How to Design a Landscape
Designing a new landscape for your yard does not have to be as intimidating as it sounds. Breaking the project up into smaller steps helps to reduce some of the stress involved. As with many big projects, planning your landscape should take up the bulk of your time. The better you plan your new landscape, the easier it will be to implement.
Items Needed:
- Paper for sketching
- Pencil or pen for sketching
- Soil testing kit
- Make a list of all the ways in which you intend to use your landscaped area. If you need a play area for children, this needs to be included in the list. Include areas such as dining areas and gardens as all of these are part of the overall landscape.
- Walk the area. Take accurate measurements and sketch out the area to be landscaped on a piece of paper. Make note of existing plants and trees and indicate whether you want to keep certain elements of the existing landscape. Make note also of existing elements such as water drainage and shading.
- Test the soil to determine what nutrients are available already in your soil and what nutrients need to be added. Add basic nutrients now so that your soil has time to adjust. More specific nutrient levels can be adjusted once you decide which plants you will be adding.
- Map out the static areas first. If you know you need a playground area, sketch out the dimensions for that on your new landscape design. Map out picnic areas and seating areas as well. If you have large trees you are intending to keep, include them on the new design.
- Decide which plants you wish to add and fill in the rest of your design. Research the new plants and determine if you need to prepare your soil further.