If you’ve never attempted landscape design before, you may feel a little overwhelmed by the variety of options available. Where should the plants go and which ones do you wish to include? Do walkways and bed lines need to be straight or curved? And what about accent pieces like chic seating, striking pots, and birdbaths to draw in vibrant fauna? Many of the same concepts that govern how you set up a room within your house also govern how you design a space outdoors, so it might be helpful to think about a space in your yard as you would a room inside. These seven factors can assist ensure that your new landscaping project gets off to a great start.
- Assess Needs and Desires for the Landscape
List the things you need and desire. Do your children need a play area? Would you want to plant vegetables? A fire pit table (such as this Better Homes & Gardens Carter Hills Propane Fire Pit Table, $349, Walmart) would be a great place for your family to get together on a patio. Start by drawing very basic drawings of the yard with ideas for where you want to put items. This is a terrific way for novices to organize their landscape design. The Big Book of Garden Designs author Marianne Lipanovich says they don’t have to be master plans—they might simply be ideas. She drew simply a few lines and a few circles as her new front yard landscaping design. It doesn’t take much effort or time to experiment with concepts.
- Consider Your Location
Examine the wind and sun patterns. It may be desirable to build a patio on the west side of the home, but since it will get a lot of afternoon heat, August dinnertime may be too hot. Additionally, a fire pit will be swiftly put out by wind whistling around a corner. These are typical errors made by novices while designing a backyard garden. Before placing patio furniture (like this Better Homes & Gardens Willow Sage All-Weather Wicker Outdoor Cuddle Chair and Ottoman Set, $369, Walmart), consider how the sun and wind will behave throughout the day and year. Prior to planting, it’s a good idea to determine your Hardiness Zone and do a soil test.
- Take Some Time to Enjoy Your Landscape
Making hasty decisions about your yard might result in decisions that prove to be counterproductive over time. Give it some time to settle in before making any adjustments. You will begin to recognize places that you would want to go and sit after spending more time outside, according to Lipanovich. Choose patio decorations and furniture that can be used in several sections of your yard, like this Better Homes & Gardens Davenport Outdoor Console Table ($347.57, Walmart).
- Begin Modestly
Sure, your favorite home and garden show may do comprehensive exterior renovations in only three days, but most novice home gardeners don’t prefer having a large team to undertake the hard work. Slowly formulating a concept and enjoying the process are important components of designing a landscape you’ll love. First, create a tiny flower garden according to your master design. When you get a moment, go work on it for an hour or two outside and don’t worry too much about doing it all at once. According to Lipanovich, you’re less likely to make careless mistakes or use quick cuts that you’ll come to regret if you take your time creating a DIY landscape design.
- Locate a Point of Focus
A focus point, or set of focal points, is a feature of any well-designed garden, and it’s a simple idea to implement. That might be a beautiful tree, a group of bushes, or a sculpture. Says Lipanovich, “Let the design guide your eyes throughout the landscape.”
- Pay attention to pace and scale
Scale and pace are the most difficult principles in landscape design for novices, yet they give your yard a cohesive appearance. Paths that guide visitors around the area will be interspersed with tall plants that lean against buildings or behind flowerbeds in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. Lipanovich stresses the need of striking a harmonious balance between novel features and repetition. Cohesion is aided by repetition, but repetition shouldn’t become boring. It is preferable to sometimes add new components rather than having them all at once.
- Remain Flexible
Be frank about what aspects of your design are working and what aren’t, unless you have a strong commitment to something. Even Lipanovich has come to realize that some aspects she used to admire are no longer appropriate for her style. You may try new things and make changes as you go.
Recall that the secret to beginner-friendly landscape design is patience. Rely on temporary solutions, like planting some annuals, mulch, and quickly growing groundcovers, to cover an area while you’re deciding what you want if all that barren space is too much to look at and the kids and dogs are dragging in muck. Lipanovich further suggests surrounding bigger plants that need time to mature and fill in with annuals and tiny perennials. If you subsequently decide they’re in the incorrect place, you can always dig them up and transfer them.