How to Landscape the Garden

This article will provide you with several landscape and garden construction techniques to get you moving in the right direction. You will learn precisely how to create your new garden space. But, before we start digging and planting, let’s begin with some landscape design basics to help you understand the process.

The first step in learning how to landscape is assessing the existing property. Write down everything that needs to be trimmed, relocated or removed. Often, a beautiful landscape can be created from existing plants. This is great news for your budget. Some specimens will need to be relocated to a more suitable area. Sunlight requirements, rainfall and size are important considerations in finding the perfect spot for a particular plant. After trimming and removing everything on your list, set aside the plants you’d like to keep. If you won’t be transplanting today, you may choose to wait before removing anything. It’s easy to underestimate the time required to trim and clean up an overgrown yard. Now, take a look at your existing landscape. Focus on the garden beds. Are they attractive, healthy and pleasing to the eye? Your beds are the building blocks of your landscape. It helps to think of each bed as a separate landscape, so evaluate them individually, and if any need help, they can be quickly transformed.

Garden beds are easy when you know a few basic landscaping tricks. They can be drastically improved by creating natural, organic shapes. If your beds are constructed in straight lines or rectangles, you can improve them quickly by rounding the corners and making them asymmetrical. Try widening a portion on one side and curving the outline of the entire bed. If you’re needing more guidance, the following article takes you through the process in easy steps.

In many garden beds, perspective is often missing, and it’s quite simple to fix. Place the tallest plants in the back, the shortest in the front and the remainder in the middle. If your beds will be viewed from multiple angles, put the tallest plants in the center and decrease the height as you work outward to the edges. Three or more layers of different heights will create a lush, three-dimensional effect.

Content is equally important in your beds. Many landscape designs could be enhanced with greater attention to plant selection. Try using 40 to 60 % evergreens to provide a solid foundation and constant color. Add 25-40 % perennials and/or deciduous bushes for interest and variety. Always leave a small amount in the budget for colorful annual flowers to keep the landscape looking fresh. Pay close attention to whether your plants require sun or shade. It’s a shame to see so many sunburned, dried out hostas planted in full sun. You can finish your landscape with appropriate trees. Carefully-placed ornamental trees will add height, balance and drama to the landscape. Pay attention to mature height and spread. Make sure you have room for the tree to mature without overwhelming the rest of the garden.