As a homeowner, you know that the design and layout of your landscaping has a huge impact on the overall aesthetic of your home. Your landscape design is so much more important than a lot of people even realize! The first impression of your entire home is made before someone steps foot over your threshold. And often, despite what the interior of your home looks like, your landscape has more of a hold on their impression of your home than anything else. Your landscape is so important! So, how do you perfect your landscape design?
Functionality
Yes, your landscape needs to be beautiful, but it also needs to be function. When you are planning out your landscape design, you need to have a clear idea of how all of your various elements work together. A firepit with nowhere to sit doesn’t make sense. Garden beds should be in designated areas that are easily distinguishable. Make sure that your ideal landscape makes sense!
Hardscapes first
Hardscaping includes things like walkways, porches, patios, parking areas, and arbors. These areas of your landscape should be decided on, and installed/constructed, very first. Plants, a lawn, and all other softscapes should be added on later. Without these hardscapes in place first, your landscape won’t make a lot of sense, and it will be so much harder to add them in later on.
Picking the right plants
Plants, whether trees, shrubs, or flowers, add so much beauty, interest, and value to your landscape. But when picking out your plants, you need to be very conscious of what you are putting where. You don’t want a lot of tall trees and shrubs right in front of your house, blocking the house from view. You should pick short shrubs to go up right against the house, to frame it and soften the box like structure. You can still plant those tall trees you want, but pick spots that are further from the house. Consider the lighting before planting anything! You want to maximize on the sun, to make sure that the plants that need the most sun are getting it, and that the ones that need shade aren’t in direct light for too long.