Many homeowners are actually glad when winter arrives and
they can basically forget about yard work for several
months. This does not mean that they are not aware of the
shape their garden is in. Particularly when those garden
catalogs arrive in the mail, or when they open a Sunset
Magazine, the urge to remodel their yard comes over many.
While everything is covered with snow and the ground is
frozen it is actually a great time to start planning.
Landscaping takes some doing and homeowners who first
identify their goals usually achieve better results.
Define how much work and money you want to spend on your
project. Look what you have already, what you want to keep
and what you want to change. Be clear what is important to
you. Is it beautification, privacy, ease of maintenance?
Does outdoor entertaining play a big role in your life or
is food production you major goal? Another vital factor in
landscape planning is safety and convenience. It is
important that your paths and steps are lighted and lead
where you want them. If you consider all these points
before you start, you'll surely end up with the garden you
want.
Whether your garden encompasses an acre or is just a tiny
plot, certain considerations are the same. With small
children or dogs, sturdy plants may have to be planted. If
sports are a popular activity, decide how to allot space.
Maybe you want to run the tracks for your model railroad
through a corner of the yard. If you have a problem area
in your yard, how will upgrading it affect the rest of the
garden. Will adding a patio cut down on the lawn area? Will
trellises block your view? Will planting trees produce
too much shade where sun is wanted?
Learn what kind of materials are available and what you can
do with them. Wood, vinyl, brick, concrete and others all
have advantages and disadvantages. A wooden arbor blends in
more naturally with the surrounding plants, but a vinyl
arbor is practically maintenance free. Concrete is
relatively inexpensive and strong but also can easily crack
on shifting land.
Other guiding principles to consider are proportion,
balance, unity and variety.
Proportion. Choose plants and garden structures that are in
scale with the architectural lines of your house. Always
think ahead to the size the mature plant will have. An
8-foot poplar today could overpower a one-story house once
it reaches 80 feet while a lonely 6-foot bush would look
lost at the corner of a two-story structure.
Balance. We are talking of the balanced, not symmetric,
distribution of landscaping elements, which create the same
visual weight on either side of a center of interest. A
large tree on the right of the entryway, balanced by two
smaller trees on the left draws the eye to the focal point,
the front door, where a single tree would draw it away. The
'visual weight' does not have to be mass. It can also be
form, color or point of interest.
Unity. An indiscriminate assembly of unrelated plants and
structures creates a chaotic overall picture. Unifying the
various landscaping materials is essential for creating a
pleasing landscape. By repeating common garden elements, a
sense that everything belongs together will be achieved.
Grouping a certain plant together next to the patio edge
and planting a few more along the path, followed by another
group at the end, ties one area of the garden with another.
Avoid planting too many distinctive areas; it makes it
harder to achieve unity.
Variety. This is a welcome element in landscaping, it
provides surprise. If you plan to have predominately
conventional plants, add something exotic, or plant a
purple leafed tree in a predominantly green color planting
scheme.
Apart from these principals you have to consider what style
of garden you want. Formal, rustic, native, oriental,
shade, dry. Your decision about a garden style determines
many things. The kind of plants to buy, what structures to
add, gates, fences, walk, etc. etc.
Climate is one of the most significant factors to weigh.
How does the path of the sun throughout the year affect
where you will plant what. Where will heat be trapped,
where will the wind need to be controlled. Don't forget the
seasons. With careful planning it is possible to increase
the number of days you can enjoy outdoors.
So many things to consider, so much to learn. That's why I
say start early, while you have no yard work. Get those
books about landscaping. Study what you need to know. Check
out what materials are available. Go talk to a landscape
specialist while he is not yet busy. When those first fine
spring days come you will be ready to start your project
and have it done to enjoy all summer.
----------------------------------------------------
The author has a Home and Garden Decor business where she
makes sure that her customers get the best deal as well as
expert advice. She is also an avid gardener with many years
of experience and likes to share her knowledge with others.
http://www.buyhomeandgardendecor.com/home.html
Planters and plant stands add interest to your garden as
well.
http://www.buyhomeandgardendecor.com/planters_and_plant_stan
ds.html
they can basically forget about yard work for several
months. This does not mean that they are not aware of the
shape their garden is in. Particularly when those garden
catalogs arrive in the mail, or when they open a Sunset
Magazine, the urge to remodel their yard comes over many.
While everything is covered with snow and the ground is
frozen it is actually a great time to start planning.
Landscaping takes some doing and homeowners who first
identify their goals usually achieve better results.
Define how much work and money you want to spend on your
project. Look what you have already, what you want to keep
and what you want to change. Be clear what is important to
you. Is it beautification, privacy, ease of maintenance?
Does outdoor entertaining play a big role in your life or
is food production you major goal? Another vital factor in
landscape planning is safety and convenience. It is
important that your paths and steps are lighted and lead
where you want them. If you consider all these points
before you start, you'll surely end up with the garden you
want.
Whether your garden encompasses an acre or is just a tiny
plot, certain considerations are the same. With small
children or dogs, sturdy plants may have to be planted. If
sports are a popular activity, decide how to allot space.
Maybe you want to run the tracks for your model railroad
through a corner of the yard. If you have a problem area
in your yard, how will upgrading it affect the rest of the
garden. Will adding a patio cut down on the lawn area? Will
trellises block your view? Will planting trees produce
too much shade where sun is wanted?
Learn what kind of materials are available and what you can
do with them. Wood, vinyl, brick, concrete and others all
have advantages and disadvantages. A wooden arbor blends in
more naturally with the surrounding plants, but a vinyl
arbor is practically maintenance free. Concrete is
relatively inexpensive and strong but also can easily crack
on shifting land.
Other guiding principles to consider are proportion,
balance, unity and variety.
Proportion. Choose plants and garden structures that are in
scale with the architectural lines of your house. Always
think ahead to the size the mature plant will have. An
8-foot poplar today could overpower a one-story house once
it reaches 80 feet while a lonely 6-foot bush would look
lost at the corner of a two-story structure.
Balance. We are talking of the balanced, not symmetric,
distribution of landscaping elements, which create the same
visual weight on either side of a center of interest. A
large tree on the right of the entryway, balanced by two
smaller trees on the left draws the eye to the focal point,
the front door, where a single tree would draw it away. The
'visual weight' does not have to be mass. It can also be
form, color or point of interest.
Unity. An indiscriminate assembly of unrelated plants and
structures creates a chaotic overall picture. Unifying the
various landscaping materials is essential for creating a
pleasing landscape. By repeating common garden elements, a
sense that everything belongs together will be achieved.
Grouping a certain plant together next to the patio edge
and planting a few more along the path, followed by another
group at the end, ties one area of the garden with another.
Avoid planting too many distinctive areas; it makes it
harder to achieve unity.
Variety. This is a welcome element in landscaping, it
provides surprise. If you plan to have predominately
conventional plants, add something exotic, or plant a
purple leafed tree in a predominantly green color planting
scheme.
Apart from these principals you have to consider what style
of garden you want. Formal, rustic, native, oriental,
shade, dry. Your decision about a garden style determines
many things. The kind of plants to buy, what structures to
add, gates, fences, walk, etc. etc.
Climate is one of the most significant factors to weigh.
How does the path of the sun throughout the year affect
where you will plant what. Where will heat be trapped,
where will the wind need to be controlled. Don't forget the
seasons. With careful planning it is possible to increase
the number of days you can enjoy outdoors.
So many things to consider, so much to learn. That's why I
say start early, while you have no yard work. Get those
books about landscaping. Study what you need to know. Check
out what materials are available. Go talk to a landscape
specialist while he is not yet busy. When those first fine
spring days come you will be ready to start your project
and have it done to enjoy all summer.
----------------------------------------------------
The author has a Home and Garden Decor business where she
makes sure that her customers get the best deal as well as
expert advice. She is also an avid gardener with many years
of experience and likes to share her knowledge with others.
http://www.buyhomeandgardendecor.com/home.html
Planters and plant stands add interest to your garden as
well.
http://www.buyhomeandgardendecor.com/planters_and_plant_stan
ds.html
