lawns. And while there's a lot more to beautiful and functional landscaping than just this job, it is certainly an important part of the overall process that should be done carefully. From lawns to a front yard, the plants are the key choice in the design that will stand out the most.
Try and incorporate native plants that will flourish without much care, plants with varying seasonal growth habits, a wide variety of colors, and varying heights and textures to make the landscaping more visually appealing. The right choices for your design should be easy to maintain, have a good layout, include trees, fit the area it's designed for, and beautify and enhance the space.
Step #6: Begin Implementation
Now that you have all the landscape design basics laid out, you can focus on putting them into place and bringing your dream to a reality! When implementing your landscape plans, try and focus on sustainability and eco-friendly practices. Native shrubs instead of manicured lawns, for example, is a design that needs less maintenance and also provides a way for local pollinators and other insects to thrive.
If you need help with this part of the landscaping process, don't be afraid to hire workers. Building a design is one thing, but putting it into practice can be strenuous and difficult, especially if it's your first time.
So, if you're looking to take your yard to the next level or bring the landscaping design you've always dreamed of to life, now is the perfect time to plant a garden and make your goals a reality. Nothing helps people feel relaxed and motivated like being surrounded by beautiful landscapes or their favorite plant. Contact a landscape design expert today and begin the process of beautifying your house, your yard, and your life today!
Comments