Landscaping your yard is a daunting task. There are so many styles and so many options that it can be intimidating. Breaking it down to manageable bites to work with is important so that you can design a yard space that is not only safe and aesthetically pleasing but that suits your needs. Often it is helpful to ask yourself a few questions to pin down just what it is you might want.
What do I want to do with my yard?
Is the yard going to be a pristine showcase of flowers and plants? Will it be a haven for butterflies? Do you want fresh cut flowers for your table inside? Do you want a quiet English garden type of sanctuary?
Do I want wide open spaces?
If you have kids or grandkids you might want to plan at least one large, open area for play. Even if you are just thinking about having kids or grandkids, it is worth putting that idea into the mix to plan ahead and not have to redo the design in a few years.
Are there going to be features like a pool, hot tub, deck, bubbling fountain, or patio?
Even if you don’t currently have the feature installed, planning the yard knowing it will one day be there will help to create a design that works even after the addition.
Once you ask yourself these questions you can get an idea of how you will use your yard and that will help you decide how to design a flowing landscape design. Rather than just sticking bushes around the house, if you know you what you want from your yard over all, you can decide what plants fit the ideal for you. The more active you will be in the yard, the more the flow of the design matters. If you will have or might have children playing in the yard, plants with thorns and sharp leaves might not be the best choices. If you will be gone for the summer season, plants requiring a lot of upkeep and that are fast growing are going to be problematic for you.
The thing to remember is that your yard is your yard; it should reflect what you want it to be. From a soothing paradise retreat to a perfect picnic destination, your yard can be whatever you want. From colors of flowers to types of plants, your yard is a canvas to create upon. Take the time to research the kinds of plants you want, some have side affects you may not know of and some require special attention you may or may not want to have to do.
Once you decide the purpose, the flow and needs of the yard will start to make more sense. The areas you can showcase and the areas that need to be care-free will become more apparent. Likewise, the needs of irrigation, outdoor accent lighting, and things such as pavers or stonework will all fit into place as you design the perfect space for your life. Knowing what you want also allows you to plan all of the needs, such as pipes for irrigation, landscape lighting, etc. as you go so that everything can be done together and as a whole design.
There will be a flow to your yard. Even if you don’t plan it out, the arrangement of plants and open areas, the fixtures, the features will decide the flow and how the yard feels. So it might be best to take the reins and guide your yard into becoming your perfect sanctuary that flows just like you want it to.
[sgmb id=”1″ customimageurl=”” ]