Landscaping Designs That Meet Your Needs

While the physical labor of landscaping is tedious, many homeowners have a greater fear of the planning and design process.  After all, landscape design architects go to school and get degrees in the subject, so it must be fairly complex, right?  While it's true that a well designed landscape can be difficult to achieve, it is not impossible for the novice to create their own design.  Ideally, the perfect landscape design should be need-based.  That is, it should meet the needs of you and your family and accomplish your goals.  In this article, we'll explain how you can accomplish this task yourself.

First and foremost, you should plan your design around a certain set of goals.  This means you'll need to identify your specific needs and desires.  What do you want your landscaping to do for you or say about your home?  To keep things simple, try to narrow it down to about two or three specific goals.  Some examples of landscaping goals might be shade, shelter from rain or wind, privacy from neighbors, relaxation, or entertainment for the kids.

If your goal is shade, then your first consideration should be trees.  If you already have established trees in your yard, then you won't have much work to do.  But for those in new developments that are starting with a clean slate, this can be more difficult.  When choosing shade trees, be sure to consider the mature size of the tree.  The primary reason that trees have to be chopped down is because they were planted too close to the house, sidewalk, or driveway.  You should also consider whether you want shade in the summer only, or winter as well.  If you choose a deciduous tree that sheds its leaves each fall, you'll get some solar gain in the area during the winter, which could be advantageous in reducing energy costs, particularly if your home is part of the shaded area.

If you live in a windy area and need some shelter, trees can also provide a wind block when planted close together.  For those who aren't patient enough to wait on trees to grow for shade or wind protection, consider using a structure such as a pergola or landscape screen.  An overhead structure can also provide shelter from rain, as well, if you want to use your outdoor area in all seasons and weather.

Privacy from neighbors is another goal that can be accomplished over the long term with trees, but in the short term could be fixed easily by putting up a fence.  A less expensive option might be a patio trellis or outdoor privacy screen.  Look for a product that's portable, so you can move it around wherever it's needed.

For relaxation, be sure to plan a comfortable seating area in your landscape design.  Weatherproof outdoor furniture is a must, and good options include redwoods like cedar or even a UV treated plastic resin.  Water features can also aid with outdoor relaxation.  You might want to consider adding a small garden pond, fountain, or even a waterfall.

Outdoor entertainment for children is usually pretty easy to accomplish, provided that you can find enough space in your landscape to accommodate them.  Children's play sets can be purchased in many sizes and configurations.  Consider adding a playground border around the area to designate it as its own part of the yard.  Other options for kids might include a sandbox or a small children's garden where they can work on their own plants and play in the dirt.

With some careful evaluation of your needs, you should be able to identify several specific goals for your yard.  Then plan your landscape design with these goals in mind, and you'll be sure to come out with a result that is pleasing for you and your whole family.