Landscape Design

Landscape design is a professional trade that deals with visually enhancing a certain outdoor space. Landscape designers must be skilled at design processes. However, it is also important to understand horticulture and garden design. Home gardening is one example of landscape design that can easily be done without hiring a professional although, larger and more complex projects may require an individual with expertise in this area.

Strategies

Although the specific strategy implemented will vary depending on the landscape designer, as well as personal preferences, there are still some general pointers that may help you transform your outdoor space.

Before embarking on a project, it is important to sit down and plan out all of the details. Failure to do so may result in mistakes and obstacles that had not been accounted for. It is also important to properly research any materials you may need and to shop around for discounts and the best quality. Landscape design projects have the potential to become very expensive, especially for larger projects. Therefore, it is important to properly budget in order to minimize your costs.

Finally, if the outdoor space contains a garden area it is often a good idea to have it surrounded by grass, especially if it is exposed to a lot of sunlight. Keeping your grass around 3 inches high around the garden will prevent heat damage to the plants.

Key Information

As mentioned above, the first step of any landscape design project should involve significant planning. During this step, you should examine the space to ensure you know all the characteristics. For example, knowing how much exposure to sunlight the area gets is important, as is identifying areas where puddles tend to form after rain.

Another important factor to keep in mind is different climate conditions. This is really important if you plan on including a lot of plants. Different plants will react differently to changes in temperature, sunlight and rain. An important tip to keep in mind if you are including plants is to allow room for growth. A common mistake in home landscape design is planting too close together, or too close to trees or walls. The growth space required will depend on the size of the plant as well as its unique characteristics. It is important to research this ahead of time to avoid this mistake.

Essential Tools

When you begin to plan your project, it is very helpful to visualize the project before you begin the work. Home design software is an excellent way to do this. Home Designer is one excellent resource as it will help you plan everything from basic remodelling and home renovations to landscape designs.

When it comes to more specific tools, the types you need will depend on the size of your lot. Larger lots will require industrial equipment. When this is the case, it is very likely you will hire a professional company and therefore not need to worry about purchasing the equipment.

One tool often used is a good excavator. Excavators are used to dig foundations or holes as well as more basic gardening and landscaping.

It is also handy to have a concrete mixer on hand. Although this may seem like a large purchase, it is possible to purchase a mini concrete mixer or a portable concrete mixer relatively inexpensive at Home Depot. This will allow for easy storage and is very handy for individuals who take on many design projects.