How To Design a Home Landscape
Landscaping produces a yard that is beautiful, admirable, manageable
and useful. Before starting, evaluate your property, your needs
and draw up a master plan. Some of the common problems in existing
landscapes include proportion, inappropriate plants, sparse landscapes,
disagreeable views and other plant hazards.
Create A Scale Drawing:
Find out if you have a scaled map of your property. If you cannot
find one, measure your property boundary using whatever markings
or features you are sure of. Then measure the exterior dimensions
of your house and draw the house to scale onto the property map.
Make sure to include any permanent structures such as sidewalks,
driveways, patios, storage buildings, fences, pools, play areas,
gardens, plants, etc. You can also get into detail with wind direction,
slopes and where the sun falls on different times of the year.
Developing a Final Plan:
Using the plan on which you have indicated all existing plants,
decide which plants are definitely being removed and what part of
the landscape you want to remain.
Selecting New Plants:
First work with the existing plants you have then decide what you
would like to add. When choosing new plants, keep in mind the amount
of maintenance you are willing and able to handle. Also, pick the
plants that suit both your needs and your specific site. The next
step is to develop both a renovation calendar and a renovation budget
and to proceed as time and money permit.
Landscaping With Trees and Shrubs:
Trees and shrubs contribute more to a landscape than merely beauty.
They can also screen out undesirable views or accent desirable ones;
stabilize the soil and reduce erosion; buffer noise and glare; and
feed and shelter wildlife. The first step is to remove any existing
plants that cannot be saved by spraying, pruning or relocating.
You can then renew any trees and shrubs that have been damaged by
pruning. Now you are ready to plant. Make sure the roots of the
tree are thoroughly moistened. In general, the planting hole should
be dug to a diameter of at least twice that of the root ball or
root spread. The hole should be no deeper than the depth of the
root system.
Landscaping With Bulbs, Annuals and Perennials:
You can achieve instant beauty, diverse color and spectacular accents
by planting various flowers and flowering plants. These offer a
myriad of colors, sizes, forms and beautiful displays. The most
important thing to remember after planting these flowering varieties
is to continue to take proper care of them throughout the summer
(or all year round for annuals). Weed control, watering and insect
control are essential to keep these plants attractive and alive.
