hoW tO pLaN a LaNdsCaPe

 Step 1With paper and pencil in hand, you will begin your first draft out in your yard.  You will estimate footage for now, and rough out a general layout of your yard.Once you have completed the first step (for any areas you are planning on planting), you will begin taking notes right on the page. If you have a great deal of new planting space, this will be more than one page. Everything you think ofshould go on the page. If you run out of space, don't worry, just write smaller, as this is (again), your final draft.

Step 2 While you walk your property, identify your plants or trees, and analyze them. This of how large some of your planting choices will be at full maturity. Will they need continual pruning to keep from creating damage to your property? Will they grow over drives and walkways? Will they block the view from your windows, or make entering your doors difficult? Scary thought but can a burglar hide behind them. Think ahead! With this information in hand about all the existing landscape, decide now what must go

 

Step 3 you will begin to consider the maintenance that will be involved. For landscaping, start only with your large "foundation" plants. Use dwarf varieties around your walkways, and buy perennials, or bulbs instead of annuals. This saves you time and money, as they come back every year, as bulbs also multiply each year. Write down these timesaving, and many times money saving ideas. Make another big note to yourself: Even though it may be pretty now...keep your maintenance down, by designing and caring for your yard a little bit at a time.

Step 4 Use the right tool for the job.
* Choose plants suited for your site.
* On a steep, hard-to-mow slope, build terraces to break the slope into steps.
* Do not struggle with sparse, weedy grass weeding, under trees, surround trees with beds of shade loving plants.
* Avoid using sharp angles or fussy curves when planning flowerbeds. It makes mowing around them easier.
* Reduce lawn to mow, and use low maintenance ground cover, or install decking.
* Choose disease free insect resistant, trees and plants.
* Plant inclines with groundcovers. Creeping thyme is good and very fragrant.
* Choose plants, which do not have messy droppings, such as seedpods, sap, or large flowers.
* Use a mulching lawn mower. Remember grass clippings are high in nitrogen, and our plants love it.