Landscape Design can be a rather imposing undertaking for the  novice.  You can spend many years studying the art of landscape design, get all kinds of degrees and certifications to become a professional, but what about the “do-it-yourself” who wants to re-do a portion of the backyard?  Here are some Empowering tips to fulfill your goals on a budget…

*Start by doing some simple research on the internet.  There are many articles on landscape design and you will find useful information with regards to your area and climate. Do a Google search of “high-end” landscape designs.  You can glean many ideas and tips from sophisticated designs, that you can incorporate, on a smaller scale, into your project.

*Spend some time in the library or at your local book store.  There are many resources for garden or landscape design that can be very insightful.

*If you have a local demonstration garden in your area, take a walk through…take pictures that you can refer back to.  Take some time to go through a couple of nurseries. Write down the names of plants that you find interesting and attractive.  Ask questions…people at nurseries are great resources.  They understand the proper planting techniques for the soil conditions, as well as amendments that should be added to the soil. Ask them what types of irrigation systems are appropriate and the most efficient to
install…all key questions.

*There are five key elements in any landscape design…color, form, line, scale, & texture, that must be considered.  These key elements are the “nuts and bolts” of landscape design. They relate to the hardscape and softscape aspects.  Keeping these elements in mind as you plan your design will increase the chances that the outcome will be a success. In my next post, I will discuss these in more detail, as they can be a little confusing, as they tend to intertwine.

Start your design process step by step.  Do your due diligence and follow the simple steps that have been discussed.  Do not try to do it all at once or it will become overwhelming…This is an Empowering path to take…