So you want a new garden. Whether you’ve bought a new house or want to spruce up an aging property, a well-designed garden can improve your home’s curb appeal, raise property values, and most importantly, give you a quiet green space to unwind and relax. But if you’ve never done a landscaping project before, you might find that you’re taking on more than you can handle.
Many of the design principles that guide interior design can be used for landscape design as well. If you know how to design a room and make it look clean coherent, then creating your garden shouldn’t be that difficult. There are many ways to upgrade your backyard, from functional upgrades such as in-ground pools to more subtle improvements like a simple garden. While you might need swimming pool contractors to build a pool, you can always DIY a home landscaping project.
1. List down your needs
Start the planning process by listing down your requirements for your dream backyard. Do you often throw backyard parties? Do you want a wide area for your pets and kids to play in? Or maybe you want to set aside a corner for a vegetable garden. These are just some of the things you have to think about when planning the landscaping.
Next, do a few basic sketches of your backyard and start piecing together the layout. You don’t need an art degree to do this; as long as the design makes sense, it should work. Consulting with a landscape designer can be a good idea, but if you’re on a budget, there’s nothing wrong with doing things yourself.
2. Location is everything
If you’ve decided to DIY your landscaping project, then you might want to brush up on the basics of landscape design. For instance, you’ll have to study the location to plan the best backyard for your home. Notice how the sun affects lighting on your property. The best place for a patio is somewhere that gets lots of light during the afternoon and tapers off as the sun starts to set.
3. Keep it simple
If you’re the type who gets their design inspiration from architecture magazines and HGTV shows, you need to understand that those are made possible by a sky-high budget and a crew of fifty. But just because you’re on a tight budget doesn’t mean you can’t get the garden you deserve.
Landscaping work is best down slowly, so you might want to take your time. Start with simple projects and make adjustments as you go along. For instance, your first act can be planting flower beds in your backyard. Don’t worry about getting everything done right away. A few hours of work spread over a couple of days should be enough.
A landscaping project doesn’t happen overnight. You need to remain patient and trust that you’ll be able to achieve your dream garden in due time. Don’t get stressed out if the backyard looks bare at the beginning. Plants take time to grow, so just focus on making small improvements, and eventually, you’ll have the landscaping you’ve always wanted.