Home Landscaping Ideas

As a part of my individual regular landscaping study, I regularly make the time to visit landscaping and gardens designed by do it yourselfers and homeowners. There are always a lot of individual touches for each yard that differ in degree of design, budget, and creativity. However, the main deciding factor that I've seen between fantastic landscaping ideas and not so great is the amount of planning that goes into each yard or landscape.

It's clear that planning everything and getting a vision may be hard and confusing for beginner do it yourselfers. However, no matter how long it takes, you should never leave out this part out. It is essential to the final constant growth, effectiveness, functionality, and appearance of your garden design. Take the time to plan. Remember the following hints. They could be helpful for getting your vision on paper and finally to your yard.

In the first part of the design process you might find it helpful to think in the abstract rather than specifics. A lot of professional landscapers design in this way. As opposed to getting hung up on specific flowers and plants that you would like to grow in your landscaping plans, think in terms of size, colors, texture, shape, and function of the plants and flowers needed in different areas. Specific plant types can be picked and researched after the plan is finished.

A common design block is not being able to look past what's already there. Even though it's great to include existing elements and views that are pleasing, your landscaping ideas should not be restricted by a lot more than resourcefulness, location, and budget. It's very valuable to see beyond what you already have and start with a fresh design in mind.

Try outlining or copying your dream landscape into your space as though you have a blank flat dirt lot to start on. Look at landscaping pictures and use the whole design in your yard if you want to. Change it, adapt it, or use another. The point is to plan without restriction and then change it and work with what you've got.

Try not to fill your head with each aspect of the landscaping plan. Focus on accessibility, purpose, shape, etc. Rather than thinking of exact materials for patios, fences, decks, pathways, walls, and other hardscapes, focus on the shape, size, function, convenience, access, and necessity.

A final hint is to keep it simplistic by keeping elements to only a few and then repeating them. You could also try making a focus in each main area. This could simply be a lamp post, entry door or gate, or even a bed of roses. Keep focal points to no more than one as too many will compete for focus and confuse the view.