Basics of Landscape Planning
There are several ways to approach the planning and basic
landscaping around your property. All of them should take into consideration
the needs and interests of you and your family, whether you are moving into a brand new home that is as bare outside as in, or whether you have an older
house with a planting that needs renovating or doesn't suit your gardening
interests or tastes (or time).
Landscape design
software Screenshot from Idea Spectrum.
Of course, not all new houses are in need of landscaping.
The developer may have planted a lawn, some shrubs around the foundation, and
he may have had the good sense to leave some of the property's original trees -
if such had existed. Or, if you selected the property, you also care that some
of the existing trees were saved and protected during construction.
Whatever kind of new homeowner you are, you will be as
anxious to improve the outside of your property as you have been to decorate
and furnish the inside of the house. Harmony between house and garden is the keynote of today's landscaping. To achieve this, always take into consideration
the background of your special requirements and interests, use one of three
following approaches:
The amount of outside help that you seek in the planning
stage depends, of course, on the budget. Employing a landscape architect or
landscape designer to make a basic plan of your property can be very
worthwhile, especially for larger places complicated by varying terrain.
Professional landscaping provides permanent satisfaction and increased value.
In addition to planning the landscape design, professional
consultants may recommend contractors and nurseries that will do the later work
and may themselves supervise the plantings and necessary preliminary
operations, such as earthmoving to change grades, and installation of
driveways, parking areas, terraces, and other components of the landscape.
Of course, not all improvements need to be accomplished at once.
Projects can be carried on over several years to spread out the costs. The
important point is that a basic design plan exists and is being followed over
time to five relationships and meaning to the property as a whole.
2. Nurseries that
plan and plant.
If you use neither a landscape architect nor a landscape
consultant, you can still get professional outside help by directly approaching
a local nursery that specializes in planning landscaping as well as selling
trees and shrubs. Such nurseries usually maintain a landscaping department and
give you a plan without charge so long as you let them do the actual work with
their own materials.
Often, such an arrangement works out great for both parties,
both financially and artistically. The new homeowner no longer has to worry
about his naked-appearing house and lot (they may lay sod instead of planting
grass seed to give the house a green lawn virtually overnight). Now all that
remains for the homeowner is to water and maintain the plantings and
concentrate on the details of the landscape - a rose garden, a perennial
border, vegetables - in short, the pleasures of gardening.
One caution: Be careful to choose a reliable nursery,
especially if you are new in the area, and know what you are contracting for.
Again, be sure the plan and subsequent layout suit you and your family's needs
rather than the convenience of the nursery. Some nurseries, unless encouraged
otherwise, tend to repeat successful landscaping formulas so that many
communities are composed of look-alikes - houses and landscapes all from the
same cookie cutter. Unless you prefer your landscaping to be like that of every
other in the area, be wary of package landscaping deals.
Also, don't encourage the nurseryman to fill every inch of
your property with plants! It is better to have a lean appearance at first than
later overcrowding. Besides, you will want to add plants of your own choosing,
both now and over time.
3. Planning and planting
If you do not wish to hire a landscape architect, designer,
or nursery service, then you must be your own designer. The risks vary
according to the complexity of your site, your taste, skill, and knowledge of
design and gardening, and family requirements. If should be faced from the start
that the new homeowner will probably make some mistakes, but few that can't be
remedied.
First of all, you can learn from the mistakes as well as
accomplishments of other homeowners by studying existing plantings and
solutions to landscaping challenges. The work of good landscape architects is
on public display around university buildings, public buildings, industrial
complexes, shopping centers, parks, botanic gardens, and even state highways.
While each property must be treated individually, you can utilize much of what
you observe about the importance of texture, balance, and composition in
arranging plants.
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