How to Landscape Your Yard

You will learn how to develop a logical landscape plan for your yard. Does this Spark an idea?

Things You'll Need

• Rough layout of yard with dimensions marked

Instructions

1. With the first warm spring day, it is a natural impulse to rush out to the nearest garden center and buy some plants for those bare spots in your landscape. This may be fun, but unfortunately, it is not the wisest move.

2. Buying a young plant is, in many ways, like buying a puppy. It is a good idea to look into its pedigree before making a decision. That cute little plant in a one or five gallon pot could grow into a large unruly problem. Its care and feeding should be investigated thoroughly, including water usage, sun exposure, frost sensitivity, rate of growth, and ultimate size. How much time and effort are you willing to invest in its development? How is it going to look with the other vegetation in your garden? Who is going to maintain it?

3. If you have the time and interest to do some research, go for it! There are many good sources of information regarding plants that do well in various environments. Three books that I highly recommend for the desert Southwest are: "Landscape Plants for Dry Regions" by Jones and Sacamano, "Plants for Dry Climates" by Duffield and Jones, and "Native Plants for Southwestern Landscapes" by Mielke. All have excellent color photographs, as well as detailed easy-to-understand descriptions of the plants. These books as well those that target other climate zones are available at local libraries and book stores.

4. If you don't feel up to all this leg work and want to avoid costly mistakes, consult a professional landscape designer or landscape architect before undertaking any landscape improvements. This person has been trained not only in plant usage, but also in creating outdoor living areas that can increase your property value and enhance your environment by making the best use of the space available. Some of the important elements that can be incorporated into a yard are water features, boulders, ramadas, outdoor kitchens/BBQs, low voltage lighting, fireplaces, seating areas, walls, pools and spas. An automatic irrigation system is another important part of a landscape, especially here in the desert. It all depends on how you plan to use the space.

5. In order to pull all of these components together, the best approach is to create a master plan, which would include all of the items on your "wish list". This plan could then be implemented either in its entirety or in logical phases as time and budget permit. This way, if you would like to have a swimming pool installed sometime in the future, the plan takes that into consideration, and makes certain that it can be done without destroying the entire yard.

6. However you decide to go about your yard improvements, do it with an ultimate goal in mind, whether it be a simple place for your kids to play in the shade or a posh outdoor "room" suitable for entertaining large groups.

Tips & Warnings

• Plan first - Plant later