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If you are considering landscaping your current yard, or if you are building new, there are several questions to ask yourself as your first step in planning. The answers to these will save you time, money, and perhaps much rebuilding and replanting a few years down the road. Write down your answers so you will be able to refer to them off and on. You should also add any ideas that you have for your yard, even if you don't plan to execute them right away. You may never use those ideas, but as long as they are in your head, they are worth noting.
The first thing you want to do, though, is draw a map of your yard. It doesn't need to be to scale. If you are working with an established yard, note the plants that are already there. Note, too, outbuildings, electric lines and poles, the location of the septic system and/or water lines and gas lines. Include driveways, legal easements, and what is in the neighbors' yards, like large trees or outbuildings, that will affect your design.
Then, think of the needs of your individual family members. What does each one like to do in the yard? Grow vegetables? Play ball? Barbecue? Swim? Lounge? Entertain? If there are children, think to the future and what you may put in now that you won't need later, such as a swing set or sand box. Does someone use a wheelchair, necessitating ramps and wide pathways? Think, too, of the family as a whole. Are there family activities that need to be accommodated? Are there pets or livestock that need space and housing?
Now look at your yard and how it relates to the surrounding area. Do you need screening from neighbors in the form of trees or fencing? How about a road or noisy traffic - do you need a barrier? Is there a beautiful view to frame? Do you want to define the boundaries clearly, or let your yard blend in with the adjoining property, be it a neighbor's yard or a wildlife sanctuary? Do you need a windbreak or a snow fence?
Now it's time to focus on your personal space. Do you want it to feel casual or formal? Do you need space for a clothesline? You need to take into consideration a place for deliveries, such as propane. Do you have a compost pile you want hidden from the view of the house? Same goes for a wood pile or a shed. Is there a garage or carport, or do you want one? Do you need a large parking area or a turnaround?
How about hobbies the family members enjoy? Do you need extra space or items or plants for them? Perhaps someone enjoys bird watching, and you want feeders and special plants. Would a gardener like a greenhouse? How about a hot tub? Do you see how specific you have to be about the family's needs?
Is the yard easily accessible from the house? The yard should be an extension of the house. If you like to barbecue, a door should lead from the kitchen to the outdoors. A door from the living room can increase this space during the summer months. You may want to consider a patio or deck.
How is the traffic pattern? Is the front yard accessible from the back yard without having to go through the house? Is the house easy to access from the driveway for occupants and guests alike? Is there a guest house or mother-in-law apartment that needs to be connected to the house and driveway? Pathways and walkways are very important in landscape design.
A big consideration is who will take care of the yard. Will you pay someone to come in and maintain it, or is yard work a favorite past time of the family members? How much time or money do you want to put into the maintenance of the plants? This will determine how much plant material you actually use. Think, too, what kinds of plants you would like to have. Shade trees? Fruit trees? Vines? Shrubs? Flowers for hummingbirds or butterflies? It may be useful to buy some home-and-garden magazines for ideas.
One last, but major, consideration is money. How much can you afford? Can you get a loan? Would you rather do it a little at a time with cash or a credit card? If you are working with new construction, have the amount for the landscaping included in your mortgage. To redo your existing yard, figure out an entire plan, and execute it all at once with a bank loan, or do some each year.
Once you have realized your needs for a yard, make several sketches. Draw the plan for the present and the future. Think of the changes you see as inevitable and plan for them. Once you have decided on a plan, figure the cost and how you will manage it. Only then should you begin your landscaping endeavors. This isn't a very romantic idea, but it certainly is practical. These are the steps I go through with my clients, so you can pay a landscape designer to ask you these questions, or you can do it yourself! With the money you save by doing it yourself, you can do more in your yard! Have fun, and enjoy your new yard for many years to come.
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