Landscaping Design & Maintenance

Planning

• The easiest way to design a landscape is to draw the design on graph paper before you purchase plants or structures. You'll need to know the dimensions of your house and yard to make a scale replica. Research the expected growth of different plants so you can draw them to scale in you design. Taking this extra step will make executing the plan much easier when you're ready to get your hands dirty.

Plants

• When designing your landscape, you should choose plants that are indigenous to your region or that are hardy in your climate zone. You will have better results because these are plants that are designed to thrive in your area. You don't want to choose tropical plants if you live in a desert, nor do you want to choose drought-resistant plants in a tropical area. Your landscape will require much less maintenance if you choose the right plants for your region. The plants should also be adapted to the soil conditions to reduce the need for water and fertilizer. When it comes to deciding where to place different plants, consider how much sun each area around your home receives and the needs of each type of plant. For example, plants that require full sun should be planted on the south-facing side of your house, because this side receives the most sunlight.

Structural Features

• Your landscape plan may require the addition of structural features to make your yard more functional. For example, you can install a series of retaining walls to prevent erosion if you live on a hill. These walls add dimension to your landscape and can be accented by plants. Other structural features you might add include pools, fountains, pergolas, gazebos and patios. If you opt for a pool, you should make adjustments in your design so you have a way to hide the pool filter, which can be an eyesore in an otherwise pristine landscape. Waterfalls and coy ponds should be placed in an area where they can be enjoyed, such as near a patio. Keep in mind that without proper cleaning and maintenance, ponds can grow unsightly algae and an offensive odor.

Statuary

• Garden statues can be used to accent flowerbeds or as focal points in your landscape. Some people like to use small statues of animals among flowers to resemble real animals amid the plants. If you have an area in your yard that can't sustain plant life, this is the ideal spot to create a rock garden with a birdbath. Be careful not to include too many different statues because the result can look tacky.

Maintenance

• Routine maintenance is essential to keeping your landscape looking its best. Regular lawn mowing will keep your grass looking good. You can add mulch around trees in flowerbeds to help prevent weeds, but there will inevitably be some weeds that appear. Set aside some time each week for weeding and watering your plants; plants may also require fertilizer once per month. The amount of maintenance your shrubbery requires depends entirely on your preferences. Some people like neat, symmetrical hedges, while other gardeners prefer to let their shrubs grow wild as nature intended. New applications of mulch should be added periodically as the existing mulch decomposes and loses its original appeal. If you choose pools, ponds or other water features, you will need to clean out leaves and add chemicals to prevent algae growth. Even concrete statues require some maintenance, scrub them with a mixture of bleach and water periodically to remove and kill any algae or moss that grows on them.