Landscaping 101

by Scott Lewis Landscape Construction Pty Ltd Landscape Construction

So, what is landscaping?

Landscaping is the process of making a yard becomes more attractive by altering the existing design, adding ornamental features, and planting trees and shrubs. This is simply a prettification of a piece of land.

Here are the things that you should know about landscaping:

Think of What Do You Want and What Do You Need

Are you looking for a place to play, a quiet place for reading, or a solemn place to grow colorful flowers? You might be thinking of growing your favorite vegetables and herbs for cooking. Start it by making a list of the things that you need and draw a sketch of how you’d like everything to fit together. Consider this as your jumping board to come up with the most pleasing and relaxing space.

Think About Your Yard

See how you could beautify your yard. How does the wind move through it? What is the path of the sun? Create sitting areas out of the line of prevailing winds or block and direct winds with shrubs and trees. Locate the sunniest spots and evaluate the best places to plant trees. It’s ideal to have a place to relax and play that is sheltered from the heat of the day. It’s also wonderful to create a space that takes advantage of the sun’s warmth on cooler days. In addition, understand how you’ll get water from one area of your yard to another. Begin by mapping the angle of the sun and by developing a strategy for watering in order to know how and what to plant.

Have a Vision of It

Sit in a spot and take time in one space or another, you may not know how or if it fits in with your plan. Move a chair around and find a different place to sit each day. Take note of possible focal points and how these places interact with your home and the views from windows. How do existing paths work into the mix? Paths that interface with the surrounding environment affect the users’ experience, guiding them not just from one place to another but providing engagement.

Make it Simple

Simple things are more appealing to the eye and most tranquil to the mind. Your decisions don’t need to be complicated or overdone. Instead, include only the things that matter most. Start small and begin with a framework that allows you to easily move from the inside of your house to a bed of flowers, veggie plot, or patio. The best design solutions are often intuitive. For instance, the path you’ve made across the lawn, while ignoring an existing walkway, could be a clue to the most compelling composition.

Choose the Plants You Love

A garden isn’t a garden without plants. Keep a running list of the plants you’d like to grow and find some garden design ideas. Consider flowering trees like dogwoods, buckeyes, or crabapples. Flower gardens and perimeter plantings make colorful focal points. Grow a row of flowering shrubs like hydrangeas near a patio or deck to enrich and enliven your outdoor experience.

Embrace Change

One thing that one should consider on this endeavor is that nothing stays the same. Set a picture in your mind, sketch it on a piece of paper and realized it on your yard. Remember that in order for you to get things done, you need to make all the necessary changes applied into the piece of land you’ve got. No one could ever make it happen but you alone. You may hire a professional landscape contractor but you should be the one who will decide how you yard will appear when the job is done!

Still unsure where to start and how to start it right? Contact Scott Lewis Landscape, the company provides complete landscape architectural design services, including master planning, site planning and design, construction management and post-construction site guidance. The firm is made up of a group of highly skilled landscaping professionals who pays a lot of attention to small details.